Apple’s new password manager is free. This is just one reason to use it.

Therefore, if this is annoying, it is necessary to set up a password manager. If you have an iPhone or Mac, there are no more excuses: Apple makes it much easier.

The new Passwords app – available with the latest software for iPhone, iPad and Mac – is the password manager you need. It suggests unique, impossible-to-guess passwords when you sign up for new accounts and fills them in when you need them. Are your kids constantly pestering you for your Netflix password? You can also share your login details with your family. If you change the password, the group will be updated automatically.

You may be thinking: Wait a minute. Haven’t Apple devices saved my login details for years?

You’re right. Apple iCloud Keychain has long suggested, saved, and auto-completed passwords. But you’d have to search through the settings to find passwords or add a two-factor code. Now these login details are in one, easy-to-access place.

I usually recommend subscription-based security apps like 1Password over free, built-in systems. I still do this, but Apple Passwords is a great start. While it lacks some advanced features like full cross-platform compatibility, it covers all the basics.

Here’s how to improve your password security.

Preparing passwords

A recent Verizon analysis found that there have been over 10,000 data breaches this year – a record high – and most of these attacks used stolen credentials. A password manager increases security and is difficult to hack, but only 24% of people use it, according to a global survey by authentication company Yubico.

It would be difficult to commit all the passwords in memory. According to a 2024 study by the security company NordPass, between business and personal accounts, the average number of passwords per person is 255. And this is where a password manager comes to the rescue.

The beauty of the Passwords app is that when you launch the latest iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia software, it is pre-downloaded on your Apple devices and synced with your Apple account. If you used Apple to create and save your passwords, everything is already set up.

If you’ve never saved any passwords before, the Passwords app can store your login information as you enter it on websites. The next time you create or change a password, the app will automatically suggest — and remember — a secure, unique, gibberish password for you.

Passwords work best within the company ecosystem, across apps and Safari on Apple devices. However, the iCloud Passwords extension brings Apple’s password manager to Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers on Mac and PC. In my tests, this worked with varying degrees of success. The extension automatically completed many logins already in Passwords, but often did not save new ones. Apple said it is aware of the issue and is working to fix it.

Turning on

Passwords are locked. The key is a Touch ID or Face ID scan or device password.

You’ll see that your digital secrets are divided into several categories: “All” is where you’ll find your passwords if you’ve used Apple’s iCloud Keychain password saver in the past. “Codes” generate time-dependent two-factor codes. “Access Keys” contains a list of websites where you have registered for passwordless login. “Wi-Fi” refers to logging into the network. And “Security” means weak or exposed passwords that need to be changed.

In Shared Groups, you can securely share passwords with any of your contacts, as long as they’re Apple users.

To ensure easy and quick login, there are two more steps you need to take. First, go to Settings > General > AutoFill & Passwords to activate this feature on your iPhone, iPad and/or Mac. Then, to turn on password sync on your devices, go to Settings, then tap your name, then iCloud, then Passwords & Keychain.

If you store your passwords elsewhere, say in Chrome, you can import them on your Mac.

Evaluation of alternatives

Apple’s revamped password manager is perfect for low-tech people. It’s free and setup is simple.

“Using something is better than nothing,” said Romeo Gardner, chief executive of Nehlos Cybersecurity, a company that works with small businesses and government agencies. But he hopes Passwords could be a springboard to a third-party app with more security features.

He added that cross-platform functionality is essential. Passwords don’t work on Android devices or other web browsers like Firefox.

Additionally, Apple’s Passwords app doesn’t let you set a unique master password. The password managers I recommend are encrypted with a single master password that not even the app developer has access to – only you.

Apple Passwords, on the other hand, use the same password that unlocks your device. As my colleague Joanna Stern and I reported, thieves searched for these passwords and then stole iPhones to break into online accounts.

If you want to do additional setup work, there are other options. Bitwarden’s free password manager works on multiple platforms. 1Password (starting at $3 per month) is my favorite because of its easy-to-understand interface and support resources. Dashlane (starting at $5 per month) is a popular option that includes a virtual private network for a more private Internet access.

Passwords are so important that Apple named an app after them. But no matter which manager you choose, never forget to set up two-factor authentication to make your accounts even more secure.