macOS Sonoma lets Chrome use passwords stored in iCloud

If you’re using the new macOS Sonoma beta, you might want to know about a glorious new bridge between ecosystems that lets Mac Chrome users connect with their iCloud passwords. Apple has updated its iCloud Passwords Chrome extension with a new feature that lets you directly pull passwords from iCloud, keeping you from needing to open Safari or migrate your iCloud passwords to another password manager.

Apple software engineering manager Ricky Mondello tweeted about the new feature yesterday. Mondello explained that the Chrome extension can also AutoFill passwords and one-time codes, save new passwords, and lets you right-click QR codes to set up code generators.

The Chrome extension is the same one that’s designed for enabling iCloud Password syncing in Windows, though at time of publication, the Chrome store listing makes no reference to the new abilities for Mac Chrome users. In addition to Chrome, the extension works with other Chromium-based browsers, including Arc and Microsoft Edge, though the latter will get the AutoFill features at a later time.

While the updated Chrome extension doesn’t directly work with passkeys, Mondello points out that iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma have support to save and sign in with passkeys throughout the OS — though developers will need to implement it in their apps.

If you’d like to try out the new feature, you’ll have to install the new macOS Sonoma public beta. Be warned that you might run into bugs, so be sure the Mac you’re using is not mission-critical.