How to Set Up and Use the Passwords App on iPhone in iOS 18

For years, managing saved website credentials, verification codes, and passkeys on iPhone required navigating through the deep menus of the Settings app. In iOS 18, Apple separated iCloud Keychain into a dedicated, standalone application named Passwords. Powered by end-to-end encryption, the Passwords app centralises all your digital credentials into structured categories, introduces built-in two-factor authentication code generation, highlights compromised or reused passwords, and provides secure sharing via Family and custom groups.

Understanding how to navigate and configure the Passwords app ensures your online accounts remain protected while maintaining autofill access across Safari and third-party apps.

Launching and Unlocking the Passwords App

The Passwords app is pre-installed on all devices running iOS 18 or later:

1. Locate the Passwords app on your Home Screen or in the App Library (depicted by a key icon on a dark background).
2. Tap to launch the app. Access requires immediate biometric authentication via Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.
3. The main dashboard presents your credentials organised into distinct functional sections: All, Passkeys, Codes, Wi-Fi, Security, and Deleted.

Navigating Categories in the Passwords App

The structured layout separates different credential formats cleanly:

• All: A comprehensive, searchable alphabetical list of every stored username, email, and password combination.
• Passkeys: Lists all accounts configured with passwordless FIDO2 passkeys, allowing one-touch logins with Face ID.
• Codes (2FA): Displays time-based one-time password (TOTP) two-factor authentication tokens with countdown timers, eliminating the need for standalone authenticator apps.
• Wi-Fi: Stores passwords for all previously joined Wi-Fi networks, allowing you to view and copy network keys or display QR codes for guests.
• Security: Automatically audits your vault, alerting you to passwords that are easily guessed, reused across multiple sites, or compromised in known data breaches.
• Deleted: Acts as a recycle bin for recently deleted credentials, preserving them for 30 days before permanent purging.

Adding and Editing Login Credentials

While Safari can automatically save logins when signing up on websites, you can manually record entries at any time:

1. Tap the + button at the bottom of the Passwords app screen.
2. Enter the Website or App domain name.
3. Enter your User Name or email address.
4. In the Password field, iOS generates a strong, complex password automatically. You can accept this suggestion or type your existing password manually.
5. Add optional notes or custom labels for the account.
6. Tap Save in the upper right corner.

Configuring Built-In Verification Codes (2FA)

You can use the native Passwords app to generate rotating two-factor security codes:

1. Select the account entry you wish to protect with two-factor authentication.
2. Tap Set Up Verification Code….
3. Choose between Scan QR Code (point your camera at the two-factor QR code provided by the service) or Enter Setup Key.
4. Once scanned, rotating 6-digit verification codes generate automatically every 30 seconds.
5. When logging into that service in Safari, iOS automatically suggests and autofills the 2FA code from Passwords with a single tap.

Sharing Credentials with Family and Trusted Groups

The Passwords app allows secure, end-to-end encrypted password sharing with family members or colleagues without sending plain-text messages:

1. From the main Passwords menu, scroll to the Shared Groups section and tap New Group.
2. Name the group (e.g., "Household Utilities" or "Design Team").
3. Tap Add People to invite trusted contacts who also use Apple devices running current software.
4. Select which passwords and passkeys to move into the group vault.
5. Any member of the group can view, edit, or autofill shared credentials, and modifications sync seamlessly across all members in real time.