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Mac password guide

How to Generate a Strong Password on Mac

Create and save a unique website password with Safari, or generate a stored credential directly in the Passwords app.

Fastest Safari method

  1. Open a website's signup form in Safari.
  2. Click the new-password field.
  3. Click the AutoFill key button and choose Suggest New Password.
  4. Accept the strong password and complete signup.
  5. Open the Passwords app to verify the saved credential.

Method 1: Generate a strong password in Safari

Safari can detect a new-account password field, suggest a unique password, and save it in the Passwords app or the password manager you selected for AutoFill.

  1. Open Safari and visit the website's official signup page.
  2. Enter the requested username or email address.
  3. Click the new-password field.
  4. Click the AutoFill key button, then choose Suggest New Password.
  5. Review the yellow-highlighted suggestion and finish creating the account.
  6. Click Use Strong Password if Safari asks you to confirm.
Automatic save: Apple says Safari stores the accepted credential in the Passwords app or your chosen password manager. With iCloud Keychain enabled, it can remain available on your other devices signed in to the same Apple Account.

Method 2: Create a password in the Passwords app

Use this method when you want to prepare and store a credential before visiting a website or app.

  1. Open the Passwords app on the Mac.
  2. Choose All in the sidebar.
  3. Click the New Password button.
  4. Enter the website or app details and the account username.
  5. Click the password field and choose Strong Password or Without Special Characters.
  6. Click Save.

The no-special-characters option is for services that reject punctuation. It is not a reason to weaken passwords on sites that accept the normal strong suggestion.

If Safari does not suggest a password

  • Confirm that the field is for creating or changing a password, not signing in with an existing one.
  • Choose Safari → Settings → AutoFill and make sure User names and passwords is selected.
  • Open the Passwords app and check whether the site is marked as never saved or has a blank stored password.
  • Check the Mac's AutoFill provider settings if you use a third-party password manager.
  • Reload the signup page and click the new-password field again.
  • If the site's form is not detected, create the entry manually in Passwords or use the custom password generator and save the accepted result immediately.

If the website rejects the strong password

A site may enforce a short maximum length or reject certain characters. First try the Passwords app's Without Special Characters option. If the rule is more specific, generate a compatible value with exact length and character controls, then update the saved Passwords entry after the site accepts it. Keep the final password unique to that account.

Turn on iCloud Keychain

iCloud Keychain keeps supported website, app, and Wi-Fi credentials current across devices signed in to the same Apple Account with Passwords enabled in iCloud settings. Sync is optional for creating a password locally, but it is useful when the same credential must autofill on a Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro, or supported Windows setup.

Know where it was saved. Safari can use Apple's Passwords app or a selected third-party manager. Verify the provider and the saved entry so the credential is not stranded in an unexpected vault.

Configure Touch ID for password AutoFill

If the Mac or Apple keyboard has Touch ID, macOS can require it before filling stored credentials. Open Apple menu → System Settings → Touch ID & Password, then enable Use Touch ID for autofilling passwords. When a MacBook is closed and connected to an external display, macOS may request the Mac account password instead.

Find and verify the saved password

  1. Open the Passwords app.
  2. Select All or search for the website or app.
  3. Authenticate when macOS requests Touch ID or the Mac account password.
  4. Confirm the domain, username, and saved password are correct.
  5. Choose Edit if the site accepted a value different from the original suggestion.

Review weak, reused, or compromised passwords

Open Passwords and select Security to review recommendations. Apple identifies common weaknesses, reuse, and credentials that may have appeared in known data leaks. Choose an affected account, click Change Password, and replace it on the original website or in the original app. The setting Passwords → Settings → Detect Compromised Passwords controls data-leak monitoring.

Website password versus Mac login password

Safari's generator and the Passwords app workflows above are for website and app credentials. They do not change the password used to unlock the Mac, the Apple Account password, or a FileVault recovery key. Treat those as separate credentials and follow Apple's recovery guidance if one is forgotten.

Use a passkey or Sign in with Apple when appropriate

Some services offer a passkey or Sign in with Apple instead of a new reusable password. Apple recommends using supported passkeys for stronger phishing resistance. Follow the website's prompt and keep the Apple Account and device recovery methods current.

Sources and reviewed scope

This independent Mac guide was reviewed against current Apple documentation for macOS on October 1, 2026. Interface labels can vary by macOS release and selected password manager. Generate My Password is not affiliated with or endorsed by Apple.