How to sync iCloud passwords with Chrome and Edge Chromium

It can be boring to live life on two macOS platforms and Windows, or even just “Apple and all that is not Apple”. But IF you save your passwords on the keychain, then upload them to iCloud to sync them with your Apple devices, you can now extend this functionality to Windows systems. (Kind of.)

Apple has launched a new browser extension that lets you extract your Keychain passwords in Chrome (and with a little tweak, Edge Chromium). You will also be able to sync any new passwords you create on these browsers with iCloud Keychain, and then be able to use them on your connected Apple devices.

Yes, that means Firefox users are being left behind for this one, aAnd that also means that you can still only access your passwords through your browser; The keychain still hasn’t been integrated with the good ol ‘icloud-dot-com, and there’s also no Apple app you can use on Windows, either. as you could a 1Password or a LastPass.

To start in Chrome, launch the browser and navigate to Chrome Web Store to catch the ICloud passwords extension. Install it, then go install iCloud for Windows if you haven’t already. You will need version 12 of the app for the plugin to do anything. Apple appears to have removed the update from the Microsoft Store for now, but it’s possible that you already updated it last week (or you may be able to update it soon).

I don’t have it, but I know you’ll need to check that little Passwords box for your browser extension to sync passwords back and forth with iCloud. So if you already have Windows version 12.0 of iCloud – or when it appears – make sure you check that option or your extension won’t be able to do anything. Other than that, working with the iCloud Passwords extension is as easy as any other password manager; you shouldn’t have any problems there.

However, you may run into a problem if you try to sync the extension with iCloud for Windows when using Edge Chromium. The extension installs fine, but you will need to indicate that you are syncing with Internet Explorer, not Chrome, which may require you to adjust the setting to your “Favorites” options. I’ll test this as soon as I get the updated version of the app, but it’s the quick fix I’ve read that seems to have worked for others. Pretend Edge Chromium is Internet Explorer, not Chrome, although it has a lot more in common with the latter.