The urgent iPhone warning you can't afford to ignore

CyberGuy explains how to make safe and secure passwords on your iPhone.

Have you ever imagined what would happen if one of your accounts got hacked? I know, it's a scary thought. Luckily, Apple's iCloud Keychain is here to save the day. Look, we all understand the simplicity and ease of using the same password across your digital accounts. It's an all too irresistible hack that helps streamline your access to the dozens and dozens of accounts across your digital footprint.

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Unfortunately, decisions like this make you a hacker's best friend. Your password may be exposed if one account suffers a data leak or any other security breach. That's bad enough. Yet if all your accounts share the same password or a minor variation of the same password, your digital identities can fall like dominos, one after the other.

Conversely, if your passwords are too complicated or challenging to remember, it can be frustrating to get locked out of online accounts. Going through the tedious process of resetting your password each time you want to log into any of your digital profiles can be a pain and, at times, not even possible, leaving you locked out of your account for good. It's sort of a lose/lose situation.

Fortunately, the folks at Apple have thought of almost everything. From setting up your iCloud password keychain to checking for breached passwords, we got you covered.

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Screenshot of the screen that allows you to sync your iPhone. ( )

The iCloud Keychain is an excellent tool that stores your app and website passwords on your iPhone. Even more impressive is that it scans known password leaks to warn you if any of your saved passwords have been compromised. If you receive an alert from Apple, it's time to take action and secure your accounts before the situation worsens.

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An iCloud Keychain is an app that saves your passwords on your iPhone. ( )

First, to save your password from any website onto your iCloud Keychain, log in and enter your password. Your iPhone will then automatically ask if you want to save the password to the Keychain. It's that simple.

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Screenshot instructions on how to save passwords on the iCloud Keychain. ( )

Did you accidentally hit "No" when your iPhone asked if you wanted to save your password to the iCloud Keychain?

No worries, you can save it later by going to your Settings

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Screenshot of how access the Settings app. ( )

Tap on Passwords

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Screenshot instructions on how to select "Passwords." (CyberGuy.com)

Then select "+" sign

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Screenshot instructions showing you how to select the plus sign to add info. ( )

Now, you can add a website, username and password for the Keychain to remember enabling you to quickly access your accounts from any of your Apple devices.

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Screenshot instructions of how to add a website, username, and password. ( )

If you want to check for compromised passwords on your iPhone, here's what you need to do:

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Screenshot of how access the Settings app. ( )

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Screenshot instructions on how to select "Passwords." ( )

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Screenshot instructions on how to select the Security Recommendations page. ( )

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Screenshot instructions on how to change the password or website. ( )

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When making a new account, simply select the option "Use Strong Password" to generate a strong passcode that will be nearly impossible to guess. However, it will be just as impossible to remember; luckily, all of that information is stored in the iCloud Keychain for you.

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Screenshot instructions on how to generate a strong password. ( )

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The key to a good password manager is how easy it is to use. You need something that's user-friendly and accessible, or you're not going to use it consistently. iCloud Keychain is great for remembering passwords on web pages and auto-filling them when you revisit the site, yet it's not so great if you need to access non-web logins.

That's where third-party password managers come in. They fill the gap that iCloud Keychain can't, with seamless sync, cross-platform availability, and encryption to protect your data. If you need to sync more than just passwords and credit cards, like app logins, identities and banking credentials, then a third-party password manager is the way to go.

When it comes to choosing the best password manager for you, here are some of my top tips.

Check out my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2023 by heading to CyberGuy.com/Passwords

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Taking advantage of the features provided by iCloud Keychain can significantly enhance your online security and save you from potential headaches caused by compromised passwords. By using this tool, you can simplify the process of managing and securing your passwords across all your devices. So, take a few moments to set up iCloud Keychain, and you can rest assured knowing that your online identities are well-protected.

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For more of my tips, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to CyberGuy.com/Newsletter

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt's CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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