A few years ago, Apple finally introduced the ability to rely on third-party apps as the default for various purposes. This includes things like your web browser, email app, and password manager. Naturally, Google’s suite of products such as Chrome and Gmail have fit the bill quite nicely for those who rely on a Gmail account.
However, there are still instances where iOS or iPadOS revert back to the Apple defaults for various tasks. It’s most obvious when you try to use a third-party keyboard like Gboard to replace Apple’s built-in keyboard. When you go to try and type a password, the iOS or iPadOS keyboard is shown, with Apple claiming this is done for privacy reasons.
Thankfully, this shouldn’t be much of a problem for those who rely on Google Chrome’s built-in password manager moving forward. A recent update to Chrome for iOS brought the ability to autofill passwords, much like we can already do with iCloud Keychain or 1Password. But even after you have Chrome installed, you’ll need to enable the ability to use Chrome as a password manager.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Scroll down and tap Passwords.
Authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or a Passcode.
Tap Password Options at the top.
Under Allow Filling From:, tap Chrome.
From the AutoFill is on prompt, tap the Got it button at the bottom.
When you go through the whole process, you’ll likely see a pop-up screen from Chrome. This is just confirming that you want to use Chrome as a password manager. But it also suggests that you remove iCloud Keychain from the list of selected options. The end goal is to speed up the process for auto-filling passwords, but if you have multiple passwords saved to different accounts, we recommend just using both in tandem.
How to use Chrome as a Password Manager on iPhone and iPad
Now that you have enabled Chrome to be used as a password manager on iPhone and iPad, it’s time to put it to the test. To make sure that everything is working properly, here’s how you can use Chrome as a password manager on iPhone and iPad:
Open the app that you want to log into.
You can also navigate to a website where you have an account.
When the correct login screen appears, tap either the Username or Password sections.
In the toolbar above your keyboard, tap the Key icon.
From the Choose a saved password to use prompt, tap Chrome…
If this is your first time using Chrome as a Password Manager, tap OK when prompted to allow Chrome to use Face ID.
Select the entry for the password you want to fill in.
Tap the Sign In button, if applicable.
You’ll be prompted to authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. But once that’s done, you’ll be able to use Chrome as your default password manager. And as you might expect, every time a new account is created or saved using Chrome on your desktop, it will sync with the mobile version. Just make sure you’re logged into the same Gmail account across all of your devices.
What’s New In Google Chrome For iOS?
With the latest version of the Chrome iOS app, Google is implementing some other new features designed to improve your experience. Besides the aforementioned password management functionality, Enhanced Safe Browsing is now available. This will provide warnings if you visit potentially-dangerous websites and if you’ll also be notified whenever your username and password have been compromised.
Another new feature is the “Return to Recent Tab” button that will appear in Chrome. If you stop using your iPhone for a while, and then go and open Chrome later, you might want to just start fresh with a new tab. But you also might want to go back to what you were looking at before, and this new feature gives you the option for either one.
The last major feature doesn’t seem to be available just yet, but should be on the way soon. With Chrome Actions, you’ll be able to perform actions just by typing in the address bar within Chrome. We’ll have to dive deeper into this once it’s available, but Google says a few of the options will be as follows:
Clear Browsing Data
Open Incognito Tab
Set Chrome as Default Browser
All you’ll need to do is start typing the action trigger, and Chrome will autofill it if necessary. Then, just tap the results and let Chrome do the rest. No more diving into a bunch of different settings menus, or trying to find the right button to clear your browsing data.
Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.
He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.
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