iPhone: A guide to effectively using the Passwords app with iOS 18 – Jason Deegan

With the introduction of iOS 18, Apple has rolled out the Passwords app, available on iPhone, iPad (iPadOS 18), and Mac (macOS Sequoia). This free app is designed to help you create, store, and manage your passwords, passkeys, and other login credentials across all your Apple devices. And with Face ID protection, it’s as secure as it is convenient. Here’s how to get the most out of this new feature on your iPhone after updating to iOS 18.

Setting Up the Passwords App

To unlock the full potential of the Passwords app—such as auto-filling login information and generating secure passwords—you’ll need to tweak a few settings first. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and select Apps.
3. Tap on Passwords.
4. Enable Detect Compromised Passwords, which alerts you if any of your stored passwords appear in known data breaches.
5. Turn on Suggest Strong Passwords, allowing the app to automatically propose complex, secure passwords when you create new accounts.
6. Also, activate Allow Automatic Passkey Upgrades to keep your credentials up to date.

Once these settings are enabled, you’ll also want to turn on the autofill function for seamless login experiences. To do this, select Autofill Settings at the bottom of the menu and switch on Autofill Passwords and Passkeys. Make sure the Passwords app is selected under the Fill From section.

How to Generate Passwords Using the App

The Passwords app offers several ways to generate and store secure passwords, whether you’re creating a new account or adding one manually.

Creating a Password Manually

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If you want to generate and store a password for a website or app manually, follow these steps:

1. Open the Passwords app and tap the + icon in the bottom-right corner.
2. Enter the website or app name, followed by your username.
3. The app will suggest a strong password, displayed above the keyboard. Tap it to automatically insert it.
4. If needed, you can add notes before saving by tapping Save.

Generating Passwords for Websites

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The app can also generate passwords when you’re signing up on a new website via Safari. Here’s how:

1. Open Safari and navigate to the site where you’re creating an account.
2. Fill in your personal details.
3. When prompted to enter a password, a popup will suggest a secure password. Tap Save and Autofill.
4. Your login details are now securely stored in the Passwords app, ready for future use.

When you revisit the site, autofill will take care of entering your saved credentials. Simply tap Fill Password, authenticate with Face ID, and the login fields will populate automatically.

Sharing Passwords with Trusted Contacts

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One of the standout features of the Passwords app is the ability to share login credentials with trusted contacts. However, to take advantage of this, your selected contacts must be using a device running iOS 17, macOS Sonoma, or iPadOS 17 or later. Here’s how to share passwords:

1. Open the Passwords app and unlock it using Face ID.
2. Go to the Shared Groups tab and tap New Group.
3. Click Continue, then name your group.
4. Select Add People, choose eligible contacts, and hit Add.
5. Tap Create to finalize the group.

Once the group is set up, you can move specific passwords to the shared group by selecting them and clicking Move. Your contacts will be notified of the password share via message.

Conclusion

The new Passwords app in iOS 18 provides a secure, streamlined way to manage your passwords and passkeys across Apple devices. From generating strong passwords to sharing login credentials with trusted contacts, the app offers powerful features to make managing your digital life easier and more secure. By following this guide, you’ll be well on your way to mastering password management with iOS 18.

My name is Noah and I’m a dedicated member of the “Jason Deegan” team. With my passion for technology, I strive to bring you the latest and most exciting news in the world of high-tech.