Tech Talk for Old Folks

When you update your iPhone to iOS 18, the new Passwords app might be one of the first things to check out. If you’ve been juggling multiple passwords or relying on “123456” for way too long, this app is about to become your new best friend. But don’t worry, I’ll break it down for you in simple steps so you can start using it like a pro in no time.

What’s the Passwords App?

The Passwords app in iOS 18 is Apple’s new dedicated place to store and manage all your passwords in one place. It’s like a password vault that keeps all your login info safe and easy to access – and you don’t even have to remember all those complicated passwords anymore. The app integrates with Face ID and Touch ID, so only you can access it.

How to find the Passwords App in iOS 18

First things first, let’s open it.

1. Unlock your iPhone and swipe down from the middle of the Home Screen.
2. In the Search bar, type Passwords
3. Tap the Passwords app that appears.
4. Unlock it with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode.
5. Enable notifications so you can be alerted if one of your passwords is caught in a data breach.
6. Tap Continue and then Allow to turn on Notifications.

You’re in! Now let’s get to know how it works.

What’s in the Passwords app in iOS 18?

If you set up an account in the past using iCloud Keychain or an anonymous “Sign in with Apple” email address, those are already imported into the Passwords app and ready to be used.

These are the easy to read icons in the app:

1. All – All of your saved Passwords are in alphabetical order here.
2. Passkeys – Shows any Passkeys if you have any saved. (Passkeys are a replacement for passwords that are used for some sites. They are faster and easier to use and more secure.)
3. Codes – These are the verification codes that are sent to your phones by banks and other sites for an extra layer of security. They are saved for only a short period of time. Whenever these expire, they will be removed.
4. WiFi– This shows passwords for any network you have connected to and saved, including hotels, restaurants, public wifi spots and homes of friends.
5. Security -This indicates passwords that have been compromised so you can follow up and change them. ( You might be surprised at the length of this list. I certainly was! The next step will be to update all of those listed here. These are passwords that are considered easy to guess, those that are used for multiple accounts, or ones that may have been in a data breach. Click on these to go to the website, access your account info and generate a new Password. See the next step!)
6. Deleted – Any deleted passwords will be found here. As I scrolled through my list of Passwords by tapping on All, I realized that many of them are no longer needed. I began deleting those. When I have some free time, I will continue deleting all of the old passwords. They will automatically be removed after 30 days.

Using the Password Generator

We’re all guilty of using the same password over and over. Getting locked out of an account due to a forgotten password isn’t fun, so it’s easy to fall into the happy of using easy to remember words. But it’s not worth the risk of using words like addresses, birthdays or pet names that can be easily guessed by others. All it takes is for a hacker to gain access to one service, and they can gain access to more. Struggling to come up with strong passwords? The Passwords app has a “Password Generator” that creates super-secure passwords for you. You don’t need to remember these because they will all be saved in your Passwords app. Here’s how to use it when setting up a new password.

1. Sign in to a new account with your email address or a log-in name.
2. Under the password field, tap “Use Strong Password”.
3. The app will suggest a random, strong password.
4. Select it and confirm the password to automatically save it at the site and in your Passwords app.

Adding a Password Manually

The Passwords app makes it easy to add new passwords manually if you need to.

1. Open the Passwords app.
2. Tap the ” +” button (it’s at the bottom right corner).
3. You’ll see the fields like Website, Username, and Password.
4. Fill in your details and tap Save.

That’s it! Your new password is safely stored. But there’s a good chance you won’t need to add passwords manually often because iOS 18 can save them for you automatically.

Auto-Fill Passwords

Once your passwords are saved, iOS 18 makes logging into apps and websites a breeze with “Auto-Fill”. Here’s how it works.

1. Go to the Log-in page of any website or app.
2. When you tap the “Username” or “Password: field, a suggestion will pop up with your saved login info.
3. Tap it to automatically fill in the correct password. So easy!

Sharing Passwords with Others

The Password App in iOS 18 now lets you easily share passwords with others by creating a shared group. Select the icon at the bottom of the app with “+” Shared Group.

1. Tap Continue on the next screen.
2. Give the Group a Name, such as Family, Friends, Travel Group, etc.
3. Add people to the group by scrolling through your contacts or typing a name, email or phone number.
4. Tap Create to set up the group.
5. Next select the websites or apps for the passwords you wish to share.
6. Tap Move to relocate them to the Group.
7. Hit “Notify via Messages” to send an invitation to the group, and then send the message.
8. The people you invited must tap the View button in the text alert to view and accept the invitation. Group members will now see the name of the group under shared groups on their device. By selecting the group, all of the shared passwords will now be visible.

Keeping your Passwords Safe

The Passwords app is tightly integrated with Face ID or Touch ID, depending on what your iPhone uses. This means that even though all your passwords are stored on your phone, only you can unlock the app and access them.

Final Thoughts

The Passwords app in iOS 18 makes managing your logins easier and more secure than ever. Whether you’re saving passwords for the first time or finally getting around to organizing them, this app has got you covered. No more struggling to remember complicated passwords or resetting them every few months. To make things even easier, the Passwords app syncs seamlessly with your other Apple devices via iCloud. This means that the passwords you save on your iPhone will also be available on your iPad and your Mac computer.

So, dive in, start saving those passwords, and enjoy the convenience of never forgetting a password again!