Google simplifies using password manager within Chrome on Android

Google is set to update Chrome on Android next month to significantly enhance the functionality of password managers in the mobile browser. Chrome on Android will enable third-party password managers to natively autofill forms on websites, improving the usability of applications such as 1Password, Dashlane, and others.

Currently, Google provides its own password manager in Chrome, along with passkey and autofill support for details like addresses and payment card information. Although users can select a preferred autofill service on Android, it currently operates in a compatibility mode within Chrome which can make third-party password managers appear glitchy. The experience of using 1Password on iOS in Chrome is often perceived as superior, though it still does not fully match the integration seen with Safari.

Google has acknowledged that its existing version of Chrome on Android can cause “janky page scrolling” and produce duplicate suggestions from both Google and a third-party password manager. Eiji Kitamuram, a developer advocate on the Google Chrome team, stated that with this upcoming change, Chrome on Android will allow third-party autofill services to seamlessly autofill forms, offering users a smoother and more straightforward experience. These third-party services will be able to autofill passwords, passkeys, and other information such as addresses and payment data, similar to their function in other Android applications.

Users can begin testing this new functionality in Chrome 131 and later versions. After setting a third-party password manager as the preferred autofill service, they will need to enable a Chrome flag to experience the new autofill process. This updated experience will be available to all Chrome on Android users on November 12th, when Chrome 131 is expected to enter the stable channel.

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