More than 100 U.S. schools are using mobile student IDs, but now face the challenges that come after rollout, including revoking access in real time, integrating across systems and managing students, staff, contractors and visitors at scale, according to systems integrator Convergint.
Over half of security leaders have either deployed (37%) or are planning mobile credentials (32%), according to HID’s 2025 State of Security and Identity report. Driven by convenience and the ability to integrate directly into smartphones, which most users already carry, mobile credentials allow for a streamlined experience across multiple use cases and eliminate the need for physical cards or fobs, HID says.
While mobile credentials have seen slower adoption in most markets, there has been more rapid uptake in higher education and commercial real estate, according to Amir Schechter, executive director of innovation and technology solutions at Convergint. “With mobile [credentials] you can enable things instantly. But in higher ed, specifically, it’s the coverage of different use cases,” he said in an interview. “You can use the credentials not only to open doors, but you can use them for other services.”
Mobile credentials especially make sense in these settings because younger kids typically do not forget their phones, Schechter said. This is where it may make more sense from an experience perspective, [because] students are young kids [that] they typically do not forget.
“They’re going to forget everything else but their phones,” he said.
Built-in safeguards also make mobile credentials safer for organizations, with features like biometric authentication and encrypted communication providing protection against unauthorized access, HID’s report says.
Mobile credentials, especially wallet credentials, have device manufacturers Apple and Google involved, bringing their own cyber security standards. “And then partners, such as HID and others who act as an intermediary, all have to maintain appropriate cyber security verification,” said Mark Schweitzer, manager of solutions strategy at Convergint. “Everything has to be encrypted end to end. But what's really nice, and one of the big features about mobile credentials specifically is the ability, in a much more rapid way, to automate credential management and the whole life cycle, including revocation.”
For example, while a physical badge may need to be manually turned on and off, mobile credentials allow an organization to automate access based on certain workflows in the HR system.
“With a mobile credential that's tied into the HR system, when they terminate me in HR, that automatically passes through to the mobile credential,” Schweitzer said. “The mobile credential is actually removed out of my phone, so I don't have anything else that potentially could allow me to gain access to the facility.”
Mobile credentials also deliver valuable insights through real-time access tracking and analytics to help bolster security audits and operational planning, HID says in its report. It noted that this technology can also contribute to sustainability goals, by eliminating plastic waste from traditional cards and aligning demand for eco-friendly solutions.
“Overall, mobile credentials provide a secure, cost-effective and user-friendly alternative that aligns with modern access control needs and technological trends,” HID says.
