What Happens If You Lose Your Passkey?
Security Boulevard, Thursday, July 16th, 2026
Losing a passkey is only serious when the credential is device-bound and no second credential is enrolled.
The outcome of losing a passkey depends entirely on whether it is synced or device-bound.
Synced passkeys reappear automatically when a user signs in to a replacement device with the same Apple or Google account, while device-bound credentials are permanently gone.
Holding multiple credentials is the practical protection against lockout, and the FIDO Alliance recommends enrolling at least two credentials per account. Only users with a single unsynced passkey face real lockout risk.
The article advises organizations to enforce a two-credential minimum and maintain recovery methods that do not depend on a platform provider.