Amazon Seller Central Passkey Requirement: What Sellers Need to Know

If Amazon Seller Central is suddenly asking you to create or use a passkey, you are not alone.

Amazon has been gradually introducing passkeys as a new way to access Seller Central. In July 2026, Amazon announced that it was extending passkeys to all Seller Central accounts and that passkeys would become required for some accounts later in 2026.

For sellers, this is more than another security update. The change raises practical questions about how sellers will access their accounts from different devices, how multiple employees will access the same business account, and what happens when a passkey does not work.

Sellers who regularly use VPNs or manage their Amazon business from multiple locations may have additional questions about how changes to their login environment could affect account access.

Here is what Amazon sellers should know about the Amazon Seller Central passkey requirement, how to prepare for it, and what to consider before passkeys become mandatory for their account.

Why Is Amazon Suddenly Asking for a Passkey?

Amazon is introducing passkeys as a more secure alternative to traditional passwords and verification codes.

A passkey allows you to verify your identity through a trusted device using methods such as facial recognition, a fingerprint, a device PIN, or a QR code. Amazon says passkeys are designed to provide stronger protection against phishing because they are tied to a device and cannot be typed or shared in the same way as a traditional password.

Amazon also says it does not collect or store the passkey or biometric data used by a seller's device.

For Seller Central accounts, the stakes of unauthorized access can be significant. Amazon specifically warns that a compromised seller account could result in unauthorized changes to listings, diverted payouts, or disruptions to business operations.

That is why Amazon is moving sellers toward a login method that is more resistant to stolen credentials.

Is Amazon Requiring Passkeys for Seller Central?

Yes, Amazon has announced that passkeys will become required for some Seller Central accounts later in 2026.

Amazon expanded passkey availability to all Seller Central accounts beginning in July 2026 and encouraged sellers to create their passkeys before the requirement reaches their accounts. Amazon says enrollment takes less than two minutes.

However, Amazon's public July announcement does not establish one universal enforcement date for every Seller Central account. Instead, Amazon states that passkeys will become required for some accounts later in 2026.

Sellers should therefore pay attention to the notices and login prompts appearing within their individual Seller Central accounts.

If Seller Central is already requiring you to create a passkey before proceeding, the requirement may have reached your account.

What Is an Amazon Seller Central Passkey?

A passkey is a passwordless authentication credential that allows you to verify your identity through a trusted device.

Instead of relying exclusively on a traditional password and a one-time verification code, a passkey can use the security features already built into your device.

Depending on your setup, you may be able to authenticate using:

A fingerprint scan. Facial recognition. A device PIN. A QR code scanned with another device; or. Another authentication method supported by your device.

Amazon says passkeys are supported by most modern smartphones, tablets, operating systems, and browsers. The passkey itself is securely stored through the device's password manager.

This also means that a desktop computer does not necessarily need a built-in fingerprint scanner or facial-recognition camera for you to use a passkey. Amazon specifically identifies QR code scanning as one of its available authentication methods.

How Do You Set Up a Passkey for Amazon Seller Central?

Amazon's process for setting up a Seller Central passkey is relatively straightforward.

Amazon currently instructs sellers to:

1. Sign in to their Seller Central account and navigate to Login & Settings. 2. Select Create Passkey. 3. Follow the on-screen instructions to register the device.

Amazon states that the enrollment process should take less than two minutes. Once the passkey is created, the seller can use it during future sign-ins.

However, sellers who have multiple employees or other users accessing their account should review those users before simply setting up one passkey and assuming everyone can continue sharing the same login.

That brings us to one of the most important parts of Amazon's passkey rollout.

What If Multiple People Need Access to Seller Central?

Businesses should not have multiple people sharing a single Seller Central sign-in.

Amazon specifically states that it does not support sharing one sign-in across multiple users. Instead, Amazon allows businesses to create secondary users, and each secondary user can register their own unique passkey.

According to Amazon, the primary user can create secondary-user access by going to Settings → User Permissions, selecting the appropriate account, entering the new user's information, and sending an invitation.

Once that person has registered as a secondary user, they can create and use their own passkey to access the shared Seller Central account.

This distinction is particularly important for businesses where Seller Central is managed by several employees.

Amazon also advises sellers not to share passwords, to provide users only with the permissions necessary for their roles, and to regularly review who still has access to the seller account.

External contractors and companies are treated differently. Amazon's current user-permission guidance states that external companies and contractors should be added as authorized partners, rather than as secondary users.

What If I Don't Want to Use a Passkey?

If Amazon makes passkey verification mandatory for your Seller Central account, continuing indefinitely with the previous login process may not be an option.

Amazon is currently encouraging sellers to create passkeys before the requirement reaches their accounts.

Some sellers have expressed concerns about the transition. Responses to Amazon's announcement include questions about accessing Seller Central from multiple computers and locations, as well as reports from sellers who say they experienced difficulty accessing their accounts after creating a passkey.

These comments are individual seller reports and should not be interpreted as evidence that passkeys will cause problems for every Seller Central account.

However, they do highlight an important practical consideration: sellers should understand how their account is currently accessed before an authentication problem occurs.

Can You Access Seller Central From Multiple Devices With a Passkey?

Amazon says passkeys are tied to a device and password manager and are supported across modern devices and operating systems.

The exact experience may depend on the device, operating system, browser, and password manager being used.

That matters for sellers who regularly switch between a desktop computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet.

It is also important to distinguish between one person using multiple devices and multiple people accessing one seller account.

If several people need access to the business's Seller Central account, Amazon recommends giving those individuals their own appropriate access rather than sharing a single sign-in. Secondary users can then create their own passkeys.

Businesses should therefore review both their devices and their users before the Amazon Seller Central passkey requirement reaches their account.

Can Using a VPN Cause Problems With Seller Central Passkeys?

Sellers who use VPNs should be careful not to assume that every login problem is caused by the passkey itself.

A VPN can change the IP address or apparent location associated with an internet connection. Sellers have previously discussed the risks and practical considerations associated with accessing Seller Central through VPNs in Amazon's Seller Forums. However, those discussions are primarily seller-to-seller guidance rather than an official Amazon statement that VPNs are incompatible with passkeys.

At this time, we have not found an Amazon announcement stating that VPNs are prohibited specifically because a seller uses a passkey.

For that reason, sellers should avoid assuming that using a VPN will automatically cause a passkey failure or account lockout.

Instead, if you begin experiencing Seller Central verification problems, consider the entire login environment. Relevant changes may include:

You turned a VPN on or off. Your IP address or network changed. You are signing in from a different physical location. You switched computers, phones, or tablets. You changed browsers. You changed the password manager that stores your passkey. You are attempting to access the account through credentials normally used by someone else.

Identifying what changed before the login problem began can help narrow down the possible cause.

Are Sellers Having Problems With Amazon Passkeys?

Some sellers have reported problems during the passkey rollout.

Responses to Amazon's announcement include seller reports of difficulty accessing accounts after creating a passkey, concerns about accessing Seller Central from multiple computers, and questions about how businesses with multiple users and locations should handle authentication.

Again, these are individual seller experiences. They do not establish that Amazon's passkey system is experiencing a platform-wide failure.

Nevertheless, they show why account-access planning matters.

A seller who cannot access Seller Central may have difficulty managing listings, responding to account issues, monitoring inventory, reviewing orders, or performing other ordinary account-management tasks.

Businesses should therefore treat authentication and account recovery as part of their Seller Central operations rather than waiting until they are locked out to determine who has access.

What Should You Do If Your Seller Central Passkey Is Not Working?

If your Seller Central passkey stops working, start by identifying what changed between your last successful login and the current attempt.

Ask yourself whether you are using the same device, browser, network, location, and password manager that you normally use.

If something changed, document it.

You should also preserve any information Amazon provides about the failed login, including screenshots of error messages, verification notices, emails, and communications with Seller Support.

If you still have access through another properly authorized device or user, avoid unnecessarily changing several security settings at the same time. Making multiple changes simultaneously can make it harder to determine what caused the original problem.

If the problem cannot be resolved through the available login or recovery process, the documentation you preserved may also become important when communicating with Amazon about restoring access.

What Happens If You Lose the Device With Your Passkey?

Losing a phone or experiencing a computer failure is another reason to understand how your passkey is stored before an emergency occurs.

Amazon says passkeys are securely stored through a device's password manager.

However, the exact recovery process can depend on the device ecosystem and password manager being used.

A business should therefore understand which devices are used to access Seller Central, where its passkeys are stored, and who has separately authorized access to the account.

For businesses with teams, properly configured user permissions can also reduce dependence on a single person's login. Amazon allows registered secondary users to create their own passkeys and sign in separately.

This becomes especially important when an employee leaves the company, a phone is lost, or a computer unexpectedly stops working.

What Should Amazon Sellers Do Before Passkeys Become Required?

The Amazon Seller Central passkey requirement should not be treated as simply another popup to click through.

Before the requirement reaches your account, sellers should consider taking several steps:

Review who has access to Seller Central. Determine whether multiple people are sharing one login and whether employees should instead have individual secondary-user access. Review third-party access. External contractors or companies may need to be configured as authorized partners rather than secondary users, depending on their role. Amazon Seller Central. Identify the devices used to manage the account. Know which computers, phones, and tablets are regularly used to access Seller Central. Understand where the passkey is stored. Determine which device or password manager will hold the passkey and how that system handles access across devices. Review account recovery information. Make sure the information associated with the account remains current. Understand your normal login environment. If your business uses VPNs, remote employees, several offices, or multiple devices, document how those users normally access Seller Central. Preserve access appropriately. Make sure the business is not dependent on a single device or one person's credentials for critical Seller Central operations.

The goal is not merely to complete Amazon's passkey setup. The goal is to ensure that the people responsible for running the Amazon business can continue accessing the account securely when they need it.

Amazon Seller Central Passkeys: The Bottom Line

Amazon's move toward passkeys is intended to strengthen Seller Central account security and reduce the risk of phishing and stolen credentials.

Passkeys became available across Seller Central beginning in July 2026, and Amazon says they will become required for some accounts later in the year.

For an individual seller who works from a small number of devices, the transition may be relatively straightforward. Businesses with multiple employees, remote users, different devices, VPNs, or outside service providers have more factors to consider.

Sellers should review their users, devices, permissions, passkey storage, and recovery options before the requirement reaches their account.

Understanding who can access the account, how they authenticate, and what happens if that access fails can help prevent a security change from becoming an operational problem.

If you are experiencing a Seller Central account-access issue, verification problem, suspension, or another Amazon seller issue, Stockman & Poropat, PLLC assists Amazon sellers with navigating Seller Central matters and protecting their businesses.

Contact Stockman & Poropat, PLLC to discuss your Amazon Seller Central matter.