Which YubiKey models are compatible with my iPhone or iPad?

Supported YubiKey Devices

The following is general advice, do not purchase an unsupported YubiKey.

Supported

  • YubiKey 5 NFC (iPhones only due to NFC)
  • YubiKey 5C NFC (iPhones only due to NFC)
  • YubiKey 5Ci (using Lightning)

Unsupported

  • YubiKey Security Key (HMAC-SHA1 Unavailable)
  • YubiKey Bio (HMAC-SHA1 Unavailable)
  • YubiKey 5 Nano, 5C, 5C Nano (USB-C connector only, unsupported comms on iOS)

iPhones & iPads via Lightning

If your iPhone/iPad has a Lightning connector, it will work normally with your Lightning YubiKey. It will not work with a YubiKey with only a USB-C connector.

iPhones with only USB-C Ports (Updated 16-Nov-2023)

If your iPhone has a USB-C connector, it will only work with:

  • NFC compatible YubiKeys via NFC
  • USB-C using a "Lightning YubiKey" and Apple's "USB-C to Lightning Adaptor" which you can purchase from Apple here.

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MUQX3AM/A/usb-c-to-lightning-adapter

This affects all models in the iPhone 15+ lineup.

iPads with only USB-C Ports (Updated 16-Nov-2023)

If your iPad has a USB-C connector, it will only work with:

  • USB-C using a "Lightning YubiKey" and Apple's "USB-C to Lightning Adaptor" which you can purchase from Apple here.

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MUQX3AM/A/usb-c-to-lightning-adapter

NB: iPads do not support NFC so cannot be used with NFC YubiKeys.

Please note, this is because of design decisions made by both Apple and Yubico. We encourage USB-C iPad users to contact Apple and Yubico directly and request that they add full support for USB-C in both AutoFill and regular contexts. We would also urge users to request Apple integrate NFC into their iPads.

Workarounds and Alternative Solutions

Using a Virtual Hardware Key With Your iOS Device

As a workaround It is possible to set up a Virtual Hardware Key. A Virtual Hardware Key uses the "secret" that was created when you first set up your YubiKey, so the physical hardware key does not need to be present.

Creating a Virtual Hardware Key
  1. On your device, tap your database to begin the Unlock sequence.
  2. If you are using a PIN Code, Touch ID or Face ID convenience unlock then you need to fail or cancel out of this to get to the manual unlock screen.
  3. Now under 'Hardware Key' tap 'Configure...' or tap your existing Hardware Key configuration if that was set.
  4. Under 'Virtual Hardware Keys' tap 'Add New...'
  5. Enter a name for your new Virtual Hardware Key, e.g. "My Virtual Hardware Key"
  6. Enter your HMAC-SHA1 secret (which you programmed your YubiKey with) string (without spaces) in to the HMAC-SHA1 Secret field.
  7. You may or may not need to switch on the "Fixed Length Input" switch depending on how you originally programmed your YubiKey.
  8. Tap Add to complete the creation of your Virtual Hardware Key.

You should now be able to unlock, edit and otherwise access your YubiKey protected database.

Aug 8, 2024