Android makes me (almost) hate using a password manager – Google needs to fix it

Ben Schoon | Oct 6 2024 - 9:00 am PT

Password managers are time-saving, security-enhancing tool that everyone should be using, but every time Android refuses to play nicely with a password manager, I’m reminded why so many people don’t bother.

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The idea behind a password manager is reasonably simple. A digital “vault” to house your various passwords so you can not only keep track of everything, but also improve security by enabling you to create more complex passwords since you don’t have to remember every single one. Personally, I’ve been using 1Password for a while, but there are countless options for this functionality.

But a good password manager is only as useful as it is easy to use.

On Android, Google introduced “Autofill” back in Android 8.0 (Oreo). The feature promised to not only improve security for password managers, but also to make it slightly easier for these apps to input your usernames and passwords in apps and on the web. Over time, Google has made adjustments such as integrating Autofill into the keyboard (such as Gboard) in Android 11.

For me, though, Autofill on Android has always felt incredibly messy, to the point where using a password manager with the service almost becomes a chore.

That’s because Autofill is very inconsistent, coming down to a handful of factors.

Firstly, how well Autofill works well depend on the services you’re using. I use 1Password and Gboard, which seems to be one of the better-performing options out there, but if you switch to say, LastPass, the experience can be very different. That’s what I was using prior to 1Password a few years ago, and there was a noticeable improvement in Autofill recognizing my logins after I made that switch.

Secondly, how Autofill works with Android apps can vary wildly between apps.

In most apps, a username and password can be entered on the same screen, but others might put it behind two or three different screens. That can quickly ruin Autofill. For example, Twitter/X has up to three screens where you’ll have to input information if you’re using two-factor authentication (which you should, everywhere). I can’t recall the last time I was able to successfully use Autofill to input anything except my username in this app, forcing me to manually open 1Password to get my password, then open it again to get my 2FA code.

Then, you’ve got all of the apps that just do not work with Autofill at all, like Disney+. Why Google allows apps to block a system service from inputting information is beyond my understanding, but it’s absolutely infuriating, and just discourages the use of these tools.

Another big headache is Google Chrome, which constantly wants to fight your password manager. By favoring Google’s password service, Chrome will ignore your system-chosen preference with no easy way to access the app you actually want to use. I suspect this is part of the problem as a whole, as Google’s password manager works better with Android Autofill than anything else does.

To Google’s credit, though, improvements are coming in regards to Chrome.

Ultimately, though, I think the problem with Autofill on Android is that you can’t just tap a button to use it. There’s an “Autofill” shortcut in the same menu as copy/paste, but it doesn’t always work – I’d argue it rarely does, in fact. Plus, since many password managers automatically toss a 2FA code into your clipboard, apps with two-step login screens will often not let you access the password manager a second time, on the page where you input your password, because there’s something new in your clipboard. A dedicated button would quickly solve that! There is one dedicated button, but it only shows up in Chrome, and only works with – you guessed it – Google’s password manager.

This is where Google should honestly just take notes from iOS. Apple provides a simple shortcut to your password manager in the keyboard which doesn’t care what password manager you’re using. Just one tap and you’ve got your passwords, all ready for input. And that’s assuming you have to use it in the first place. More often than not, iOS recognizes you’re on a login screen and pulls up the relevant login info before you even have a chance to think about it. It’s consistent, fast, and easy to use, as password managers should always be, and a way better experience than Android is currently offering.

The benefits of a password manager, for me, still far outweigh the downsides of not using one, but that math is probably very different for a lot of people. The headache of using Autofill on Android could easily lead to someone who’s giving a password manager a try for the first time to simply getting frustrated and avoiding it altogether.

Will Google ever fix this? Honestly, I’m not confident it’ll happen seeing as the company’s attention appears to largely be on passkeys instead.

What do you think? Do you struggle with Autofill on Android with your password manager, or does it work pretty well?

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