
In iOS 18, Apple introduced a standalone Passwords app—its native password manager within the Apple ecosystem—supporting traditional credentials, passkeys, multi-factor authentication (MFA), as well as detection of reused or weak passwords.
With iOS 26, Apple has made only minor changes to the interface, yet added a remarkably impactful feature: the ability to view the complete history of saved passwords. This addition allows users to review previous passwords and track changes over time.
Occasionally, during account registration or login, users may accidentally overwrite an existing password due to user error or flawed website workflows. Alternatively, they may generate a new password within the manager but fail to update it on the corresponding website. In such cases, access may depend on recalling or retrieving the former password.
Previously, Apple’s password manager would overwrite the old password as soon as a new one was created, leaving users with no fallback unless they went through the website’s password recovery process—a burdensome task when dealing with randomly generated credentials unlikely to be memorized.

In iOS 26, if a password for a particular site or app has been modified, the Passwords app will display a “View History” button. Tapping it reveals a chronological list of past changes, complete with timestamps. Selecting a specific entry lets users view previous passwords in full.
This allows for swift recovery of overwritten credentials and empowers users to restore older passwords or simply reference past changes—streamlining what was once a cumbersome recovery process.
Thus, while seemingly modest in scope, this update constitutes a substantial quality-of-life enhancement. It ensures that users relying on Apple’s password manager are no longer penalized by accidental overwrites or forgotten updates, reinforcing both usability and trust in the platform.