Apple has added a handy Passwords app in iOS 18, for more convenience and overview. Here are all the new features.
All the Features of the Passwords App in iOS 18
The new Passwords app in iOS 18 improves how you manage logins and passwords. You’ve been able to store password details on your Apple devices using iCloud Keychain for years, but access to passwords has historically been tucked away in the Settings app. That’s no longer the case. Learn all about the iOS 18 Passwords app, which is also available in iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia 15.
Layout
The Passwords app is automatically installed when you upgrade to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, or macOS Sequoia. It has a simple layout with a search bar at the top. If you’ve already used iCloud Keychain, all your saved logins and passwords will be ready and waiting the moment you sign in with Face ID or Touch ID. There are separate sections for Wi-Fi passwords, security alerts, deleted passwords, and more.
Tap on any of the items to see what’s there, and tap on an individual item to see the login and password. Each item has fields for Username, Password, and Website (or app). You also have the option to change the password.
Add and change passwords
To add a login or password to the Passwords app, simply tap the ‘+’ button at the bottom right. Fill in the website name and Username and the Passwords app will automatically suggest a strong password. Copy the password and enter it on the website you’re logging in to. Tap ‘Save’ to save everything.
To add information to an existing item, tap the relevant section and find the login you want to update. Tap it and select Edit. You can then add notes, change the password, or add a verification code. Passwords and logins are automatically added to the Passwords app when you create a new login.
Remove passwords
To remove a password, find the item you want under ‘All’ and swipe from right to left to reveal the remove option. Tap ‘Remove’ to actually remove the password. You can also open the item, tap ‘Edit’ and then select ‘Remove’. To remove multiple items at once, tap the ‘Selection’ icon in the top right.
Passwords you delete will be stored in the Deleted folder for 30 days before they are permanently deleted. You can tap and swipe on that folder to delete logins and passwords immediately. You can also use the select button at the top to delete multiple logins at once.
Verification codes
The Passwords app can provide two-step verification codes for sites with extra security options. To add one, tap the “Codes” section. There, tap the “+” in the bottom right corner. You can then scan a QR code or enter a code. Once the code is saved to the Passwords app, you can open the Codes section at any time to get a temporary code to log in to a site or app.
Passkeys
Websites have started to transition from passwords to passkeys, and the Passwords app stores your passkeys just like it stores your passwords. Passkeys are more secure than passwords and let you log in with Face ID or Touch ID authentication. Passkeys essentially use a cryptographic key pair, where a public key is stored on a server and a private key is stored on your device.
The private keys are not shared, remain only on the device and cannot be sent to others, protecting your accounts from phishing. You can see your saved passkeys in the Passkeys section of the Passwords app.
Share passwords
The Passwords app lets you share selected passwords with trusted contacts. You can create one or more groups of people who can access shared passwords. To create a group, tap “+ New Group.” Type a name, then select people to add. The people must be in your contacts list.
From there, you can select logins and passwords to share. You can remove them at any time, and all members of a group can add logins. The creator of the group can remove people from the group at any time.
To share a password with someone privately, open the login you want to share and tap the “Share” icon. You can then share the password with someone via AirDrop.
Sort
In the All section of the Passwords app, you can tap the icon with two arrows to access the sorting options. The sorting options are Date Modified, Date Created, Website, or Name, and you can display all of these in a descending or ascending list.
Synchronize
Passwords are automatically synced between all your Apple devices using iCloud Keychain. All you need to do is turn it on and be signed in with your Apple ID on each device. You can even access your logins and passwords on a Windows PC, because Apple has added the Passwords app to iTunes for Windows.
Security
There’s a Security section in the Passwords app that will tell you if you’ve reused a password, if your password is too weak, or if you’ve been the victim of a data breach. Warnings will be accompanied by information telling you to change your password, and you can tap the Change Password option to go to the website where you can update your information.
Want to know what else Apple added to iOS 18 besides the Passwords app? Then be sure to read the article iOS 18 guide: everything you need to know about the 2024 update!
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