Native support of NFC FIDO2 Keys in iPhone Safari

Starting from iOS 13.3 it’s now been confirmed that your iPhone will natively support NFC-enabled FIDO2-compliant security keys in Safari. With our NFC enabled FIDO2 keys, you can now log in to any website you have registered directly using your Safari browser without the need of an additional app (this applies to U2F and WebAuthN based authentication only, HOTP/TOTP based logins will still require the companion app). Starting from iOS version 14, the PIN code enabled FIDO2 keys are also supported. If you have PIN code enabled on your NFC FIDO2 Key, you will have to tap your key twice (second time after entering the correct PIN) to complete the procedure.

The animation below demonstrates where to position the Token2 NFC-enabled security key on an iPhone — near the front-facing camera.

Please note that you can also use USB (either directly or via adapters). However, for keys prior to Release3, our FIDO2 Type-C to Lightning adapter supports FIDO protocols only, not OTP. If you wish to use OTP functionality with an older key, you will need to use NFC instead.

Additionally, when using the HOTP feature of your FIDO2 key, be aware that it functions via keyboard emulation. On iOS devices, this may interfere with PIN entry, as the key is recognized as an external keyboard, potentially disabling the on-screen keyboard and preventing PIN input. To avoid this issue, we recommend either disabling the OTP functionality using our companion app or unplugging the key when entering your PIN.

Additionally, there is another aspect that appears to be more of an iOS GUI glitch. When an iPhone prompts the user to choose the passkey type, users should start using the FIDO2 key without following the on-screen instructions.

Specifically, when selecting the "Security Key / External Security Key" option, iPhones only search for NFC keys and disregard the USB-connected ones.

order NFC FIDO2 key now