Prior to WWDC it was rumoured Apple was set to launch a standalone Passwords app, and once again, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman was correct.
The new Passwords app can easily save and fill your passwords with AutoFill, meaning you’ll never need to remember a password ever again or forget one. The Passwords app also has secure encryption with automatic protection to keep your passwords safe, according to Apple. Also, seamless syncing means your passwords will be available across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro and Windows PC.
After you install iOS 18 beta, the Passwords app shows up on your iPhone. This Passwords app essentially makes iCloud Keychain easier to use and edit when it comes to logging into websites.
Apple asks you to enable notifications for Passwords, so you can get alerted when passwords are saved, changes are made to shared groups and also if your passwords have been compromised in a data leak.
It’s a simple layout when you open the Passwords app, with sections for:
Each individual password entry also lets you set up a two-factor verification code. You can enter in the two-factor setup key or scan a QR code with your device’s camera.
When you visit a website in Safari and want to log in? A prompt will ask you to sign in and fill your password, which the Passwords app will then ask for Face ID authentication.
Under Passkeys, you will see all the websites you have Passkeys set up for. Codes contain your standalone two-factor codes not tied to a website, while Wi-Fi shows all the saved Wi-Fi hotspots from your history, while you can also easily show a network QR code for your existing network and others too, which is convenient.
Security lists logins with compromised, easily guessed and reused passwords. Meanwhile, Deleted shows deleted passwords and passkeys, available in this trash bin for 30 days. After that, they will be permanently deleted.
Below, you can see screenshots of the Passwords app main screen; setting up two-factor for a specific website; and logging into a website with Passwords.
The Passwords app itself is secured with Face ID/Touch ID, so no one can open it without you knowing. There’s no need for a Master Password like in 1Password.
Below, here’s what the Passwords app looks on iPhone when it comes to individual password entries. When you tap an individual entry, Apple will tell you if you have a weak or strong password, and give you the option to “upgrade” your password. You can also add notes to each individual entry.
Here’s what the Passwords app looks within macOS Sequoia. You can see it’s a 3-column layout, which reminds us of 1Password:
Here’s what Passwords looks like in iPadOS 18, again leveraging a 3-column layout:
Passwords also makes it easy to share passwords and passkeys as well. You can create a group of trusted contacts to share passwords and passkeys across their devices as well.
You can choose what to share and each member of the group decides which passwords they share and can delete them at any time, according to Apple. The person who creates the group can add or remove others as well. When creating a group, you can set a custom name and your iCloud family is already included by default, with the option to add others from contacts easily.
So can Apple’s free Passwords app replace 1Password? It definitely can do just that, thanks to its seamless syncing and also support for standalone two-factor codes and those needed for website logins.
I am sure Apple will improve Passwords over time and this looks to be an excellent 1.0 release. Apple needs to add a section for credit and debit cards, software licences, identities, bank accounts, passports and more. But for now, as a first beta release, I am impressed with Passwords and I think it can replace 1Password for me (I’m not using their subscription just yet).
What do you think of Apple’s Passwords app so far?
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Certainly seems quite barebones in comparison to other password keepers, but again hopefully this is just the 1.0 release that only keeps getting better.
I’m curious to hear if there’s any import/export functionality, and how it integrates with third party browsers for autofill including on Windows, or if it’s simply copy and paste from that app.
Agreed, an import / export option would be very helpful.
That’s already available in the current password setting and passwords area on macOS
Good to know, I haven't installed the Sequoia beta yet
what are the major features missing?
If you have an encrypted external hard drive, can you put in the information such as the password without a website link? Currently, you always have to put in some sort of URL to save a password, which is terrible! Hopefully they figured this out.
I hope they can add to sharing with Android devices and secured notes, amongst other features like 1PW, in future releases. The downside is that if someone can access your phone, all your info in Passwords would be seen. 1PW needs you to enter the master pw every so often, which is a pain, but also offers some protection.
The Passwords app requires Face ID/Touch ID to open every time
Not as full featured as 1Password, so not going to switch (yet) but at least Apple doesn't write apps in Electron. I never understood why Agile did that for the Mac app. They already had the iOS/iPad native app and it would have been a lot more trivial to update that to run on macOS without pissing off so many customers.
The two apps looks visually identical…I wonder if 1Password is going to sell …
1Password still has a lot of appeal for people who want to use a mix of Windows and Android devices. Or at least family or colleagues who do.
The one main feature 1Password has that this seems to still lack is password history. Too often, (especially with shared family passwords), someone "guesses" what they think the password is, then clicks "yes" to overwrite the ACTUAL saved password, and now the saved password is forever lost.
With 1Password, it has a history feature where you can see all the recent past passwords, when they were changed etc and revert. I really wish something like this would be added to iCloud Keychain.
Apple's Password 1.0 is at the same stage as their Maps app was when it debuted. Interesting and has potential, but no where ready for prime time. I need a much more comprehensive set of options and capabilities to manage the hundreds of unique numbers and secure access to the accounts behind them. Hardware serial numbers, gov't agency credentials and ID, online services, shopping, shipping, travel, social media, email lists, special interests and hobbies, financial, and the list goes on. I've used eWallet by Illium forever, and like the full featured, yet comprehensive interface, and more traditional approach to password management and security. It also works on all platforms, whereas I doubt Password will ever work on Android. I'm also happy that eWallet has a low-profile, so the hackers don't think it worthy of their time. Apple's Password will be at the top of the hackers' agenda to break!
Not a 1:1 replacement for 1Passwords. It's definitely a better GUI wrapper for iCloud Passwords. If you don't need cross platform access it's a good alternative. I switched from 1Password to iCloud Passwords once the former went subscription and have not looked back. YMMV.