Google Rolls Out Password Manager Shortcut For Android Devices

Managing passwords becomes bothersome as the number of websites and accounts that require registrations keeps increasing. Google’s Password Manager comes as a boon by allowing you to store your passwords securely. Moreover, you don’t even have to type in the passwords, thanks to the autofill feature. However, it’s quite a hassle to actually manage the app settings on Android. The latest Google Play System update has fixed this niggling issue.

Previously, if you wanted to access Google’s Password Manager on Android, you would have to navigate to the Settings app, then go to the Privacy menu. Select Autofill service from Google and then you can get to the Passwords section.

Also Read: Google Chrome’s Password Manager Will Soon Get Notes Feature To Rival 1Password, DashLane, LastPass

On the other hand, accessing the web version of Google Password Manager is quite straightforward via Chrome or any other browser. You can get it from the Autofill section in Chrome’s settings menu.  

How To Add Google Password Manager Shortcut

Now, as part of the Google Play System update for June, you can access the Google Password Manager directly via a shortcut on your Android phone. To get this new feature, your device will require version 22.18 or newer of Google Play Services. You can check for the latest Google Play system updates by going to the Settings app on your phone, then select About phone > Android version > Google Play system update.

To add the shortcut, first fire up Password Manager and select the gear icon in the top-right corner of screen. This will open up the settings, wherein you will be able to view the following new option— “Add shortcut to your home screen.” Select the option, and the shortcut will pop up. You can drag it around to place it anywhere on your home screen. This shortcut will give you easy access to the Google Password Manager, instead of having to search for it under Settings.