I have over 1,000 passwords on my iPhone languishing in Keychain chaos, Apple's new iOS 18 Passwords app could change my life

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve used Apple’s iCloud Keychain for as long as I can remember. It’s the simplest way to use passwords across all of my Apple devices, yet with over a thousand passwords and the info buried in Settings, I’m terrified of having to wade into the Wild West of password security.

Now with WWDC 2024 only a few days away, the rumor of a new password management app in iOS 18 is the kind of announcement that would make my ears perk up and my body breathe a sigh of relief. After years of running scared from my passwords, a first-party application that holds all my information could be the spark I need to pull my online security into check.

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A dedicated application

A person holds their iPhone and unlocks their 1Password account using Face ID. In the background is a laptop. — (Image credit: 1Password)

Yes, I know third-party applications like 1Password exist, but there’s something so seamless and easy about Apple’s keychain that makes me rely on it more than I care to admit. A dedicated application for passwords in iOS 18 would stop me from hiding from all of my security recommendations, forcing me to tackle online security head-on and keeping on top of my password woes. I have passwords saved from when I was in high school over 11 years ago, ones I never use for accounts I don’t have access to anymore — so why do I suffer the stress of the clutter? My hope is that removing passwords from Settings and turning the feature into a dedicated app will force me to look at my passwords and take much-needed steps to get on top of my accounts.

Apple’s design expertise

iOS 17 Interactive Widgets Apple press image — (Image credit: Apple)

A password app designed by Apple would hopefully be elegant and simple to use, making it easy to see security recommendations and act on them instantly by using your iPhone’s notification system to alert you of issues. If I got a notification every time Apple deemed an account a security risk I would be way more inclined to take the required steps to fix the problem rather than turn a blind eye. As I said, I’m sure platforms like 1Password offer these solutions already, but they also require subscription services and the need to download third-party software — something I find myself doing less and less the older and lazier I get.

A Windows application, and beyond

Passwords on iPhone — (Image credit: Future)

Mark Gurman reports that the iOS 18 passwords app will also make its way to Windows and that’s very exciting news for Apple users that stray outside of the ecosystem for some computing tasks. When I tried Android last Summer, one of the reasons I had to return to iOS was that I lost all of my passwords held on Apple’s iCloud Keychain. If this password app makes its way to Windows, could we see it arrive on Android in the future? If so one shackle of iOS would be lifted, allowing users to jump ship to Android more easily.

With the WWDC 2024 keynote on June 10, we’ll know more about Apple’s password app very soon. With the expected announcement of Apple AI features baked into all of the company’s operating systems, could passwords also benefit from AI improvements? Only time will tell.

John-Anthony Disotto is the How To Editor of iMore, ensuring you can get the most from your Apple products and helping fix things when your technology isn’t behaving itself. Living in Scotland, where he worked for Apple as a technician focused on iOS and iPhone repairs at the Genius Bar, John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade and prides himself in his ability to complete his Apple Watch activity rings. John-Anthony has previously worked in editorial for collectable TCG websites and graduated from The University of Strathclyde where he won the Scottish Student Journalism Award for Website of the Year as Editor-in-Chief of his university paper. He is also an avid film geek, having previously written film reviews and received the Edinburgh International Film Festival Student Critics award in 2019. John-Anthony also loves to tinker with other non-Apple technology and enjoys playing around with game emulation and Linux on his Steam Deck.

In his spare time, John-Anthony can be found watching any sport under the sun from football to darts, taking the term “Lego house” far too literally as he runs out of space to display any more plastic bricks, or chilling on the couch with his French Bulldog, Kermit.