Benefits and Limitations of Apple's AutoFill System

Minimalist AutoFill is built on Apple's AutoFill system which provides significant security and privacy benefits over third-party browser extensions. Unfortunately this system is also quite limiting, preventing us from customizing behavior, adding new features, or fixing bugs. In other words, we can either take it or leave it.

How third-party browser extensions work and why we don't like them

Before exploring the benefits of Apple's AutoFill system, it's helpful to understand how third-party browser extensions provide similar functionality.

In order to fill usernames and passwords into any website, third-party browser extensions first need permission to read and alter every webpage you visit, and also see all your browsing history.

Browser warning that extension can read and alter every webpage you visit, and also see all your browsing history

These permissions are needed for the extension to scan each webpage you visit, looking for anything that resembles a login or sign-in form, present custom auto-fill controls above detected forms, and ultimately copy usernames and passwords into the form once selected.

We understand why developers go this route, however we really don't want to see your browser content or browsing history. That's why we've opted to use Apple's AutoFill system rather than create this kind of browser extension.

How Apple's AutoFill system works and why we like it

Apple's AutoFill system on the other hand allows Minimalist to be completely different.

Minimalist cannot see anything that happens in your web browser. Instead Minimalist tells Apple's AutoFill system which logins you have, you select a login, and Minimalist provides the password. It's simple, secure, and completely private.

Furthermore, Apple's AutoFill system is already built-in to iPhone, iPad, and Mac. There is nothing more to install and no permissions to grant. Just download Minimalist and start auto-filling passwords.

Commonly requested improvements we wish we could make

We receive a lot of requests related to Minimalist AutoFill. Almost all of them are for improvements we wish we could make but are unable to without completely abandoning Apple's AutoFill system.

Here are just a few examples:

When will Apple's AutoFill system be updated to allow for such improvements?

Apple has not yet announced any plans to update the AutoFill system to allow for the kinds of improvements listed above. However that doesn't mean they won't. Apple is always looking for ways to improve their products and give us a better experience, we just need to let them know how!

Please submit feedback to Apple at https://www.apple.com/feedback/safari.html asking them to:

  • Update the AutoFill system to allow third party password managers to... (add your specific request here)

In the mean time, we will continue to watch for announcements regarding Apple's AutoFill system and update Minimalist to take advantage of new features as they become available.

AutoFill alternatives we're currently exploring

As much as we love the security and privacy of Apple's AutoFill system over third-party browser extensions, the limitations it imposes have forced us to start exploring alternative solutions.

Here are a just a few:

  • Full-featured extensions for each browser:
    • This will be a lot of work and future maintenance. It will also distract us from improving the main Minimalist app experience. This is not our favorite option.
  • Mac Menu Bar App:
    • This may be a reasonable alternative for many people because it’s always available via the status bar (or global keyboard shortcut) and can support drag and drop into any text field. Dragging usernames and passwords would be slightly more effort than a proper AutoFill solution, but it would work 100% of the time which tends not to be the case with AutoFill solutions, including Apple’s AutoFill.
  • Some combination of the Mac Menu Bar App solution and a light-weight browser extension to enable true AutoFill with a fraction of the work and future maintenance for us:
    • We're currently leaning towards this one.
  • Waiting for browsers to support Apple’s AutoFill system:
    • Not likely to happen, but you never know!
  • Simply deciding to focus our efforts on Apple platforms, including Safari, and not supporting alternatives:
    • We really don’t want to do this, but we’d be lying if we said it hadn't crossed our minds.

Have a preference or another idea? Feel free to reach out at hello@minimalistpassword.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to restore purchase if still showing Get Unlimited Editing

Minimalist attempts to recognize purchases made on any of your devices. However there are circumstances where Minimalist can't see your purchase and shows Get Unlimited Editing instead. Learn how to restore your purchase and re-enable Unlimited Editing.

How to setup up Apple Family Sharing in order to share your Minimalist Family purchase

Apple Family Sharing lets you share your Minimalist Family purchase with up to 5 other family members. Each family member gets their own private Minimalist data, securely synced via their own iCloud account. Learn how to setup Apple Family Sharing here.

Securely share items between family or team members via shared vaults

Minimalist does not yet support sharing of items via shared vaults... at least not yet! Here is what we're planning for the future.

AutoFill in non-Safari browsers on Mac

Minimalist AutoFill is currently limited to browsers and apps which support Apple’s AutoFill system. On iOS this includes virtually all of them: Chrome, FireFox, Brave, DuckDuckGo, Edge, Opera, and probably many others. On Mac however, it's currently limited to Safari only... at least for now.

How to prevent Safari on Mac from asking to save passwords

Unfortunately it seems there is no way to prevent Safari on Mac from offering to save passwords, even while using Minimalist AutoFill! This seems to be an oversight on Apple’s part. However there is hope! Apple is always looking for ways to improve their products and give us a better experience, we just need to let them know how!

How to save new logins from Safari back into Minimalist

Minimalist communicates with Safari via Apple’s AutoFill system which provides secure, private, and convenient auto-filling of usernames and passwords into websites and apps. Unfortunately Apple's AutoFill system does not currently support saving new logins from Safari back into Minimalist... at least not yet!

How to update existing login passwords from Safari back into Minimalist

Minimalist communicates with Safari via Apple’s AutoFill system which provides secure, private, and convenient auto-filling of usernames and passwords into websites and apps. Unfortunately Apple's AutoFill system does not currently support updating existing login passwords from Safari back into Minimalist... at least not yet!

How to keep in sync via iCloud

Minimalist keeps all your data in sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac via iCloud. Usually this happens automatically without you needing to do anything. However occasionally a device requires a few extra steps to allow Minimalist to access iCloud. Here's what you'll need to do.

How to store Passkeys in Minimalist

We’ve been watching Apple’s Passkey development, and the FIDO Alliance in general, for a while now, and although we’re pretty excited about the upcoming password-less future, we’re not entirely sure what role Minimalist will play in that future. Here's what we're thinking so far.

How to AutoFill a single Login item on multiple websites

Many online accounts can be used to sign-in to multiple different websites. For instance an Apple ID can be used to sign into Apple.com, iCloud.com, and numerous other websites. That's why Minimalist supports auto-filling of a single Login item on multiple websites.

How Apple's AutoFill system works with subdomains

Minimalist AutoFill is built on Apple’s AutoFill system which provides secure, private, and convenient auto-filling of usernames and passwords into websites and apps. Unfortunately Apple's AutoFill system handles subdomains a little differently than we'd like, and there is very little we can do about it.

How to AutoFill credit card information

Minimalist AutoFill is built on Apple’s AutoFill system which provides secure, private, and convenient auto-filling of usernames and passwords into websites and apps. Unfortunately Apple's AutoFill system is currently limited to usernames and passwords only, and does not support auto-filling of other content types such as credit card information... yet.

How to use Minimalist as an authenticator for sites with two-factor authentication (2FA)

Minimalist can securely store and generate one-time passwords without requiring an additional authenticator app. One-time passwords are generated 100% offline so this works without an internet connection and while in Airplane Mode. Here's how to get started.

How to automatically copy 2FA one-time passwords when using AutoFill

Minimalist AutoFill is built on Apple’s AutoFill system which unfortunately does not yet support auto-filling of one-time passwords for third party passwords managers like Minimalist. That's why Minimalist offers automatic copying of one-time passwords while using AutoFill.

How to organize items using categories, groups, folders, saved searches, etc.

We originally designed Minimalist to rely exclusively on lightening-fast search for finding items. Since then we've received many requests for additional organization features such as custom categories, groups, folders, saved searches, etc. Here are some of the ideas we're considering next!

How to attach files, photos, PDFs, and more

Securely store files, photos, PDFs, and more inside any item in Minimalist using an "Attachment" field. Attachments are synced via iCloud using the same end-to-end encryption as everything else in Minimalist.

What is a Menu Bar App and will Minimalist be adding one?

Menu Bar Apps are like mini versions of an app that live in your Mac's menu bar. They are generally used to show status information or perform common tasks such as opening an existing login, adding a new login, or generating a random password. Let us know what you'd like in a Minimalist Menu Bar App and we'll do our best to accommodate!

How to see if a password has been compromised in a data breach

Data breaches are far more common than any of us want to admit. Passwords are leaked with alarming frequency. Websites exist where you can check if your passwords have been compromised, but you have to check them one at a time! Wouldn't it be great if Minimalist could safely and securely check them all for you? Yeah, we think so too!

What is a third party security audit and has one been performed?

A third party security audit is a thorough assessment of all code, documentation, and processes related to a software system by an independent third party security firm. The goal of an audit is to uncover potential security risks which can then be patched by the software's developer. As Minimalist is relatively new, we have not been able to perform such an audit... yet!

Will Minimalist be adding an Apple Watch app?

We've received a number of requests to add an Apple Watch app to Minimalist. We're still working out exactly what our Apple Watch app should do, so here's your chance to tell us! Let us know exactly what you'd like to see in an Apple Watch app for Minimalist.

How to AutoFill multiple username fields on sites like American Airlines

Minimalist AutoFill is built on Apple’s AutoFill system which provides secure, private, and convenient auto-filling of usernames and passwords into websites and apps. Unfortunately Apple's AutoFill system is currently limited to a single username / password combination, and does not support auto-filling of multiple username fields... yet.

How to show the password history of a Login item

Minimalist keeps a history of previous passwords used for each Login item. Follow these steps to show and hide any Login item's password history.

When will Minimalist support the new Verification Code AutoFill in Safari 15?

Unfortunately this feature is currently limited to Apple's iCloud Keychain and is not available to third party password managers like Minimalist... at least not yet!

When will Minimalist support hardware security keys such as YubiKey?

Minimalist does not currently support hardware security keys, however it's on our list for future consideration. That being said, we have a number of other features we'd like to work on first... unless of course you disagree?

How to cancel your subscription

We think you're going to love Minimalist! However you can of course cancel your subscription at any time if you are not completely satisfied. Here's what you need to do.

How to request a refund

We think you're going to love Minimalist! However if you are not completely satisfied with your purchase you can request a refund directly from Apple by following these steps.

How to reset your account

Whether you've forgotten your master password, or would just like to start from a clean slate, you can reset your Minimalist account to permanently delete all data, from all synced devices, and start over.

How to delete your account

We think you're going to love Minimalist! However we understand it's not for everyone. If you've decided it's time to move on, you can delete your Minimalist account which will permanently delete all data from all synced devices.

How to import data from 1Password

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including 1Password. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Avira

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Avira. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Bitwarden

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Bitwarden. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Dashlane

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Dashlane. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from DataVault

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including DataVault. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Elpass

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Elpass. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Enpass

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Enpass. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from iCloud Keychain (Safari)

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including iCloud Keychain (Safari). This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from KeePassXC

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including KeePassXC. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Keeper

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Keeper. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from LastPass

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including LastPass. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Minimalist

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Minimalist. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from mSecure

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including mSecure. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from MYKI

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including MYKI. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from NordPass

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including NordPass. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Passwords Plus

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Passwords Plus. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from RoboForm

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including RoboForm. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Remembear

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Remembear. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from SafeInCloud

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including SafeInCloud. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Secrets

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Secrets. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from Strongbox

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from an ever growing list of password managers, including Strongbox. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

How to import data from virtually anywhere using generic CSV

Minimalist can import your passwords and other data from virtually anywhere using generic CSV, although it will take a little work on your part. This even works in free mode so you can try it out before purchasing! Here's what you'll need to do.

Questions? Suggestions? Feedback?

We're on a mission to make Minimalist the best password manager for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. We'd love to hear from you!

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