1Password rolls out passkey support to its iOS and Android apps and web extensions; replacing the user's master password with a passkey is coming later in 2023
Context & Ripple Effects
1Password’s rollout completes the mobile piece of a transition it first outlined in late 2022, after a cross-platform passkey plan and a browser-focused public beta earlier in 2023.
The timing places the product alongside broader platform and service adoption, including Google’s Android and Chrome passkey rollout. The remaining master-password replacement makes this a staged migration rather than a finished redesign of account access.
First-order effects
- 1Password users can use passkeys through the company’s iOS and Android apps as well as its web extensions, extending the capability beyond the earlier browser beta.
- 1Password retains the master password for now while signaling that passkey-based access to the 1Password account itself is planned later in 2023.
Second-order effects
- The broader device coverage reduces a practical barrier for users who move between phones and browsers, making 1Password’s passkey feature more usable across daily login contexts.
- Other login services and password managers face added pressure to offer consistent mobile and browser support as Google, PayPal, Amazon, and 1Password expand passkey availability.
Third-order effects
- If account-level passkey access follows, password managers could shift from primarily storing credentials to becoming a cross-platform layer for managing passwordless identity.
- The transition will likely remain incremental: services must support newer authentication methods while preserving fallback access for users and platforms not yet fully migrated.
The trend: Passkeys are moving from isolated platform launches toward cross-device, account-level authentication workflows that gradually reduce reliance on passwords.