Making the Advanced Protection Program and Titan Security Keys easier to use on Apple iOS devices

Posted by Christiaan Brand, Product Manager, Google Cloud 


Starting today, we’re rolling out a change that enables native support for the W3C WebAuthn implementation for Google Accounts on Apple devices running iOS 13.3 and above. This capability, available for both personal and work Google Accounts, simplifies your security key experience on compatible iOS devices and allows you to use more types of security keys for your Google Account and the Advanced Protection Program.

Using an NFC security key on iPhone

More security key choices for users

• Both the USB-A and Bluetooth Titan Security Keys have NFC functionality built-in. This allows you to tap your key to the back of your iPhone when prompted at sign-in.
• You can use a Lightning security key like the YubiKey 5Ci or any USB security key if you have an Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter.
• You can plug a USB-C security key in directly to an iOS device that has a USB-C port (such as an iPad Pro).
• We suggest installing the Smart Lock app in order to use Bluetooth security keys and your phone’s built-in security key, which allows you to use your iPhone as an additional security key for your Google Account.

In order to add your Google Account to your iOS device, navigate to “Settings > Passwords & Accounts” on your iOS device or install the Google app and sign in.

Account security best practices

We highly recommend users at a higher risk of targeted attacks to get security keys (such as Titan Security Key or your Android or iOS phone) and enroll into the Advanced Protection Program. If you’re working for political committees in the United States, you may be eligible to request free Titan Security Keys through the Defending Digital Campaigns to get help enrolling into Advanced Protection.

You can also use security keys for any site where FIDO security keys are supported for 2FA, including your personal or work Google Account, 1Password, Bitbucket, Bitfinex, Coinbase, Dropbox, Facebook, GitHub, Salesforce, Stripe, Twitter, and more.