Why You Can Trust CNET If Your iPhone Fails to Create a Strong Password, Here's What You Need to Do
There's a built-in automatic password generator in iOS, but it doesn't always work. That's why you may need to do this.
Here's an easy way to create secure passwords for iOS.
Creating strong and unique passwords for your online accounts is the cornerstone of protecting your personal information like your credit card number, address and even other passwords. That's why your iPhone comes equipped with a password generating feature, via iCloud Keychain, that also saves the secure password onto your device -- but the feature doesn't always work as needed.
You can't use the iOS password generator whenever you want. It only works when you're creating a new account or resetting a password, and even then, it doesn't work in every website or application.
You could always use a password generator in Safari to come up with a complicated password, but there's an easier way that doesn't involve third-party websites. With the Generate Password shortcut, which you can download for free, you can quickly generate an iCloud Keychain-style password and have it copied to your clipboard in seconds. Here's what you need to know.
Also make sure to check out our review of the iPhone 14 and everything you need to know about the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro.
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.
First, 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.
Quickly generate a password on your iPhone
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 on 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 on 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).
The 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.