How do I recover my passkey? McAfee helped me get rid of pop ups and now I cannot access my accounts with my passkey

Susan Ottaviano 0 Reputation points
2025-12-01T21:13:33.0733333+00:00

McAfee protection helped me get rid of pop ups. Now I cannot access my accounts with a primary password.

Microsoft Edge | Other | Previous Windows versions
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  1. Q&A Assist
    2025-12-01T21:13:46.2233333+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    To recover your passkey, you will need to follow a few steps depending on the device and application you are using. Here are some general guidelines:

    1. Check Security Info: If you have a passkey saved in an authenticator app or your device's security settings, check there first. For example, on iOS or Android devices, you can usually manage passkeys through the Authenticator app.
    2. Delete and Re-register: If you encounter issues with an orphaned passkey (a passkey that remains on your device but is no longer registered), you may need to remove it from your device and re-register a new passkey. This can typically be done in the settings of the Authenticator app or your device's security settings.
    3. Use the Self-Service Portal: If your accounts are tied to a Microsoft service, you might be able to use the Self-Service Portal to regain access. This requires you to have previously signed in successfully to the device.
    4. Contact Support: If you're still having trouble, consider reaching out to the support team of the service you're trying to access for further assistance.

    Make sure to also check if Bluetooth is enabled on your devices if you're using cross-device authentication, as this can affect your ability to sign in with a passkey.


    References:

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  2. Marcelo Mendoza 5,645 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-12-01T21:52:43.8566667+00:00

    Hello Susan,

    Thank you for reaching out I understand how frustrating it can be to lose access to your accounts after resolving pop-up issues with McAfee. It sounds like the changes made during the cleanup might have affected your stored passkeys or authentication settings. This usually happens when security software modifies browser or system settings to remove potentially harmful components.

    One alternative solution you can try is to check if your passkeys are still stored in your device’s password manager or authenticator app. If they are missing or not working you can remove any orphaned passkeys and re-register new ones through your account’s security settings. For Microsoft accounts you can also use the Self-Service Password Reset portal to regain access provided you have recovery information set up. If these steps do not resolve the issue contacting the support team of the affected service is the best next step as they can help restore access securely.

    Could you confirm if your accounts are linked to Microsoft services or another provider?

    I hope this answer is helpful if you have further questions feel free to reply back

    Regards,

    Marcelo

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  3. Sin-D 5,835 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2025-12-02T05:55:42.5666667+00:00

    Hi Susan Ottaviano,

    Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I understand that you are facing trouble with custom primary password. Currently, Microsoft is updating the Edge system, so you can consider following my steps until the new Edge update (as even when you're sure your password is correct, your Microsoft Edge Primary Password still fails authentication). You can go to edge://settings/autofill/passwords/settings and find the option in here, considering changing to other options. If your issue persists, please try to back up all your Edge data, you can refer to this: How to back up your Microsoft Edge favorites, passwords, and more. Then, try to create a new profile and use it as a temporary workaround. For more explanation, please check the answer in this thread: Primary password on Microsoft Edge no longer works - Microsoft Q&A

    Also, please follow this to send feedback for Microsoft about this: Send feedback to Microsoft with the Feedback Hub app. I really sorry for your inconvenience and thanks for your understanding. For further support, please go to Contact Support

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.  

    Best regards. 

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