How to Save Passwords on an iPad

Automatically fill in strong passwords on your iPad

By
Matthew S. Smith
Matthew S. Smith - biopic
Matthew S. Smith
Writer
  • Beloit College
Matthew S. Smith has been writing about consumer tech since 2007. Formerly the Lead Editor at Digital Trends, he's also written for PC Mag, TechHive, and others.
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Updated on July 11, 2022
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
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Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
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What to Know

  • In an app or web page, tap the Password field to open the iPad keyboard.
  • A prompt appears with an automatically generated strong password.
  • Tap Use Strong Password to select and save it or Choose My Own Password to create and save a custom one.

This tutorial shows how to save your passwords on an iPad and turn on Keychain if it's turned off. Instructions apply to iOS 15 and later.

How to Use Keychain to Save Passwords

Your iPad automatically generates passwords for web pages and in apps when it detects you've selected a password field. It also prompts you to fill in these fields with a password you previously saved in Keychain.

Follow these steps to use saved passwords on an iPad or create a new one for Keychain.

  1. On a web page or app, tap the Password field.

  2. A password option appears if Keychain has a password for the app. Tap it to place the password in the text field and log in as usual.

    A website on iPad with the Password field selected and suggested password on the keyboard

    If successful, you're finished. The following steps only apply if the password doesn't appear or you need to save a new password.

  3. If no password is saved, your iPad generates a strong password automatically.

    An iPad generated Strong Password

  4. Tap Use Strong Password to save the recommended strong password. Select Choose My Own Password to create your own instead.

    The iPad Create Strong Password prompt

    Using your own password is less secure than using an automatically generated strong password. Saving passwords to your iPad means you don't need to remember each one.

  5. If the iPad keyboard appears but no password prompt is displayed, tap the Keychain icon, which is a small, black key.

    Keychain icon highlighted on an iPad keyboard

  6. Keychain opens the Autofill Password screen with a list of saved passwords. Use the search field or scroll down to the one you need and tap it to place it in the password text field.

    A list of saved passwords available on an iPad

  7. If you want to create another password, tap Add New Password near the top of the Autofill Password list.

    The Apple iPad password management menu

  8. Enter your username and a password. Tap Done to save the information to Keychain.

    The Add Password fields on iPad

To view saved passwords, open the Settings app and select Passwords.

How to Turn On Saved Passwords on an iPad

If you don't see the prompt to save passwords or the Keychain icon, Keychain is likely turned off. Follow the steps below to turn on saved passwords on your iPad.

  1. Open the Settings app.

  2. Scroll down the Settings menu and tap Passwords.

    The iPad Settings menu with Passwords highlighted

  3. Tap the toggle next to AutoFill Passwords to turn on the feature.

    The iPad AutoFill Passwords toggle in On position

Can I Use a Third-Party Password Manager?

Apple Keychain is not the only way to save passwords on an iPad.

The iPadOS 15 updates added support for third-party password managers such as 1Password, LastPass, and mSecure. You can download these third-party password managers from the App Store.

After they are installed, your iPad will include the third-party password manager passwords in prompts.

FAQ
  • Can an iPad automatically fill in strong passwords?

    An iPad can generate, save, and fill in strong passwords. This feature is available with Keychain or a third-party password manager.

  • How do I retrieve saved passwords on an iPad?

    If you use a third-party password manager app, you can pull up any credentials you've saved from the app itself. For Keychain passwords, go to Settings > Passwords. A list of the accounts you've saved to the Keychain will appear on the next screen; tap one to see its password.

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