Account Access - Troubleshooting Passkey Errors

Passkey Option Does Not Appear at Sign-In

If you do not see Use your face, fingerprint, PIN, or security key instead on the sign-in page:

• Check the browser. Passkeys work best in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome. Safari on macOS supports passkeys but may not show the option for all Microsoft services. Firefox has limited passkey support.
• Make sure you entered your full SIUE email address. The passkey option appears after Microsoft detects your account supports passkeys. If you enter an incomplete address or mistype it, the option may not show.
• Try a different device. If the device you are signing in on does not support passkeys, use the cross-device flow instead. Select Use your face, fingerprint, PIN, or security key instead and follow the QR code prompt to sign in with your phone.

QR Code Does Not Appear or Will Not Scan

When signing in on a different device, a QR code should appear on the screen. If it does not:

• Make sure the browser is up to date. Older browser versions may not display the QR code. Update or switch to Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.
• Check your phone's camera. The built-in camera app should scan the QR code automatically. If it does not, tap the screen to focus or move closer.
• Turn on Bluetooth on your phone. The cross-device flow uses Bluetooth to verify your phone is nearby. If Bluetooth is off, the QR code may not appear or may not work.

Bluetooth Connection Issues

The cross-device sign-in flow requires Bluetooth to confirm your phone is near the device you are signing in on.

• Turn on Bluetooth in your phone's settings before starting the sign-in process.
• If Bluetooth is on but the connection fails, turn Bluetooth off and on again on both devices.
• Make sure the phone and the device you are signing in on are within a few feet of each other.
• If the device you are signing in on does not have Bluetooth, the cross-device flow cannot be used. Many public and shared machines, such as lab computers, kiosks, and podiums, do not have Bluetooth. See Passkey Does Not Work on a Public or Shared Computer below.

Bluetooth is only used to check proximity. No data is transferred between the devices over Bluetooth during sign-in.

Passkey Does Not Work on a Public or Shared Computer

A passkey stored on your phone signs you in on another device using the cross-device flow, which requires Bluetooth on both devices. Many public and shared machines on campus, such as lab computers, kiosks, and podiums, do not have Bluetooth, so the cross-device flow will not work on them.

• Check whether the machine has Bluetooth. If the device does not have Bluetooth, you cannot use a phone passkey to sign in on it, even if a QR code appears.
• Use Microsoft Authenticator instead. Push approvals from Microsoft Authenticator do not require Bluetooth and work on any device, including public and shared computers. See Microsoft Authenticator - Set Up and Use for setup instructions.
• If the passkey is registered on the computer itself (for example, with Windows Hello), it may still work where the machine supports it. This is uncommon on shared machines, which typically do not have a passkey registered on them.

For an overview of your sign-in options, see Passkeys.

Passkey Registration Fails

If you try to register a passkey and the process stops before completion:

• Check device requirements. For iPhone, you need a recent version of iOS that supports passkeys, with iCloud Keychain enabled. For Android, you need a recent version of Android that supports passkeys, with a secure screen lock set up. See Account Access - Setting Up and Signing In with a Passkey for the full requirements for your device.
• Make sure you are not already at the limit. Microsoft allows multiple passkeys per account, but some devices may limit how many passkeys they store. Try removing an old or unused passkey from the Security Info page and try again.
• Try using a different browser. Switching to Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome can resolve registration issues.

"Something Went Wrong" or Other Generic Error

If you see a generic error message during sign-in or registration:

• Refresh the page and try again. Temporary errors often resolve on a second attempt.
• Clear your browser cache and cookies for Microsoft sites, then try again.
• Try using a private or incognito browser window.
• If the error persists, try using a different browser or device.

Passkey Stopped Working

If a passkey that previously worked no longer works:

• Your passkey may no longer be registered on your account. Check the Security Info page to see if the passkey is still listed. If it is missing, register a new passkey.
• The passkey may still be registered on your account but no longer exists on your device. This can happen if you reset your device, change your iCloud or Google account, or clear browser data. Register a new passkey on the device to restore access.
• If you are getting a new phone, your passkeys may transfer automatically if you use iCloud Keychain (iPhone) or Google Password Manager (Android). If they do not, register a new passkey on the new device. See Managing Passkeys: New and Multiple Devices.

Lost All Sign-In Methods

If you have lost your phone, your passkey is not working, and you cannot sign in with any other method, you will need to go through account recovery. See Account Recovery: Lost All Sign-In Methods for step-by-step instructions on contacting the ITS Help Desk.

Need Additional Support?

This guide aims to provide useful information, but as technology changes, interfaces or steps might vary. Please use the Comment button to let us know if anything differs from your experience. Your feedback helps us keep this information accurate. Thank you!