QR Sign-in & New Devices

Your passkey lives on your phone, but sometimes you need to sign in on a computer, tablet, or shared screen. Knit lets you approve that device from your phone by scanning a QR code — nothing to type on the other device.

In this guide: Sign in on another device with a QR code, approve requests from your phone, and add a passkey to a new device.

Before you begin: Keep your phone (or another device) where you’re signed in to Knit with a passkey close at hand. Approving needs a passkey sign-in — a social sign-in can’t approve devices.

Two ways to use a QR code

	Sign in with QR code	Add a new device
Use it for	A quick sign-in on a device you don’t use often	A device you’ll keep using
Start on the new device from	The sign-in page	Sign-in methods → + Add this device
Result	Temporary access — no passkey is saved	A passkey is saved on the new device

On the device you want to sign in to:

Open Knit’s sign-in page and tap Sign in with QR code.
Wait a moment while Knit prepares your code. A QR code appears, with an 8-character code underneath.

The "Sign in with QR code" screen: a QR code, the code to enter manually, and "Waiting for approval…"

Then on your phone:

Scan the QR code with your phone’s camera. It opens Knit’s Approve sign-in page. Or, in Knit, tap Scan to approve on the Me tab and scan the code there — or tap Enter code and type the 8-character code.
Check the request: the browser, operating system, IP address, and how long ago it was made.
Tap Approve if it’s your device, or Deny if it isn’t.

Approving a sign-in on the phone: the requesting browser and system, its IP address, and the Approve and Deny buttons

The other device signs in by itself within a few seconds.

Warning: Only approve requests you started yourself. Approving signs that device in to your account. If you don’t recognise a request, tap Deny — someone may be trying to get into your account.

What temporary access allows

A device signed in by QR code shows a Temporary access badge at the top. On it you can see your account and open your apps, but you can’t change sign-in methods, edit your profile, or delete your account — the Settings tab isn’t shown. Tap Sign out when you’re done, especially on a shared computer.

A device signed in by QR code, with the Temporary access badge in the header

Add a new device

To sign in on a new device with its own passkey from now on, add it to your account.

Before you begin: On the new device, sign in with a connected social account first — see Social Login. The + Add this device button appears only when you’re signed in without a passkey on that device.

On the new device:

On the Me tab, tap Manage sign-in methods.
Tap + Add this device. A code and a QR code appear.

"Add a new device": the code to enter on your existing device and the QR code to scan

On your phone (or another device with your passkey):

Scan the QR code, or tap Scan to approve → Enter code and type the code.
Choose what the new device may do:
- Full access — can manage sign-in methods, recovery contacts, and account settings.
- Login only — can only sign in and view account information.
Tap Approve.

Approving a new device: choose Full access or Login only before tapping Approve

Back on the new device:

Tap Create passkey and confirm with your fingerprint, face, or PIN.
Enter a Device name, such as “Work laptop”, and tap Continue.

Naming the new passkey after it's created

The new passkey now appears in Sign-in methods on all your devices.

Tips

Choose Login only for a device other people might use. You can still manage your account from your phone.
Codes stay valid for 10 minutes. If one expires, go back and start again to get a new code.
Give each passkey a clear name so you can tell your devices apart later.

Passkeys — rename or remove passkeys.
Social Login — needed to add a new device.
Account Recovery — what to do if you lose a device.

Frequently asked questions

The approve page says “You must be signed in with a passkey to approve device logins”. You’re signed in on your phone with a social account or a QR code. Sign out, then sign in again with Sign in and your passkey.

I see “This code has expired or is invalid”. The code is older than 10 minutes, was already used, or was typed incorrectly. Start again on the other device to get a new code.

Can I use QR sign-in without a passkey anywhere? No. Approving always needs a device where you’re signed in with a passkey.

I don’t see “+ Add this device”. It appears only on a device where you signed in with a social account. If you signed in with a passkey, that device already has one. If you signed in with a QR code, sign out and sign in with a social account first.

Need more help?

If you run into something this guide doesn’t cover, reach out through the Contact page.