The iCloud Keychain is a powerful feature built into iOS that automatically remembers and securely stores your usernames and passwords whenever you log into a website using Safari. While incredibly convenient for personal devices, this auto-save feature can become a massive security risk if you share an iPad with your family, or if you frequently hand your iPhone to children to play games. If you do not want Safari to constantly offer to save every password you type, you can completely disable the AutoFill Passwords feature.
How to Stop Safari from Saving Passwords
To prevent Safari from asking to save new passwords, you must turn off the system-wide AutoFill setting in iOS.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Scroll down the main menu and tap on Passwords. (You will be required to authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode).
- Tap on Password Options at the top of the screen.
- Look for the toggle switch labelled AutoFill Passwords and Passkeys.
- Tap the toggle to turn it off (the switch will turn from green to grey).
What Happens Next?
By turning off this toggle, you are severing the connection between Safari and the iCloud Keychain.
Moving forward, when you log into a new website in Safari, the browser will no longer display the familiar “Would you like to save this password?” pop-up at the bottom of the screen. Furthermore, when you visit a website where you already have an account, the keyboard will no longer automatically suggest your username above the keys.
Your previously saved passwords have not been deleted. They are still securely stored within Settings > Passwords. You have simply stopped Safari from accessing them automatically, requiring you to manually type your credentials every time you log in.