Discover how iCloud Keychain can help you keep track of your app and website passwords.

Icon via Apple Inc.

iCloud Keychain serves as a basic password manager for your iPhone and iPad. You can save passwords for websites and apps via Keychain and then retrieve them when you have to log in again to those sites and apps. Your data is stored and synchronized in an encrypted format via iCloud, so you can use the same on an iPhone, iPad and Mac. You can also edit and manage your saved passwords. You can change a password via Keychain and delete accounts that you no longer need.

SEE: Apple iOS 13: a cheat sheet (download from TechRepublic)

Go to Settings to enable Keychain on your iPhone or iPad. Tap your name at the top of the screen and then select iCloud. On the iCloud screen, tap the Keychain setting and turn the switch on (Figure A).

Figure A

Then navigate back to the Settings main screen and then tap the option for passwords and accounts. Make sure the AutoFill password entry is enabled (Figure B).

Figure B

Now open one of your password-protected apps. After logging in with your username and password, a prompt appears asking if you want to save this password in your iCloud keychain for use with apps and websites on all your devices. Tap the option to save password. Repeat this process for other secure apps and websites for which you have an account (Figure C).

Figure C

To set Keychain synchronization on another iOS or iPadOS device, follow the same steps by turning on the Keychain switch via Settings. To activate Keychain on a Mac, click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences. On a Mac with macOS Catalina, click Apple ID and then select iCloud in the sidebar. Click on a Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier on iCloud. Then check the box for Keychain (Figure D).

Figure D

Now open one of the apps or sites for which you have saved your password in Keychain. Tap the field for your username or password. A field should appear above the keyboard with the lock icon on the right and the name of the app or site in the middle. Tap the name. Verify with Touch ID or Face ID. Your username and password will then be entered automatically. Tap Done to send your login details to log in. You may also need to tap a login button or similar option in the app or on the site itself. (Figure E).

Figure E

Finally, you can manage your saved passwords in Keychain to change or delete them. Go to Settings and tap Passwords & Accounts. On the Passwords and Accounts screen, select the entry for Website and app passwords. This screen shows all your saved password accounts. To delete an account from Keychain, swipe it to the left and tap Delete. To change your account username or password, tap its entry. On the screen for a website, you can tap a link to change the Website password. Otherwise, tap the Edit link. Then tap your finger in the Username or Password field to change either one of them. Tap Done (Figure F).

Figure F

Weekly newsletter from Apple

Whether you need iPhone and Mac tips or overviews of company-specific Apple news, we have it for you.
Delivered Tuesday

Register today

Also see

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply