Apple Will Introduce a New Passwords App at WWDC
Password managers are a great way to up your security online, and more and more companies are starting to bundle them into their software. Even Apple already has free password management features tucked away in iOS, Mac, and Safari, but they can be a bit hard to get to. Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the company is about to introduce its own Passwords app to rival competitors like LastPass or 1Password.
Simply called Passwords, Gurman’s anonymous sources say, the app will come with iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. It will use the same iCloud Keychain technology powering Apple’s current password management systems, but users won’t have to dig through their Settings to get to it anymore.
As with iCloud Keychain, users will be able to generate and store login information, share passwords, and store passkeys in addition to passwords.
They’ll also be able to store passwords by category, meaning streaming service logins or social media logins could all be grouped together. Currently, iCloud Keychain stores passwords alphabetically.
Outside of the realm of passwords, the app will also be able to handle two-factor verification codes, allowing it to fulfill a similar function as Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator.
Whether there will be other new features, such as Proton Pass’ dark web protection, are unclear. Basic use promises to be strong, however, as iCloud Keychain already allows users to store unlimited passwords.
In addition to the usual suspects, the app will also work on the Vision Pro headset, and surprisingly, Windows computers. The move could push Microsoft to update its Credential Manager, the free password manager built into Windows that, like iCloud Keychain, is currently buried away in settings apps.
Gurman says the new app will be announced as part of Apple’s WWDC keynote on Monday, although I expect AI to be the main focus of the event.