Keep Your Online Accounts Secure Using Safari Passwords

If you aren't using a third-party password manager, you should be at least using Safari Passwords. This allows you to create strong unique password for your online accounts without having to remember or type them. You can even use those password on your other Apple devices through iCloud.

Comments: 25 Responses to “Keep Your Online Accounts Secure Using Safari Passwords”

    Michael Ritchie
    4 years ago

    I use the safari password manager and it works fine most of the time but there have been times that a website rejected the random password created. Have you experienced that?

    Could it be some websites have a different protocol that doesn’t accept the safari generated password? If so is there a way to make a website accept the safari password?

    Thanks,
    Mike

    4 years ago

    Michael: Sometimes developers make some poor decisions. I have seen sites that want a short password, or ones that don't allow some characters, etc. But those things are getting rarer. You can always take the password and manually enter a variation of it, fixing it to meet the requirement.

    Ryder Cragie
    4 years ago

    Great video Gary, as always. 😀

    Karl
    4 years ago

    Gary, yes this works great. I went through about 4 years ago and changed all my passwords to strong ones using Safari Keychain. And yes there were/are a few sites that won’t except certain characters and a few that didn’t even prompt me for a unique password. Not sure why that happened. Great video. Thanks

    Ronald Hecker
    4 years ago

    Gary, I use Keychain and also One Password. The latter is driving me crazy always trying to get me to use it. Can I simply stop using that service? Is there anything i would be missing out on?

    4 years ago

    Ronald: You can stop using it, sure. If you don't need any of its unique features, then you won't be missing out. But it is hard for me to say without knowing how you use it now. Also, note there are plenty of settings for 1Password that you can customize so it appears in fewer places and only when you request it.

    Michael Rasmussen
    4 years ago

    I stopped using 1Password awhile ago, and I'm quite happy using only the Safari/Keychain feature. Gary: Please consider making a specific Keychain video, with tips how to use secure notes, the difference between login and iCloud chains etc.

    4 years ago

    Michael: Secure notes are pretty straightforward, you just make them and access them in Keychain Access. But I don't think you can access them at all on iOS. As for login vs iCloud -- use iCloud for anything you make as login is just the local keychain for that Mac (that Mac login) and iCloud is what will be saved to iCloud and you'll see on other Macs and in iOS.

    Mike Brown
    4 years ago

    Unfortunately, I need to use my employer's Windows laptop for work and they've locked the browsers down so Safari passwords are not an option for me. I can use Firefox to sync logins on both mac and windows, which works in a pinch.

    But, I tend to rely on saving passwords via 1Password on my Mac so I can access passwords via 1Password on my iPhone when I'm at my Windows laptop (God, that was a complicated sentence!). 1Pwd on my iPhone is handy for that and for secure notes.

    Garth Wildman
    4 years ago

    If I am using Safari passwords, can I open a website with chrome and will safari passwords enter the password automatically?

    4 years ago

    Garth: No. Chrome has its own system using your Google account. A third-party password manager would work between both.

    Robert
    4 years ago

    Is there a way to copy the Safari passwords from Safari to Chrome? Sometimes some websites almost force the use of Chrome, especially banking....thank you.

    4 years ago

    Robert: You'd think that banks of all places would want you to use a more privacy-oriented browser. You'd just have to go into Safari, Preferences and copy the password, then paste it into Chrome. But don't make the mistake of thinking that because a bank site didn't work for you in the past, that it won't work today. Give it another try. And if it still doesn't work, make Sure you complain to your bank.

    Steverino
    4 years ago

    Hi Gary -- great video as usual. I use Roboform as an additional password manager. One question -- when safari suggests a password -- initially -- the whole password is not visible. Can you copy and paste that password without going into System Preferences? I do use both safari and Roboform.
    One draw back is with all these apps like on Apple TV or Firesticks -- typing them in really is a challenge.
    Best wishes and stay safe!

    4 years ago

    Steverino: You can't copy right there and then. As for entering in passwords in Apple TV, you should get prompted to use your iPhone as a keyboard and from there you can actually access your iCloud passwords on your iPhone so you don't have to actually type it.

    Scott Hagarty
    4 years ago

    Hi Gary:
    I also use both Safari and One Password. Is there a way to stop Safari offering a password suggestion on a new site? I find that Safari auto fills in a suggestion, but I prefer to generate with One Password. Just wondering if there is a way to shut this off.
    Thanks

    4 years ago

    Scott: I don't think so. But they are easy to ignore. After all, how often do you need to set up a new account at a new site you are joining?

    Barry Pless
    4 years ago

    I watched this one with interest because I am 88 years old and was worried about remembering the generated passwords. You have convinced me to use them. The question now is how to I go about replacing the weaker passwords I have been using and is it reasonable to assume that all sites e.g., dropbox would be accessed through safari or are there many 'stand alone' sites?

    4 years ago

    Barry: You have to do it on each site in the way the site wants. So go to one site, go into your account settings / profile / user preferences or whatever they call it on that site. Then look for their "change password" functionality there.

    Deborah Miller
    4 years ago

    I am interested in your thoughts regarding the security of Apple's Password Manager vs others on the market.

    4 years ago

    Deborah: All of them are way way more secure than using weak or non-unique passwords. Relative to each other they all have advantages and disadvantages, depending on how you use them. iCloud is secure enough for almost all Mac users, especially if you are using two-factor authentication.

    Bert Mullemeister
    3 years ago

    Hi Gary
    I have successfully changed many current password to the ones created.
    Thanks for your recommendation ......nowever
    When I try to do it on my Apple ID it will not show me the suggested long password
    Hope you can help

    3 years ago

    Bert: Current password for WHAT? What do you mean by "When I try to do it on my Apple ID" -- do what (login? change password?) And WHERE, exactly? There are many places where you can do things to or with your Apple ID.

    Bert Mullemeister
    3 years ago

    Sorry Gary, I should have been clearer
    When I click on the Apple ID and select Password and Security, then select change password, an applet appears where I can type my new password but it does not show the long password created by Safari as it does with all the other apps I have successfully changed the password of
    Hope this explains it better
    Thanks in anticipation

    3 years ago

    Bert: Do you mean in System Preferences? You'll need to create your own password for this. Your Apple ID is one you will actually have to type from time-to-time. If you aren't using a third-party password manager, you can use a function in the Keychain Access app to create a random password. I have an old video on how to do that, but it still works pretty much the same way: https://macmost.com/creating-passwords-with-keychain-access.html

Comments Closed.