Everything You Can Do With the New Apple Passwords App
Apple has released a free password manager in iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS 15 Sequoia . This app is simply called Passwords, and unlike other “free” password managers , it comes with no costs or restrictions. If you’ve been reusing passwords or keep forgetting your login credentials, try Passwords. Here’s everything you need to know about Apple passwords.
Why you should use a password manager
Using a password manager is the easiest way to improve the security of your online accounts. When you use a password manager, you only need to remember one password – the one you use to log into the application. For all other accounts, the application will create unique and strong passwords. This means that if an account is hacked, the same password will not be used anywhere else, and as a result, it will not compromise all your other online accounts.
Should you use Apple Passwords?
For those who don’t have password management apps, Apple Passwords is worth a try. When all of your login credentials are stored in a password manager, you’ll be much less likely to use the “Forgot Password” option and will notice that logging into websites becomes much easier as password managers automatically fill in your login credentials. . Of course, autofill requires authentication, and if you use Apple devices, this is usually done using Touch ID or Face ID biometric authentication. If that doesn’t work, you can unlock your password manager using your iPhone, iPad, or Mac device’s unlock PIN/password.
If you’re already using a password manager, you shouldn’t immediately switch to Apple Passwords – it may be cheaper or more convenient depending on your circumstances, but it’s not any more secure. You can continue to use a password manager and try Apple Passwords over time. The best way to do this is to copy some of your credentials into Apple Passwords and test them that way. I use 1Password, and although I like Apple passwords, I haven’t been able to fully switch to it yet. This is because 1Passwords allows you to create custom fields for each login item, but Apple Passwords cannot import these custom fields yet.
What data does Apple Passwords support?
Apple Passwords primarily deals with login credentials, Wi-Fi passwords , one-time passwords (two-factor authentication login codes), and passkeys. The app allows you to quickly switch between viewing different types of credentials since they are all on separate tabs. I especially like the ability to see all my two-factor authentication codes in one view . This is very useful when I access several websites in a row on another device. The app also allows you to share passwords with others, and they don’t even have to be part of your family on your Apple account.
However, the most important feature is the Security tab. It lists all the weak or compromised passwords you have stored in the app. You can choose any of these accounts and follow Apple’s guidelines to protect your account.
Does Apple Passwords support Android and Windows?
Apple Passwords is available on Windows, where it is called iCloud Passwords and is available as part of the iCloud app for Windows. You can set up iCloud passwords and add browser extensions to use the app. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, Apple Passwords is not available on Android.
How do I get started using Apple Passwords?
It’s easy. Simply update your iPhone or iPad to iOS 18 or update your Mac to macOS 15 Sequoia. Then find the Passwords app on your device. When you open it, you’ll likely see several entries already saved in the app. This is because Passwords shows all your saved Wi-Fi networks, and also because it has technically been part of the Apple ecosystem for a while. It was previously known as iCloud Keychain and did not have a dedicated app on all Apple platforms, instead being accessible through Settings.
Autofill using Apple passwords
To autofill login credentials with Apple passwords, you need to enable AutoFill on your Apple devices. On iPhone, iPad, and Mac, go to Settings > General > AutoFill & Passwords and turn on AutoFill for Passwords & Passwords along with Passwords . Once this is done, your Apple device will automatically offer your Apple Passwords login credentials.
On your iPhone, you may have to long-press on text fields to open the AutoFill option when you try to sign into your account in some apps. Tap this and you will be able to select your Passwords login details.
Import your passwords into Apple Passwords.
At the time of writing, Apple Passwords only allows the Mac app to do bulk imports. All password manager apps allow you to export data to a CSV file, which can be useful if you have a lot of things to move. Once you’ve exported all your data, you can open Apple Passwords on your Mac, go to File > Import Passwords > Select File and select the CSV file. The import may take some time depending on the amount of data being moved. I had about 700 credentials and importing them took less than five minutes.
For most people, a practical method is to gradually switch to Apple passwords, adding one credential at a time. The next time you create an account on an app or website, use Apple Passwords to create a strong password. Likewise, when you sign in to a site or any app, you can change your password manually and use Apple Passwords to store your new credentials. This method isn’t for everyone, but it’s more reliable than using bulk import tools, which may leave some of your data behind. When it comes to sensitive information such as passwords, it’s best to move slowly. This process will also allow you to evaluate how many of your saved accounts are still useful to you. If you see many of them that you no longer use, now may be the time to delete unused accounts.
Add Apple passwords to your Mac’s menu bar
You can add Apple passwords to your Mac’s menu bar for quick access. To do this, open the app and click the Passwords button in the menu bar, then select Settings . Now select Show passwords in menu bar . This adds a small icon in the menu bar for passwords that will display your login credentials in a pop-up window. You can also use the search bar to find specific login information.