Tech Tip — Is Apple’s Password App What You’ve Been Looking For?

Privacy and security of our digital lives is paramount. Even in 2024, there are still a surprisingly high number of people who write down all their passwords in unsafe places. And according to password manager.com many people still use very basic passwords, like ‘password’, ‘123456’, ‘qwerty’, and other similarly easy to guess passwords. There is some reason behind this. It is difficult to remember so many passwords, and now with some sites requiring two-factor authentication, and other security measures, it can very hard to manage. That is why password manager applications have been around for the last several years. Options like 1Password, LastPass, or Dashlane have become more popular and useful. I, personally, use 1Password and covered it as a Tech Tip previously.

For Apple users, we have had their built-in support, Keychain, for many years, but it was never a full password manager. It was born from a Safari extension, and tended to work best in that use case only. This year, as part of the new operating system updates, they have finally separated keychain out and made it a standalone application, Passwords.

Who is the Password app for?

If you are looking for a simple way to easily store and use your passwords, Apple Password may be a suitable solution for you. Perhaps, if you have historically relied upon Apple’s Keychain function in Safari or if you’re using the Chrome browser extension for filling passwords, the new Password app will be an upgrade. If you are using mostly Apple devices for your work, this is also a good reason to make this your password manager of choice. It is built in, and available for all Apple devices. It can be used across platforms as well, so not to worry if you are a Windows user. The Passwords app is also available as a Chrome plug-in, so if Chrome is your browser of choice, this will work for you. Finally, if you are not using a standalone password manager today, this is an absolute must. To ensure anyone’s online security you must have a way to safely and securely store strong, unique passwords for all your online accounts. Apple’s Password app makes it easy to do.

An additional benefit that comes with Apple’s Passwords app, beyond being free, is that it is easy to share passwords with other family members. Much like sharing Notes or Reminders from those respective apps, you can share passwords across your family as well. In most cases, other password managers require separate subscriptions or add-ons to allow for sharing.

Using the app

Using the Passwords app is very simple. It uses a common interface that is very similar to Apple’s Reminders, and what Apple has provided developers as a standard configuration and layout. It's familiar and easy to understand. The app allows to you to store general passwords, passkeys (a new type of secure login process), your Wi-Fi connections, and codes that get sent to you from websites. The app will also show you any security risks, like duplicated passwords, poor passwords, or likely compromised passwords resulting from data breaches at sites where you have accounts.

Main Screen

To see your passwords, you simply tap the category you need, and then find the site or login you’re looking for. You can change the way your information is sorted. You can choose from alphabetical, date edited, date created, or by website name. Any of those have a purpose, and it's nice that they provide some options on how you want to sort and see your information.

Adding a new login

Adding a new login can be done directly from the website or app you are visiting when creating a new account. In most cases, you’ll get a pop-up notification to ask if you would like to save to Passwords. You can have the app generate a password for you (recommended), or you can type your chosen password in. This will also work when signing in to other applications. On your iOS devices, you’ll see the ‘passwords’ option pop-up just above the keyboard to allow you to select from the Passwords app. You can then enter the information needed to save the username, password, and any notes you want to keep.

Adding a new account

Retrieving and manager passwords

Using your login and passwords is essentially the same process as setting up a new one. The difference being that you already have the information stored. From your browser or from the application, you’ll select to autofill your password and the application will do the rest.

You can also make updates and manage your existing passwords within the application. If you need to change either the login or password for a specific account, choose edit from the top-right corner and make the necessary adjustments. Then press save to update.

Stored login

Differences with other password apps

There are differences between the Apple Passwords app and other dedicated password managers. I would classify Apple’s approach as entry-level and a minimal security level approach. That is not to say that Apple’s app is any less secure. I think it will be an excellent option for anyone who does not currently use a password manager. The security is based on face or Touch ID, the same as the phone. It uses your unlock passcode as the backup for unlocking the application. So, the app is always as secure as your phone. The advantage of the separate dedicated applications comes from the functionality most of them offer. Apple’s application is only for passwords and codes. Others, like 1Password, allow you to store many types of information securely. For example, in 1Password you can store credit cards, photo identification, passport information, and secure notes. It truly functions like a security vault for any type of picture or document. Plus, these come with the added benefit of having a separate unlocking process beyond just your phone’s security.

Below is a good comparison from the 1Password website that shows the differences between their application and Apple’s Password app.

Comparing 1Password to Apple Passwords

Apple’s new Passwords app is a great addition to managing passwords. It lets everyone have a secure way to store and get their passwords, avoiding common mistakes like ‘password’ or ‘123456’. We use passwords for everything, and they get more complex each year as businesses and websites put more security measures in place to protect people and data. It’s hard to keep track of everything when you have strong protections for your info. These apps are a big part of our digital lives, and I’m glad Apple made this more accessible to everyone.

I’m still using 1Password, but I’m excited to see how Apple improves this app in the future. It might eventually become the best option for everyone, but for now, it’s a great choice for people who don’t need a complex password manager and don’t already have one.

What do you think about Apple’s Passwords app? Is it the right tool for your digital security needs?

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