Which passkey is right for me?
Your specific circumstances will inform which passkey option(s) are right for you.
The first question to ask yourself is: How many Hollins-owned devices will you need to access?
Single Device: If you only ever use your main office computer, you can set up the passkey on that computer without needing a smartphone or hardware key.
Multiple Devices: If you need to log into other computers on campus (like in classrooms, labs, or meeting rooms), you’ll need a synced passkey or hardware key.
What are the different types of passkeys?
Synced Passkeys (e.g., iCloud Keychain, Bitwarden, Google): Stored in the cloud. These follow you to any computer or phone where you are logged into that service.
Hardware Keys (e.g., YubiKey): A physical USB key you carry with you. The passkey lives safely inside the key, allowing you to plug it into any computer or lab station on campus to log in.
Computer-Bound Passkeys (e.g., Windows Hello / Touch ID): Saved directly to a single computer. This is great for your primary office computer, but it cannot be used on other machines.
Real-World Example: Logging in away from your desk
Scenario: Professor Polly walks into Dana Science Building room 201 to teach. She sits down at the classroom computer and opens a browser to log into PowerPoint Online. Because she is not at her main office desk, a passkey saved strictly to her office computer won't work here. To log in, she must have set up at least one of the following options ahead of time:
Option 1: Her Smartphone (iPhone or Android)
She selects "Use a phone or tablet" on the classroom screen, scans the QR code with her phone's camera, and approves the login using Face ID or her fingerprint.
Option 2: A Synced Password Manager (Bitwarden, 1Password, iCloud)
She uses her synced password manager to approve or autofill the passkey request on the classroom’s web browser.
Option 3: A Hardware Key (YubiKey)
She carries her YubiKey with her, plugs it into the classroom computer's USB port, touches the key, and is logged in instantly.
How do I set up a passkey?
Setting up a passkey is easy, and you can add more than one to your account. Everyone starts the same way:
From your primary computer, go to: https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info
Click Add sign-in method.
Select Passkey.
Click Next.
Click Next again if a secondary prompt does not pop up automatically.
Choosing Where to Save Your Passkey
At this step, your browser or operating system will ask where you want to store the passkey. Choose the option that best fits how you work:
Password Managers (1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane): If you use a third-party password manager extension, it will usually pop up first. Saving here creates a synced passkey available anywhere you log into that app.
Mac (iCloud Keychain): Click iCloud Keychain to create a synced passkey that is available across all Apple devices signed in with that Apple ID.
Windows (Windows Hello): Click Windows Hello to save the computer-bound passkey locally to your specific computer (using your PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition).
Mobile Devices (iPhone / Android): Select the option to use a phone/tablet, then scan the QR code on your screen using your phone's camera. This stores the passkey directly on your mobile device—perfect for logging into shared campus computers later.