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How to Pin the Passwords App to Your Mac’s Menu Bar
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How to Pin the Passwords App to Your Mac’s Menu Bar

Apple moved passwords from the Settings app to a native app. Here’s how to add it to your Mac’s menu bar to make your saved passwords more accessible.

Adding the Passwords App to the Menu Bar

Unlike other applications that allow you to add them to the menu bar The Passwords app via Control Centers settings requires you to take another route to achieve the same result.

Open Passwords app (Press Command+Spacebar, then start typing “Passwords” and press Return) then navigate to the upper left corner of the screen. Once there, click on the Passwords button in the menu bar and a drop-down menu will open.

Next, click Settings from the drop-down menu, which will open Password Settings. From here, click the box next to Show Passwords in Menu Bar to add it to your Mac’s menu bar.

The settings screen that allows the Passwords app to appear in the menu bar on your Mac.The settings screen that allows the Passwords app to appear in the menu bar on your Mac.

The settings screen that allows the Passwords app to appear in the menu bar on your Mac.

Once you turn it on, a password icon will appear in your Mac’s menu bar. This icon will continue to appear until you disable the feature by unchecking the same box by following the same steps.

Using the Menu Bar Is More Efficient Than Opening an App

While opening a native password app is faster than going into Settings to get there, putting the app in the menu bar is the most efficient method. It helps you perform the same tasks you did before in a shorter time frame.

Authentication with passcode or Touch ID when opening the password app.Authentication with passcode or Touch ID when opening the password app.

Authentication with passcode or Touch ID when opening the password app.

When you click the passcode icon in the menu bar, you’ll be greeted with a prompt asking you to verify yourself using your passcode or Touch ID. When you do this, you will have access to all your saved passwords, but you will need to authenticate every time you open the app.

Here you can search for a list of your passwords and get the specific information you want. Clicking on an account will show your registered username and password hidden behind a few dots that will disappear when you hover over them.

Password app that shows account information in the menu bar.Password app that shows account information in the menu bar.

Password app that shows account information in the menu bar.

If you want to add a new password, click on the plus icon and you will be taken directly to the native application and the menu for adding a password will automatically open. On the other hand, if you want to edit an existing password, click on the window icon to open the native application to edit it.

Accessing Passwords is Easier Than Before

The Passwords app in your Mac’s menu bar eliminates the need to go back and forth to the native app to get the information you need to sign in to an account.

Password app requiring authentication on MacBook Pro.Password app requiring authentication on MacBook Pro.

Nathaniel Pangaro / How-To Geek | Apple

Your login information with iCloud Passwords Shown automatically when clicking on relevant fields. But if you have multiple accounts, it may not provide the correct credentials, so accessing all your password information from your menu bar will help you get the correct information quickly.

New to the app? Learn how to switch to Apple Passwords from other password managers.