Safari Password Manager: How to Edit & Should You Use It?

If you’re using Apple devices, you probably know about Safari password manager. It is Apple’s built-in password manager that saves all your passwords in one place. You can also generate strong passwords and use the autofill feature to save time while logging in.

However, should you be using a browser password manager? They do lack advanced features like password health scanners and data breach monitors. Sure, you can save your passwords, but whether your passwords are strong enough still remains a question.

Read this comprehensive article as we explore in detail the ins and outs of the Safari password manager and whether you should consider upgrading to a dedicated password manager.

What is Safari Password Manager

The Safari Password Manager is Apple’s proprietary password manager that allows you to save login credentials of all the websites you visit on Safari. The password manager is compatible with the Safari browser and all Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, and Macbooks.

The Safari manager offers some key features such as:

How Does Safari Password Manager Work?

The Safari Password Manager offers basic password management functions. Once you have set up your Apple ID, you can access the password settings by clicking on the Safari option at the top of your MacBook desktop. Visit ‘Settings’ and then click ‘Passwords’ to view all your saved passwords.

Now, whenever you visit a new website on your browser, you will see a password pop-up suggesting a strong password for your perusal. You can either choose this password or set one on your own. All your saved passwords can be viewed from the same settings tab as described above.

On your iPhone, visit the ‘Settings’ option and click ‘Passwords.’ Once you enter your Apple ID password, you’ll be able to view all your saved passwords in one place.

The Safari browser password manager comes in handy when you do most of your work on the browser itself. You don’t need to enter your passwords every time you visit the same website.

Is Safari Password Manager Safe to Use?

Yes, The Safari password manager, also known as iCloud Keychain, uses the advanced AES-256 encryption standard to encrypt all your passwords and other sensitive information.

This form of encryption divides your data into small blocks of 128 bits and then employs an encryption key to scramble this data using 14 encryption stages.

Cracking a 128-bit key can take around 1 billion years and would require 38 trillion TB of data. Simply put, it is nearly impossible to crack a password encrypted with AES-256.

Besides this, the newer versions of the Safari password manager also offer two-factor authentication. Upcoming versions of iOS 17 will also introduce password sharing and Family Password features.

However, one critical security drawback is that the Safari Manager uses the same credentials as your device. In the case your Apple device is lost or stolen, your passwords are just a passcode away.

The Safari password manager has a few other limitations. For starters, it only works with the Safari browser and on Apple devices, which may seem right on paper. However, as of 2022, only 28.39% of all smartphone users in the world use iOS. Whilst this still equates to hundreds of millions of people, it doesn’t have the market share.

This means that more than 50% of smartphone users will not be able to use a Safari Password Manager. And even if they do, they will require a separate password manager for their desktops.

The Safari Manager also lacks some advanced features, such as dark web monitoring and secure password sharing, which you get with a dedicated password manager like NordPass. Exporting passwords is also difficult if you don’t own a MacBook.

How to View, Edit, or Delete Safari Passwords

Let’s see how you can manage, edit, and delete all your passwords using the Safari password manager on different Apple devices.

How to view saved passwords on Safari – Desktop

Here’s how you can view all your saved passwords on the Safari browser on the desktop.

1. Open Safari on your Mac and click ‘Preferences.’

2. From the tab at the top of your screen, click ‘Passwords’. You’ll need to enter your Mac device password. You can even choose to use Touch ID if enabled.
3. You’ll now see a list of all your websites and stored passwords. Click on any website to view the password.

How to delete saved passwords on Safari – Desktop

Here’s how you can delete your saved Safari passwords on the desktop.

1. The first three steps are the same as mentioned above.
2. Simply select a password and click ‘Delete password’ to remove unwanted passwords. Alternatively, you can hold the command key, select multiple passwords, and then click ‘Remove’ to delete more than one password at a time.

How to manage and view saved passwords on Safari – iPhone

In case you want to manage and view your saved passwords on your iPhone, you need to follow these steps.

1. Open ‘System Settings’ on your iPhone, and tap on ‘Passwords’.
2. You’ll need your Apple ID password or biometrics to log in
3. You’ll see a list of websites. Choose the one you want to view the password for.
4. Tap on ‘Edit’ at the top-right corner to view the password.
5. You can update the password by simply typing the new password.
6. There’s also a ‘Delete password’ option at the bottom of your screen if you want to delete any saved passwords.

How to turn off Safari autofill feature

Here’s how you can turn off the Safari autofill feature.

1. Open ‘System Settings’ on your iPhone, and tap on ‘Passwords’.
2. You’ll need your Apple ID password or biometrics to log in.
3. Click ‘Password options’.
4. Toggle the ‘Autofill Passwords and Passkeys’ option off to disable autofill.

Should You Use Safari Password Manager?

If you don’t save many passwords and are looking for a free password manager, you can safely use Safari‘s password manager, which employs bank-grade AES–256 encryption technology.

However, unlike traditional password managers, the Safari password manager does not secure your credentials with a strong master password. A simple browser breach or device theft can make your passwords vulnerable.

Plus, it lacks many advanced password manager features, such as a password health checker and dark web monitoring.

That’s why we recommend getting a dedicated password manager like NordPass. It offers features like autofill, a complex password generator, a biometric lock, and email masking. You can start with the free plan and upgrade to its affordable paid plan, which starts at just $1.69/month.

Password Managers – Top Features

The top password managers right now offer a wide range of features, all aimed at keeping your personal data safe and secure. Here are some key features all modern password managers offer.

Autofill

If you have a password manager, you don’t need to enter your details every time you visit a website. Pretty much every password manager we’ve ever tested comes with an auto-fill feature that automatically fills in your details on online platforms.

It also auto-fills other credentials, such as names, addresses, card details, email IDs, and phone numbers, in addition to passwords. This saves you a lot of time and hassle, as there’s no need to remember long passwords or credentials for multiple accounts.

Secure sharing

Businesses often need to share passwords with team members or even amongst your family for personal use (like your Netflix password). In this case, simply writing down the password on a blank page or texting it to them can be unsafe.

That’s why password managers come with a secure sharing feature that allows you to share these passwords while taking care of security. For instance, NordPass allows you to share your passwords in two ways.

You can either send the password through a secure email or use the Password Sharer tool to generate a secure link that is only valid for 24 hours. This ensures that no malicious third parties can access your passwords while you are sharing them.

Password Generator

Password managers also come with a password generator that suggests a strong password for different accounts. These password generators ensure that the best password practices are followed while setting strong passwords.

For instance, passwords generated through password managers employ a good mix of lowercase and uppercase characters, numbers, and symbols. This ensures that your password cannot be cracked easily.

Since we have to manage a lot of online accounts, we often end up setting the same passwords for them. This means that if one password is breached, malicious third parties can have access to numerous accounts. A password generator saves you from this risk.

They can also be incredibly useful for IT departments at a business, as they can preset password rules. This helps to ensure good password security measures and reduces the risk of company data being lost due to hacks or forgotten passwords.

Identifying weak passwords

Most password managers, such as NordPass, come with a password health scanner that analyzes all your saved passwords and notifies you if they are weak. A weak password is more likely to be cracked through usual techniques, such as brute force attacks.

You often want to set easy-to-remember passwords, but in the process, you end up setting weak ones that are easy to crack.

The top password managers scan the surface and dark web to check if any of your passwords have been found in a data breach. If they find any compromised passwords, they instantly notify you so that you can update your password as soon as possible.

Importing Passwords

Traditional browser password managers only save the passwords you use to log in to the browser. You cannot import or export passwords with certain password managers, and even if you can (with other password managers), it involves a lot of hassle.

However, a dedicated password manager like NordPaas allows you to easily import and export your passwords, even from browsers like Chrome and Firefox. This way, you don’t have to manually update every single password on your manager.

Here’s how you can use a CSV file to import passwords on NordPass:

1. Open NordPass Settings
2. Scroll to the Import and Export section and select Import items.
3. Select the manager from which you want to export passwords and choose ‘Others’.
4. Upload your CSV file.
5. Select the items you want to import

Store passkeys

With the world moving towards a passwordless future, passkeys have emerged as an effective replacement for passwords. Modern password managers store all your passkeys in a secure vault.

Passkeys work on public key cryptographic technology, which uses two keys to secure your credentials—a public key and a private key. The public key is usually stored on the website server, and the private key is stored on your device’s authenticator.

This private key can be biometric, such as Face ID or Touch ID, or a code generated by an external authenticator app, such as Microsoft Authenticator or Authy. Certain password managers also come with a built-in authenticator app, such as NordPass.

With passkeys, you don’t have to enter your credentials every time you want to log in. The authenticator will establish a communication with the server to match both keys. You only have to enter your biometric or authentication code to start this communication.

Secure storage

Apart from saving your credentials, password managers also come with secure storage for important documents such as ID cards, passports, bank details, and credit card details.

This means you don’t need to constantly carry your wallet around with you, and rules out the risk of having your card details snatched from you in the street. With a password manager, everything is locked down securely in your vault.

As our detailed NordPass review found out, all paid NordPass plans offer 3GB storage, where you can store documents of any type – JPEG, PDF, MP4, or DOC.

Zero-knowledge encryption

Password managers work on a zero-knowledge model. This means that the encryption and decryption take place on your local device, and the platform has no knowledge of your passwords. Thus, only you know your passwords.

This makes it almost impossible for perpetrators to crack your password. Even if the password manager website is hacked, your passwords will be safe since the providers’ server has no saved details.

Virtual Private Network

Many modern password managers also come with a built-in VPN. When you use a VPN, your traffic appears to emanate from an IP address different from your actual IP. Your original IP address is masked so that no malicious third parties can access your online activities.

This not only keeps your personal data secure but also prevents data and bandwidth throttling. You can even access several geo-blocked streaming services.

Next, the best VPNs also have powerful unblocking capabilities and tons of servers around the world. This allows you to bypass geo-restrictions and content blocks on streaming services, including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, BBC iPlayer, and more.

NordVPN, a class-leading VPN service from Nord (the company behind NordPass), offers an all-in-one security suite that goes beyond the usual VPN security benefits.

In addition to NordPass, it also comes with extra cybersecurity tools such as Double VPN (double encryption), Onion over VPN (access the super-secure Tor network without the Tor browser), a data breach scanner, secure cloud storage, and even cyber insurance.

Find out more about one of the best VPN services on the market in our detailed NordVPN review.

XChaCha20 encryption

Most password managers use the robust AES-256 encryption technology. Make no mistake, this encryption alone can take 1 billion years to be cracked. However, there are early signs that future technologies might make it possible to crack AES-encrypted passwords.

This is why NordPass, which is a more secure password manager, uses XChaCha20 encryption. This technology is simpler to implement, three times faster than traditional AES-256, and does not require hardware support.

Safari Password Manager Alternatives

If you don’t want to use Safari’s built-in password manager, there are many options available—enough to get you confused. Here are some of the best password managers we’ve tested thoroughly, which you can rely on.

As you can clearly see, getting a dedicated password manager isn’t expensive. You can get NordPass’s plan for as low as $1.69/month. It not only generates complex passwords but also has email masking, a built-in authenticator, and XChaCha20 encryption.

As with any other service, if you want to add more users or desire more features, you need to migrate to more expensive plans. For example, if you’re a business looking for robust phishing protection, you can choose Dashlane, starting at $4.99 per month.

Final Thoughts

Safari’s password manager is built into the Safari browser and lets you save sensitive passwords. It also comes with a strong password generator, an autofill feature, and AES-256 encryption technology. This makes it a good pick for users who mostly use the Safari browser and don’t need advanced password management features.

That said, we recommend you get a dedicated password manager like NordPass. It employs advanced XChaCha20 encryption and comes with features like a password health monitor and a complex password generator.

These tools analyze the strength of your passwords and notify you when they find any password leaks. Plus, all paid plans include 3GB of storage for sensitive files like passports, IDs, licenses, and so on.

You can try NordPass for a test run with its free plan. The paid plans are pretty affordable, too, starting at just $1.69/month. With this, you can save unlimited passwords and passkeys, import your passwords, autofill them, and use biometrics for more security. Try NordPass now.

References

• Share of smartphone users that use an Apple iPhone (Statista)
• What is a virtual private network? (GCFGlobal)
• Advanced Encryption Standard (NIST)
• Understanding AES-128 Encryption And Its Significance In The Current Threat Landscape (Appsealing)
• Mobile Operating System Market Share Worldwide (Statcounter)

FAQs