X rolling out passkeys support for iOS users after removing SMS as 2FA option

January 24, 2024

2 min read

X (formerly known as Twitter) last year announced that it would no longer support SMS as a two-factor authentication (2FA) method for users who are not X Premium subscribers. Luckily for users, the platform is now rolling out support for passkeys in its iOS app to improve account security.

The news was confirmed by X itself (via TechCrunch). “Today we’re excited to launch Passkeys as a login option for our US-based users on iOS,” the company said in a post. However, at least according to the platform, passkey support will only be available to X users in the U.S. for now.

Passkey is a recently developed technology by the FIDO Alliance in collaboration with major companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Instead of traditional passwords, it enables users to log in using secure methods like facial recognition or biometrics, eliminating the need to create and type a passcode.

Starting with iOS 16, users have been able to create and save passkeys using Safari and iCloud Keychain. Now, with iOS 17, this functionality will be extended to third-party apps.

When X removed support for SMS 2FA, the platform recommended that users migrate to another two-factor authentication method using apps like 1Password, iCloud Keychain, or Google Authenticator. Of course, those who want to use SMS 2FA can also subscribe to X Premium, although the method is not the most reliable for protecting your account.

If you’re an X user, make sure you download the latest version of the app available on the App Store. After that, open the X app, go to Settings and Privacy, then tap Security. Look for the Additional Password Protection option and enable passkey for your X account.