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Despite the continued adoption of passkeys, strong passwords are still just as important as they ever were. iOS and iPadOS users are likely acquainted with iCloud Keychain to generate passwords for them, but it can only be used in specific situations.
Apple's new Passwords app will allow users to generate passwords on the fly with just a few taps, but it won't be made widely available until later this fall.
Finding a password generator isn't all that hard, and you can do it right from your phone's web browser or a third-party password manager, but there's an easier way that comes from an unexpected app: Siri Shortcuts. With the Generate Password Shortcut, you'll be able to get a secure password with a tap without any of the limitations of iCloud Keychain. It's free to use, and we're going to show you how to use it below.
For more, check out the 7 settings you should change after installing iOS 18.
Two-factor authentication adds another layer of security to your accounts, by asking you to verify your identity via text or app. However, the most secure 2FA option is with a physical key, like this one from Yubico, which you insert into your iPhone's charging port. A hacker would need both your password and this key to access your accounts protected by 2FA.
Download the Generate Password shortcut
Using the link below, download the Generate Password shortcut onto your iPhone. This will automatically redirect you to the Shortcuts app -- tap Add Shortcut to download the shortcut on to your phone. The Generate Password shortcut will then appear in your library of shortcuts.
- Download: Generate Password (iCloud link)
Generate Password will be saved to the Shortcuts section in the Shortcuts app.
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNETYour on-demand iPhone password generator in action
Once the shortcut is installed, you can use Generate Password to quickly create Apple-style passwords, which are 20 characters long and include two hyphens, a capitalized letter and a number ("fevNaq-1zumki-gorfoc" is an example).
There are several ways to use Generate Password:
- Siri: Say, "Hey Siri, Generate Password."
- Share Sheet: Tap the share sheet in Safari or anywhere else, scroll down and tap Generate Password.
- Shortcuts: Tap the Generate Password shortcut directly in the Shortcuts app.
- Back Tap: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap and choose the Generate Password shortcut. You can then tap the back of your iPhone to run the shortcut.
The first time you run Generate Password, you'll be asked to give the shortcut access to your clipboard. Hit Allow to do so. From then on, anytime you run Generate Password, a password will be created and automatically copied to your clipboard. You'll also see a notification showing you the password. Hit Done when you're finished.
Generating a password via Share Sheet (left) and Siri (right).
Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNETThe password will expire from your clipboard in 10 minutes, so make sure to use it relatively quickly, or else you'll need to generate a new password. You can press down in any text field and hit Paste to enter the password from your clipboard.
Need more? Don't miss all of the iPhone 16 rumors. Also, when was the last time you cleared your iPhone's cache?