Customer Ratings & Reviews

This security key is great! It does what it says it does and is an additional 2FA layer to keep your accounts secure. Pros: -Easy to use -Fast access -Small -NFC Cons: -Still lots of websites that don’t support -Not many sites support NFC -Each site needs setup Setup: I was surprised how simple the packaging is. There is no guide, just the key inside. To learn how to set up the device, you will have to visit their website. I recommend you download the Yubikey manager so you can set up a PIN for FIDO2 sites. You can also use that software to set up OTP and PIV if needed as well as control interfaces if you want to disable certain types of authentication. The Yubikey site has a list of websites which support the device. Each website you might intend to use this with has a different setup method usually in the security portion of their site. If you have password software that supports passkeys such as 1Password, it might be a little confusing since it will usually try to use a passkey before allowing you to select the security key. I suggest you cancel and select “another method” in most cases to select the security key. Once you register the security key, it works great! Use: I was very impressed with how quick it works. Once inserted in your device, any site calling upon the key will ask you to tap the device and enter a PIN (if set up). The response feels instant. What I found very cool is the NFC feature. Setting this up is also dependent on various sites but a good example is the ID.me site. With this site, you will download the ID.me authenticator app to your phone, it will prompt you to tap your Yubikey, which does not need to be inserted to USB, with your phone's NFC. This will give you access to the site. I did not find many sites that support this feature but it is nice to have.

The YubiKey 5C NFC is a tiny device that can up your security game. As more and more services and sites are allowing passkeys, the YubiKey can play a bigger role. Yubico highly recommends having two keys, a primary and a backup, and registering them both with each account. This helps insure you don’t get locked out of your account. I only have one key, though. So, all of my testing was with just one Yubico key. I wasn’t too worried about this since I already had soft passkeys on my more important logins. I used the soft passkeys as my backup during testing. The YubiKey 5C NFC packaging refers you to the Start page on the Yubico website. The start page includes video instructions and links to many compatible sites. The first thing I set up was my Gmail account. I just followed the instructions and it was pretty straight forward. The only issue I ran into was that I couldn’t get it to work with NFC on my Galaxy phone. I honestly think the phone case is the problem. That case impedes wireless charging too…. My Microsoft account was as easy to set up as Google. However, Apple states that you must have at least two keys, since I only have one, I decided not to try it on my iPad just yet. I have to admit that I’m not certain about relying on the Yubico key as a primary passkey. I get that physical possession of the Yubico key likely makes it more secure than the software-based keys. But I tend to be a bit lazy. My password vault also stores soft passkeys. It generates authentication codes, too. This added to the device-based passkeys makes it hard to justify carrying around the Yubico key. Instead, I am going to just make the Yubico key a backup mechanism and go back to using the soft passkeys my primary.

Every day I get a new notice that some system containing my personal information has been hacked. Always looking for new ways to secure my online accounts, I came across the YubiKey 5C NFC from Yubico. The 5C NFC is a USB-C security key with an NFC chip inside for wireless communication with your mobile device. The hardware and security protocols onboard are impressive. As a USB-C security key in Windows, the 5C NFC worked very well and was extremely simple to operate. On the iPhones I evaluated with the 5C NFC, everything went well. But I had compatibility problems getting the key to work over NFC on my Samsung Galaxy S22 and Google Pixel 6 phones. I obviously cannot say if my problems would be a problem for every Android user, but I never could get the NFC features to work properly on my Android devices. SETUP: Inside the package you get the small key itself and on the back of the package you see instructions to go to yubico.com/start for assistance with setting the key up with various accounts such as Microsoft and Google. Many apps will require a PIN. On PC, it is a good idea to download the YubiKey Manager Windows application from Yubico’s website and the Yubico Authenticator via the Microsoft Store. EXPERIENCE: Setting keys up via PC was easy and straightforward. The trick is finding the settings for each account where you can activate an external security key to protect the account. Usually, that setting was listed under security or related to 2FA. Many accounts require a preset PIN in my experience. The application will usually tell you when you need to press the button on the key and the key lights up. The key is small. It is about as thin as a USB-C slot. It fits easily in my pocket on a keychain. After registering the key on PC, I was able to use the key over NFC on iPhones. But I could not get it to work over NFC on Android. Occasionally, some accounts would work over USB-C on Android, but that was spotty. Microsoft on Android would work over USB-C, but Amazon would not. On the one hand, I cannot fault the device as this is a solid key. I know the NFC chip is communicating with my phones as it initially triggered demo mode and could communicate with the Yubico Authenticator app without difficulty. The key works on iPhones and my Windows 11 based PCs very well. But I primarily use an Android device. If you are only using this from a PC with a USB-C port, the experience is great. My Android based difficulties make this a hard device to rate. I can say it worked on the Apple phones I tested via NFC, and it works well on my Windows 11 PCs. I hope Samsung, Google, and others in the Android space embrace this tech and that solutions roll out in the near future. If you are using PCs and iPhones, this is a 5/5 and easy to recommend. If you are using Windows PCs and Androids, you may be better off with one of Yubico’s USB only solutions. On my Android devices, the experience is frustrating. I love the USB-C options for Windows, but the device was near useless on my Android phones. 3/5

I use authenticator apps and Passkeys wherever I can to secure my online accounts and the YubiKey 5C NFC works great for me. It’s a nice compact little key that easily fits in my pocket and it's easier to use than an Authenticator app or approving via a 2nd device. If you have any especially sensitive online accounts that support security keys this is a great option. The packaging is very simple and includes just the key itself. It’s about the size of a USB flash drive and it’s very slim. It was easy to slip on my keychain, but in general I just kept it in my small jeans pocket. There’s no setup or software for the key itself and how difficult it is to set up depends on the services you’re using, but I had no difficulty with my Microsoft and Google accounts. My Apple account on the other hand required that I register 2 keys, so I will have to go get another one eventually. Yubico recommends having 2 keys so one can be stored safely away in case the other one gets lost - I do wish this came in a 2-pack for that reason. Using the key to login to my MS and Google accounts was super easy and it especially made it a lot more convenient for a new PC I was setting up not having to go to my phone to look up an authenticator code or approve a login. I plan on using it for my work login as well. It can be used via USB or the NFC chip and is unlocked via a pincode you assign. There are lots of methods for 2FA including text messages (not secure!), authenticator apps, and more recently Passkeys. Passkeys function in a similar way to the YubiKey in that your device essentially becomes a key in itself and I think that’s the future a lot of things are moving towards, but there is a nice peace of mind knowing you have a literal key to your most sensitive accounts you can store somewhere that’s not your phone or your PC.

It is very good and simple (and not expensive) way to elevate security to my digital assets. I quickly set up it as MFA for my accounts on Google, Microsoft and Proton. It works also with BitWarden and many web services (I set up so far ID.me and Login.gov). Gradually I will add it to my other accounts. Unfortunately most of the banks are not supporting hardware key yet. But it is good to have secured email account - this makes two factor stronger. So far no problems and every day I learn new way to use it - passkeys are great way to replace passwords with Yubikey!

Yubikeys allow the best security available for authentication in 2025. Once set up, they're easy to use, durable, and do the job well. I personally keep my primary Yubikey with my main keychain, and my backup lives with my work token in my backpack. This way they're always available. They say you should keep the backup somewhere safe, but if you're like me, you'll probably lose it in that "safe" place. I need to be able to use it on a daily basis to know where it is. These new firmware 5.7 keys also allow up to 100 passkeys to be stored in each Yubikey, so that's a lot better than the previous version where there was a limit of only 25. Until passkeys themselves see greater adoption, I think 100 is good enough for your most used accounts that support either passkey authentication, or 2FA using Yubico's Authenticator app. I'm giving it 3 stars for ease of use because security keys like these have fragmented adoption, and many companies vary in their implementation. Sometimes, even different web browsers will offer a different experience with using these keys. Lastly, the whole concept of passkeys (a digital key pair between server and client) and security keys (hardware keys like the Yubikey) is somewhat convoluted, and unless you're willing to learn how they work and how they fit into your life, it can be a hassle. But once you take some time to read articles on Yubico's website, watch a few videos on the matter, and get into the routine of using these keys, the inconvenience is pretty minimal for a major security improvement. Tip 1: "passkeys" are issued by the service you're authenticating with (Google, Amazon, Bitwarden, etc) and they can be stored either digitally using password managers (wallets) or physically using "security keys" like Yubikeys. Tip 2: the Yubikey 5 NFC (and the 5C) both are able to connect either by USB or NFC to your computer/phone. If you're deciding between going with the normal A connector vs the C, go with the one that uses the port you use the least. That way, the key won't occupy a port that you're often using to either charge your laptop, or have other devices connected to them. Phones don't have USB-A connectors, but they do have NFC so that shouldn't be a factor if you're looking to get the Yubikey 5 NFC. Otherwise, get the 5C version.

Simple instructions. Took minutes to create several "physical keys.". Great product!

Great little security device! Integrates with pretty much everything! Very helpful that it works with smart phones as well!

I liked this product. It's very straight-forward to use and adds an extra layer of security for your online profiles.

I like the 2 pack to have a primary and backup ready to go. Having the hardware encryption gives me greater peace of mind that my accounts won’t be compromised even if a data breach occurs. Setup has been very easy and their online videos and documentation are helpful. Now if only every banking service and other critical data would support at least passkeys if not native security key support.

This is a great alternative to authenticator apps for setting up two factor authentication. It works with my iPhone as well as on the computer. Just touch the circle and you're authenticated. Def a good buy!

I bought this product in the middle of fighting some identity, theft issues, and account pollution and thought it would be a useful tool to help secure my passwords and logins. Unfortunately, my accounts are too polluted and I could never get my passwords to stop getting hacked and changed in front of me to where I could actually try to set up and use a physical key like this so I can’t really write to review but I’m sure it works fine for what it is when somebody’s able to get it set up right now it’s just a fancy keychain. Overall, I’m going to recommend it because I think that some kind of physical key could really help somebody who is getting hacked. I’m getting their identity taken over consistently.

The YubiKey 5C NFC is an exceptional security key, offering robust two-factor, multi-factor, and passwordless authentication. Its dual interface—USB-C and NFC—ensures compatibility with a wide range of devices, including laptops, smartphones, and tablets. The build quality is stellar, with a durable, water-resistant design that withstands daily wear and tear. Setting it up is straightforward, supported by extensive documentation. It works seamlessly with major platforms like Google, Microsoft, and password managers like 1Password. NFC functionality adds convenience for mobile device use, enhancing flexibility without sacrificing security. While its price may be higher than basic 2FA options, the enhanced security, ease of use, and broad compatibility make it a worthwhile investment for personal and professional use.

The Yubico YubiKey 5C NFC is a versatile security key offering strong two-factor authentication (2FA) with USB-C and NFC support. It's durable, easy to use, and compatible with major platforms like Google, Microsoft, and LastPass. Its robust encryption enhances security, making it ideal for professionals and privacy-conscious users.

This is the best for 2FA, you need 2, one for backup. I have used them since 2018. Now there several different types that make them even more useful.

As a newer user I find this super easy to setup and use to secure all my online accounts instead of relying on less secure methods like SMS authentication. Make sure to have a backup in case you lose one (speaking from experience)

Easy to use and recommended by cyber security experts. If an account or website doesn't support security keys (many don't), this model gives you the added option of using it in conjunction with the Yubico authenticator app to receive security codes. This allows you to secure accounts with this security key even if they don't support physical security keys.

I upgraded my banking online security and this physical security key fit the bill. Works great.

This YubiKey works fast and feels solid. The USB-C and NFC options make it easy to use on my phone and computer. Setup was quick, and it gives me a lot more confidence protecting my accounts. Definitely worth it if you want stronger security

I selected this item after seeing a review on You Tubes All Things Secured and bought locally from a great company. Easy to set-up and makes me feel comfortable to have an added layer of protection.