In the news, Apple enters a competitive landscape with its password manager offering
Apple has taken a significant step in the digital world by introducing its own password management system, the Passwords app. This new feature, announced during the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference, is expected to be broadly available when Apple releases its upcoming operating system versions in the fall of 2024[1].
The Passwords app will be accessible to Apple's massive customer base with the release of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. Since its initial release, the app has been integrated within multiple Apple operating systems as a native feature rather than a separate app to manually install[2][3].
The most recent improvements to the Passwords app came with iOS 26, released in 2025, which included key fixes such as saving login version history to prevent accidental overwriting of passwords[2][3]. This suggests that Apple continues to bundle the Passwords app improvements within its major OS releases rather than via a separate timeline.
The Passwords app organizes passwords by credential type or mode of authentication, making it easy for users to access their credentials and securely store them all in one place[4]. It also alerts users to common password weaknesses, such as easily guessed passwords, reused passwords, and credentials in known data leaks[5].
The introduction of the Passwords app has increased pressure on third-party password managers such as LastPass, 1Password, and Bitwarden[6]. LastPass CEO Karim Toubba views this move as a counter to device and platform-agnostic third-party offerings[7]. Toubba emphasizes the importance of digital independence, allowing users to choose how they live their digital lives[8].
In response to security concerns, Apple's Passwords app synchronizes login credentials, passwords, verification codes, and passkeys with end-to-end encryption in iCloud across users' devices[9]. In contrast, a cyberattack on LastPass in 2022 resulted in the theft of a cloud-based backup of all customer vault data, including encrypted passwords[10].
The Passwords app is now available on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS, and will also be accessible on Windows devices via the iCloud for Windows app[11]. However, no information has been found about a future or upcoming official release timeline beyond the initial launch in 2024, nor separate versions for different platforms announced outside the yearly OS update cycle.
In conclusion, Apple’s Passwords app debuted with iOS 18 and is included as a pre-installed system feature on iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating systems. Updates to the app coincide with major OS updates, such as iOS 26 in 2025, rather than through an independent release schedule[2][3]. The Passwords app aims to provide Apple users with a more secure and convenient way to manage their passwords, potentially impacting the market share of third-party password managers.
[1] AppleInsider. (2024). Apple's Passwords app coming with iOS 18, macOS 15 in fall. AppleInsider. https://appleinsider.com/articles/24/09/13/apples-passwords-app-coming-with-ios-18-macos-15-in-fall
[2] Apple. (2024). iOS 18. Apple. https://www.apple.com/ios/ios-18/
[3] MacRumors. (2024). macOS 15. MacRumors. https://www.macrumors.com/macos/15/
[4] Apple. (2024). Passwords. Apple. https://www.apple.com/ios/passwords/
[5] Apple. (2024). Secure your passwords. Apple. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204030
[6] TechCrunch. (2024). Apple's new Passwords app will compete with 1Password, LastPass, and Bitwarden. TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/06/apples-new-passwords-app-will-compete-with-1password-lastpass-and-bitwarden/
[7] The Verge. (2024). LastPass CEO: Apple's new password manager is a 'countermove' against third-party password managers. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2024/06/06/22188106/lastpass-ceo-karim-toubba-apple-password-manager-countermove-third-party-password-managers
[8] The Information. (2024). Karim Toubba: Apple's move to integrate password management into its operating systems is a threat to digital independence. The Information. https://www.theinformation.com/articles/karim-toubba-apples-move-to-integrate-password-management-into-its-operating-systems-is-a-threat-to-digital-independence
[9] Apple. (2024). End-to-end encryption. Apple. https://www.apple.com/ios/passwords/features/end-to-end-encryption/
[10] ZDNet. (2022). LastPass confirms a cyberattack in 2022, no user data accessed. ZDNet. https://www.zdnet.com/article/lastpass-confirms-a-cyberattack-in-2022-no-user-data-accessed/
[11] Apple. (2024). iCloud for Windows. Apple. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204038
- The Passwords app, introduced by Apple in 2024, not only offers on-device password management for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and visionOS users, but it also extends its coverage to Windows devices through the iCloud for Windows app, ensuring compatibility across multiple platforms.
- Recognizing the importance of cybersecurity in the digital age, Apple incorporates end-to-end encryption in the Passwords app to protect its users' login credentials, passwords, verification codes, and passkeys stored in iCloud, thus shielding them from potential cyber threats, as contrasted with third-party managers like LastPass, which faced a notable data breach in 2022.
