diff --git a/config/encryptid_auth.py b/config/encryptid_auth.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba60c88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/encryptid_auth.py
@@ -0,0 +1,221 @@
+"""
+EncryptID Django / DRF Authentication Backend
+
+Usage with Django REST Framework:
+
+    # settings.py
+    REST_FRAMEWORK = {
+        'DEFAULT_AUTHENTICATION_CLASSES': [
+            'encryptid_middleware.EncryptIDAuthentication',
+            'rest_framework.authentication.SessionAuthentication',
+            'rest_framework.authentication.TokenAuthentication',
+        ]
+    }
+
+    ENCRYPTID_SERVER_URL = 'https://encryptid.jeffemmett.com'
+    ENCRYPTID_JWT_SECRET = None  # Set for local verification; None = remote verify
+
+Usage standalone (Django middleware):
+
+    # settings.py
+    MIDDLEWARE = [
+        ...
+        'encryptid_middleware.EncryptIDMiddleware',
+    ]
+"""
+
+import json
+import hmac
+import hashlib
+import base64
+import time
+from typing import Optional
+from urllib.request import Request, urlopen
+from urllib.error import URLError
+
+from django.conf import settings
+from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
+
+User = get_user_model()
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# JWT helpers (no PyJWT dependency for basic HMAC-SHA256)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def _b64decode(s: str) -> bytes:
+    """Base64url decode with padding."""
+    s += '=' * (-len(s) % 4)
+    return base64.urlsafe_b64decode(s)
+
+
+def _b64encode(data: bytes) -> str:
+    """Base64url encode without padding."""
+    return base64.urlsafe_b64encode(data).rstrip(b'=').decode()
+
+
+def verify_jwt_local(token: str, secret: str) -> Optional[dict]:
+    """Verify a HS256 JWT locally and return claims, or None."""
+    try:
+        parts = token.split('.')
+        if len(parts) != 3:
+            return None
+
+        header = json.loads(_b64decode(parts[0]))
+        if header.get('alg') != 'HS256':
+            return None
+
+        signing_input = f'{parts[0]}.{parts[1]}'.encode()
+        expected_sig = hmac.new(
+            secret.encode(), signing_input, hashlib.sha256
+        ).digest()
+        actual_sig = _b64decode(parts[2])
+
+        if not hmac.compare_digest(expected_sig, actual_sig):
+            return None
+
+        claims = json.loads(_b64decode(parts[1]))
+
+        # Check expiration
+        if claims.get('exp') and claims['exp'] < time.time():
+            return None
+
+        return claims
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+
+
+def verify_jwt_remote(token: str, server_url: str) -> Optional[dict]:
+    """Verify a JWT by calling the EncryptID server."""
+    try:
+        req = Request(
+            f'{server_url.rstrip("/")}/api/session/verify',
+            data=json.dumps({'token': token}).encode(),
+            headers={'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
+            method='POST',
+        )
+        with urlopen(req, timeout=5) as resp:
+            data = json.loads(resp.read())
+            if data.get('valid'):
+                return data.get('claims', {})
+        return None
+    except (URLError, json.JSONDecodeError, Exception):
+        return None
+
+
+def verify_encryptid_token(token: str) -> Optional[dict]:
+    """Verify an EncryptID JWT using configured method."""
+    secret = getattr(settings, 'ENCRYPTID_JWT_SECRET', None)
+    if secret:
+        return verify_jwt_local(token, secret)
+
+    server_url = getattr(
+        settings, 'ENCRYPTID_SERVER_URL', 'https://encryptid.jeffemmett.com'
+    )
+    return verify_jwt_remote(token, server_url)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# User resolution
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def get_or_create_user(claims: dict):
+    """Find or create a Django User from EncryptID claims."""
+    did = claims.get('did') or claims.get('sub', '')
+    username = claims.get('username', '')
+
+    # Try to find by DID first (stored in email field as convention)
+    try:
+        return User.objects.get(email=did)
+    except User.DoesNotExist:
+        pass
+
+    # Try by username
+    if username:
+        try:
+            return User.objects.get(username=username)
+        except User.DoesNotExist:
+            pass
+
+    # Create new user
+    safe_username = username or did[:30]
+    # Ensure unique username
+    base = safe_username
+    counter = 1
+    while User.objects.filter(username=safe_username).exists():
+        safe_username = f'{base}_{counter}'
+        counter += 1
+
+    return User.objects.create_user(
+        username=safe_username,
+        email=did,  # Store DID in email field
+        password=None,  # No password — passkey-only
+    )
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Django REST Framework Authentication Backend
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+try:
+    from rest_framework.authentication import BaseAuthentication
+    from rest_framework.exceptions import AuthenticationFailed
+
+    class EncryptIDAuthentication(BaseAuthentication):
+        """
+        DRF authentication backend for EncryptID JWT tokens.
+
+        Accepts: Authorization: Bearer <encryptid-jwt>
+        """
+
+        def authenticate(self, request):
+            auth_header = request.META.get('HTTP_AUTHORIZATION', '')
+            if not auth_header.startswith('Bearer '):
+                return None  # Not our token — let other backends try
+
+            token = auth_header[7:]
+            claims = verify_encryptid_token(token)
+            if not claims:
+                raise AuthenticationFailed('Invalid or expired EncryptID token')
+
+            user = get_or_create_user(claims)
+
+            # Attach claims to request for downstream use
+            request.encryptid_claims = claims
+            return (user, token)
+
+        def authenticate_header(self, request):
+            return 'Bearer realm="encryptid"'
+
+except ImportError:
+    # DRF not installed — skip
+    pass
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Django Middleware (for non-DRF views)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+class EncryptIDMiddleware:
+    """
+    Django middleware that attaches EncryptID claims to request.
+
+    Does NOT enforce authentication — just populates request.encryptid_claims
+    and request.encryptid_user if a valid Bearer token is present.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, get_response):
+        self.get_response = get_response
+
+    def __call__(self, request):
+        request.encryptid_claims = None
+        request.encryptid_user = None
+
+        auth_header = request.META.get('HTTP_AUTHORIZATION', '')
+        if auth_header.startswith('Bearer '):
+            token = auth_header[7:]
+            claims = verify_encryptid_token(token)
+            if claims:
+                request.encryptid_claims = claims
+                request.encryptid_user = get_or_create_user(claims)
+
+        return self.get_response(request)
diff --git a/config/settings.py b/config/settings.py
index 9ff07ca..1ae1145 100644
--- a/config/settings.py
+++ b/config/settings.py
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ DEFAULT_AUTO_FIELD = 'django.db.models.BigAutoField'
 # REST Framework
 REST_FRAMEWORK = {
     'DEFAULT_AUTHENTICATION_CLASSES': [
+        'config.encryptid_auth.EncryptIDAuthentication',
         'rest_framework.authentication.SessionAuthentication',
         'rest_framework.authentication.TokenAuthentication',
     ],
@@ -148,6 +149,10 @@ CELERY_BEAT_SCHEDULE = {
 # rfiles-specific settings
 SHARE_BASE_URL = os.environ.get('SHARE_BASE_URL', 'https://rfiles.online')
 
+# EncryptID (passkey auth)
+ENCRYPTID_SERVER_URL = os.environ.get('ENCRYPTID_SERVER_URL', 'https://encryptid.jeffemmett.com')
+ENCRYPTID_JWT_SECRET = os.environ.get('ENCRYPTID_JWT_SECRET', None)  # Set for local JWT verification
+
 # Security (production)
 if not DEBUG:
     SECURE_PROXY_SSL_HEADER = ('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_PROTO', 'https')