How to Use Apple Passwords: New Password Manager Explained

Apple Passwords is a new password manager introduced with iOS 18 and macOS 15, designed to make password management more intuitive and accessible. Unlike the older iCloud Keychain, which was hidden within the Settings app, Apple Passwords offers a dedicated, user-friendly interface that centralizes password, passkey, and other credential management. This shift reflects Apple’s ongoing commitment to enhancing user security and promoting the adoption of passkeys.

To start using Apple Passwords, you need a compatible device and a few basic setup steps:

Device requirements:

To use Apple Passwords, an active Apple ID must be linked to your devices, and iCloud Keychain must be enabled in your device settings to allow syncing and management of your credentials.

Apple Passwords is designed to be an all-in-one credential manager, bringing together multiple features under one app:

• Centralized Credential Hub: Apple Passwords stores all your passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi credentials, and security codes in one accessible location. The interface is clean and similar to other Apple apps, making it easy to navigate. Users can create shared password groups for families or teams, enhancing collaborative security.

• Advanced Security Features: The app includes end-to-end encryption, biometric authentication via Face ID or Touch ID, real-time breach alerts, and password health checks that highlight weak or reused passwords.

• Password & Passkey Autofill: Apple Passwords seamlessly integrates with autofill functionality, allowing credentials to be automatically entered into websites and apps, making the login process faster and more convenient.

• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Apple Passwords isn’t just for iPhones and Macs. It’s accessible across iPadOS, visionOS, and even Windows through iCloud, making it a great tool for managing credentials across different devices.

Passkeys are the next step in authentication, providing a secure, passwordless login experience. Here’s how to manage them in Apple Passwords:

When creating a passkey on a passkey-supported website or app, it will be saved in your iCloud Keychain, which is connected to your Apple Passwords App and thus available to all your devices linked to your iCloud.

To manage your saved passkeys, open the Apple Passwords App.

Example of Apple Passwords on iOS:

Example of Apple Passwords on macOS:

By clicking on the Passkeys-Button, you can see a list with all your passkeys you created on Apple devices, linked to your Apple ID. There you can manage, edit and share all your passkeys.

To do that, click on edit. There you can either delete your existing passkey and delete or change passwords.

To share your passkey or password click on the share button. Automatically, an AirDorop window pops up, which lets you share your passkeys and passwords via AirDrop to a different Apple device.

Apple Passwords can not only be used on Apple but also on Windows, expanding its accessibility beyond Apple devices. To use the Passwords app on Windows, you need to download the iCloud app and connect it to the iCloud Passwords Chrome extension. Here’s how to set it up step-by-step:

1. Download iCloud for Windows: Visit the Microsoft Store or the Apple website to download the iCloud app on your Windows PC.

2. Sign In with Your Apple ID: Open the iCloud app on your Windows device and sign in with your Apple ID.

Then follow all the steps as displayed, until you get asked to Sync your passwords.

Here, click on Install Extension for Google Chrome.

After Installing the iClouds Password Chrome Extension, click Sync Passwords.

Then, Click Finish Setup

3. Download the iCloud Passwords Extension for Chrome:

You will be prompted to Chrome Web Store. Click on Add to Chrome

Click Add Extension.

4. Connect the iCloud App to the Chrome Extension:

Once the extension is installed, you’ll be prompted to authenticate using your iCloud app. Follow the prompts to connect the extension to your iCloud account.

5. Use Apple Passwords in Chrome:

With the extension connected, you can now autofill your passwords and passkeys saved in Apple Passwords when browsing with Chrome on Windows. Simply click on the key icon in the Chrome toolbar to access your saved credentials whenever you need them.

Having the ability to import and export in Apple Passwords is a crucial feature for users who want to manage their credentials across different platforms, back up their data, or switch between password managers. Importing allows you to consolidate all your credentials into one secure place, while exporting lets you create backups or transfers your passkeys to another service when needed. Here’s how to do both:

How to Export Apple Passwords :

1. Go to the Passwords app.

2. Choose File > Export Selected Password/ Export All Passwords.

3. Click Export Password.

4. Choose where to save the exported password file, then click Save

How to Import to Apple Passwords :

1. In the passwords app you’ve been using, export your passwords to a CSV file.

2. Go to the Passwords app on your Appel device.

3. Choose File > Import Passwords.

4. Click Choose File, then choose the CSV file you exported from your other passwords app.

5. Choose your CSV file and click Import.

6. You are set! All your passwords from the imported CSV file are now in your Apple Passwords app.

Apple Passwords is integrated into the Apple ecosystem, making it more secure and convenient for users of iOS, macOS, and other Apple platforms. If you have an iCloud account and Keychain activated, it will be your default storages for credentials without the need to install or update extra software.

All data stored in Apple Passwords is end-to-end encrypted, meaning only you can access it. The app also uses biometric authentication to ensure that your credentials remain secure.

Yes, Apple Passwords can be accessed on Windows through iCloud, providing cross-platform support that makes it accessible to users who also work on non-Apple devices.

Apple Passwords is more than just a new app. We see it rather as a strategic move by Apple towards making secure password and passkey management available to everyone, and not relying on third-party password managers. By consolidating all your credentials into one easy-to-use platform, Apple is making it simpler than ever to adopt safer online practices. As passkeys gain traction and become the new standard in authentication, Apple Passwords positions itself as a leader in secure, user-friendly credential management.