macOS Monterey incorporates several new features in password management, positioning iCloud Keychain as an ideal password service to replace third-party services like Lastpass and 1Password.
In System Preferences, there is a new “Passwords” section that houses all iCloud Keychain logins and passwords for easier access, editing, and management. It's similar to the Passwords section in iOS for some time, so we now have a common way to access passwords on all Apple devices.
Until now, passwords on Mac were accessible via the Preferences interface in Safari, but having a specific section for passwords in Preferences will make them easier to enter. As with the previous version of the feature, Safari will automatically suggest passwords to you and detect compromised passwords.
New in Monterrey is an option to import and export passwords, so you can move your logins between iCloud Keychain and other password management applications. ICloud Keychain doesn't have as many input fields as some password managers, but it does support username, password, and website data.
There's also a built-in authentication feature, which will also arrive on iOS and iPadOS 15. For sites and apps that use two-factor authentication codes, you can store those codes directly on your iCloud keychain and automatically enter them when you log in. .
Direct support for authenticators will allow iPhone and Mac users to choose to use Apple's solution on third-party applications and software such as Authy and Google Authenticator.
Other minor changes include an iCloud Passwords extension to auto-fill iCloud passwords saved in the Edge browser, which is useful for Windows users who need cross-platform password access in the browser, plus there's a new ICloud Passwords app included with iCloud for Windows.
The macOS Monterey password changes are now available in the developer beta, and Apple plans to launch a public beta in July before the software is released this fall.
