๐Ÿ”‘ AutoFill - Automatically Fill Passwords on iOS

AutoFill is the native iOS feature for automatically filling in passwords in Safari and other apps. iKeePass seamlessly integrates with this system.


๐ŸŽฏ What is AutoFill?

AutoFill is Apple’s built-in feature for filling in login credentials:

  • System Integration - Works in Safari and all compatible apps
  • Face ID / Touch ID - Biometric authentication before filling
  • Secure - Passwords are inserted directly from iKeePass
  • Fast - One tap is all you need to log in

AutoFill vs. AutoType

Feature AutoFill (iOS) AutoType (macOS)
How it works System integration Keyboard simulation
Authentication Face ID / Touch ID Master password
Supported apps Safari + compatible apps All apps
Sequences No Yes
2FA integration Separate Possible in sequence

๐Ÿ“ฑ Supported Platforms

Platform AutoFill Minimum Version
iPhone โœ… Full iOS 17.0
iPad โœ… Full iPadOS 17.0
macOS โœ… Safari macOS 14.0

โš™๏ธ Setting Up AutoFill

Step 1: Enable iKeePass as Password Provider

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone/iPad
  2. Tap Passwords
  3. Tap Password Options
  4. Enable AutoFill Passwords
  5. Select iKeePass from the list of providers

Step 2: Unlock iKeePass Database

For AutoFill to work, your database must be unlocked:

  1. Open iKeePass
  2. Unlock your database with the master password
  3. Optional: Enable Face ID / Touch ID for faster unlocking

Step 3: Using AutoFill

  1. Open Safari or another app with a login form
  2. Tap on the username or password field
  3. Tap the keychain suggestion above the keyboard
  4. Select iKeePass from the list
  5. Authenticate with Face ID / Touch ID
  6. Select the matching entry

๐Ÿ” Authentication

Face ID / Touch ID

AutoFill uses your device’s biometric authentication:

Method Device Security
Face ID iPhone X and later, iPad Pro โœ… Very high
Touch ID iPhone SE, older iPads โœ… High
Device Passcode All devices (fallback) โœ… High

Authentication Flow


๐ŸŒ Compatible Apps

Safari

Safari is fully compatible with AutoFill:

  • โœ… Website logins
  • โœ… Form filling
  • โœ… Password suggestions

Third-Party Apps

Apps that use the iOS Password AutoFill framework:

App Category Examples AutoFill
Banking Chase, Bank of America, Capital One โœ…
Social Media Instagram, Facebook, X โœ…
Shopping Amazon, eBay, Target โœ…
Streaming Netflix, Disney+, Spotify โœ…
Productivity Microsoft 365, Google Workspace โœ…

Apps Without AutoFill Support

Some older apps don’t support AutoFill. In this case:

  1. Open iKeePass
  2. Search for the entry
  3. Copy username/password manually
  4. Paste it in the app

๐ŸŽฏ URL Matching

AutoFill automatically assigns entries based on URL:

How Does Matching Work?

Entry URL Website Match
https://github.com github.com/login โœ…
https://www.amazon.com amazon.com โœ…
https://mail.google.com accounts.google.com โœ… (Domain)
https://example.com other-site.com โŒ

Tips for Better Matching

  1. Use complete URLs - https://www.example.com instead of example.com
  2. Mind subdomains - mail.google.com is different from drive.google.com
  3. Multiple URLs - Add alternative URLs to the entry

๐Ÿ”’ Security

Why is AutoFill Secure?

Aspect Protection
Database AES-256 encrypted
Authentication Face ID / Touch ID required
Transfer Directly from iKeePass, no caching
Timeout Database locks after inactivity

Best Practices

  1. Enable Face ID - Faster and more secure than password entry
  2. Set up Auto-Lock - Lock database after X minutes
  3. Strong Master Password - At least 12 characters
  4. Regular Updates - Keep iKeePass and iOS up to date

Security Comparison

Method Security Convenience Recommendation
AutoFill + Face ID โœ… Very high โœ… Very high โœ… Recommended
AutoFill + Touch ID โœ… High โœ… High โœ… Recommended
Manual Copy โš ๏ธ Medium โš ๏ธ Medium โš ๏ธ Fallback
Memorize Password โŒ Low โœ… High โŒ Not recommended

๐Ÿ”ง Troubleshooting

AutoFill Doesn’t Work

Checklist:

  • iKeePass is enabled as password provider
  • Database is unlocked
  • Entry has matching URL
  • iOS version is 17.0 or newer

iKeePass Doesn’t Appear in List

  1. Check settings: Settings โ†’ Passwords โ†’ Password Options
  2. Enable iKeePass: Check the box next to iKeePass
  3. Restart device: Sometimes a restart helps

Wrong Entry is Suggested

  1. Check URL: Does the URL in the entry match the website?
  2. Search manually: Tap “Other Passwords…” and search for the correct entry
  3. Update URL: Update the URL in the entry

Face ID Doesn’t Work

  1. Check permission: Settings โ†’ iKeePass โ†’ Face ID enabled?
  2. Set up Face ID: Settings โ†’ Face ID & Passcode
  3. Mask/Glasses: Face ID may fail with changed appearance

๐Ÿ“Š AutoFill Extension Architecture

Technical Implementation

Components

Component Description
AutoFill Extension Standalone app extension
Credential Provider Provides login credentials
App Group Shared storage with main app
Keychain Secure key storage

Info.plist Configuration

<key>NSExtension</key>
<dict>
    <key>NSExtensionPointIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.apple.authentication-services-credential-provider-ui</string>
    <key>NSExtensionPrincipalClass</key>
    <string>$(PRODUCT_MODULE_NAME).CredentialProviderViewController</string>
</dict>

๐Ÿ”„ TOTP / 2FA with AutoFill

Limitations

AutoFill only fills username and password. TOTP codes must be entered separately:

  1. AutoFill fills in login data
  2. Website asks for 2FA code
  3. Open iKeePass
  4. Copy the TOTP code
  5. Paste it on the website

Tip: Quick TOTP Access

  • Use the OTP Widget on your home screen
  • Or the OTP View in iKeePass for quick access