Browser compatibility

The FIDO2 Web SDK is a browser-only library that requires specific browser capabilities to function. This page describes the browser features required for each capability, supported browsers, and how to verify compatibility in your application.

Browser requirements

The required browser APIs depend on which SDK capabilities you use:

Compatibility checks

Use the following functions to verify browser support before enabling FIDO2 features in your application.

Check WebAuthn support (platform passkeys)

function isWebAuthnSupported() {
  return !!window.PublicKeyCredential;
}

Check Device-Bound Passkey support

function isDeviceBoundPasskeySupported() {
  return !!(
    window.PublicKeyCredential &&
    window.indexedDB &&
    window.crypto &&
    window.crypto.subtle
  );
}

Example — Conditional feature enablement

if (isDeviceBoundPasskeySupported()) {
  enableDeviceBoundPasskeys();
} else if (isWebAuthnSupported()) {
  enablePlatformPasskeysOnly();
} else {
  showFallbackAuthentication();
}

Secure context requirement

WebAuthn requires a secure context. This applies to all SDK operations, regardless of the browser. The SDK must be served from:

• https://example.com — standard HTTPS (production)
• http://localhost — accepted for development
• http://127.0.0.1 — accepted for development
• http://[::1] — IPv6 localhost, accepted for development

HTTP origins other than localhost are not accepted.

if (!window.isSecureContext) {
  showError('HTTPS is required for FIDO2 authentication.');
}

Tested environments

The SDK is tested in the following browser environments:

Browser-specific considerations

Chrome and Chromium

Supported versions: 67 and later

• Platform authenticators: Windows Hello, Touch ID on macOS
• Roaming authenticators: USB, NFC, Bluetooth security keys
• Conditional UI (autofill): supported
• Passkeys: supported

Recommended browser for development and testing.

Firefox

Supported versions: 60 and later

• Platform authenticators: supported
• Roaming authenticators: USB security keys
• Passkeys: supported from version 119

Security keys require a user gesture. Some advanced features may have delayed support compared to Chrome.

Safari

Supported versions: 13 and later

• Platform authenticators: Touch ID, Face ID
• Roaming authenticators: USB and NFC (iOS 16.3 and later)
• Passkeys and iCloud Keychain sync: supported from Safari 16

Safari 13–15 provides basic WebAuthn support. Safari 16 and later provides full passkey support.

Edge

Supported versions: 79 and later (Chromium-based)

• Platform authenticators: Windows Hello
• Roaming authenticators: supported
• Passkeys: supported from Chromium-based Edge 108

Edge 18 (EdgeHTML legacy) has limited support. Edge 79 and later (Chromium-based) provides full modern WebAuthn support.

Platform support

Desktop

Mobile

Incognito and private browsing mode

IndexedDB works in incognito or private browsing mode during the session, with the following limitations:

Works normally:

• SDK initialization (initSdk())
• Registration within the session
• Authentication within the same session

Limitations:

• IndexedDB data is cleared when the incognito session ends
• Device Bound Keys created in one incognito session are not available in subsequent sessions
• Each new incognito session generates a new HMAC seed, producing different dbkKid values for the same user

Recommendations for production applications:

• Inform users that Device Bound Keys are session-specific in incognito mode
• Provide alternative authentication methods as a fallback
• Optionally display a warning when incognito mode is detected

Known limitations

• User gesture required: Most browsers require a user gesture (click or tap) before WebAuthn operations can be initiated.
• Concurrent operations: Only one WebAuthn operation can run at a time per browser window.
• Maximum timeout: The maximum operation timeout is typically 5 minutes (300,000 ms).
• Safari conditional UI: Autofill-assisted authentication has limited support — use explicit button-based authentication as a fallback.
• Firefox Bluetooth: Some Bluetooth security keys may not work on Firefox. USB security keys are recommended.
• Cross-device authentication: Requires iOS 16 or Android 9 and later.

Related documentation

• Getting started: Installation and setup
• Troubleshooting: Common issues and solutions