Samsung Password Manager: Where Is It & What Does It Do?

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When it comes to saving our online credentials, the built-in password manager on your phone or browser is often our first choice. It’s simple, convenient, and free. We tested Samsung’s password manager to understand how the app works on the Korean tech giant’s mobile devices.

The Samsung password manager or Samsung Pass lets you auto-save and autofill passwords on your Samsung phone or Galaxy Book laptop. Recently, the company has also started rolling out browser extensions – but a few limitations remain.

For instance, you can’t auto-generate passwords or passkeys. Also, you can’t sync more than five mobile devices. On the plus side, Samsung’s encryption and security measures are impressive and the service is available free of cost to most Samsung phone users.

So, is Samsung Pass safe, and should you use it? Read on to find out.

What is the Samsung Password Manager?

Samsung initially launched its password management service way back in 2016. The company was just introducing iris scanners in its flagship Galaxy phones, and Samsung Pass would allow you to auto-save and autofill passwords into your browser and apps through secure biometrics.

The Samsung password manager has come a long way since then. It has added new features, like the ability to store personal information and use the service as a digital key for vehicles. Now, if you’re wondering ‘Is Samsung Pass still available?’ the answer is yes, but in a brand-new avatar.

In 2022, the company launched a new version of Samsung Wallet that would merge two of its existing services – Pay and Pass.

This means that your passwords are always at your fingertips, and you can enjoy a cohesive digital experience whether you’re accessing mobile apps, getting into your car, or controlling your smart home. In a way, this mimics the default password manager of Android, which also recently unified its web and mobile experience.

In 2024, the Samsung password manager is a convenient way for Samsung device owners—whether they have a mobile phone, tablet, or laptop—to track their credentials and autofill them across platforms without risking security.

Note that Samsung Pass is integrated into Wallet in certain regions, such as India, the US, and the UK. However, the company is conducting a phased rollout, and in some countries, Pass is still a standalone service.

Where Can I Find the Samsung Password Manager?

It’s important to note that the Samsung Pass app isn’t a separate application per se. It is an ‘identity-management-as-a-service’ offering (as marketed by Samsung) that’s bundled into your phone’s settings, as well as Samsung Wallet.

So, you won’t be able to install/uninstall the Samsung password manager from your app gallery as you would with any other mobile software. Instead, follow these steps to access the passwords you’ve stored on your device using the service:

1. Open Settings

There are a number of ways to open your phone’s settings, but the easiest is to open your app gallery and click on the ‘Settings’ icon.

You can also drag down the notifications panel, and the ‘Settings’ icon will be tucked away at the bottom. Tap this option to enter the full list of settings and configurations supported by your phone, including security.

2. Go to Biometrics and Security

The next step is to find the nested menu under settings where you can access your passwords. Scroll down in settings until you get to ‘Biometrics and security,’ which will be somewhere in the middle.

Or, you can use the universal search bar on top to look up ‘Biometrics and security.’ This will bring up all the security options that you can configure on your Samsung phone.

3. Open Samsung Pass

Once you’re in the ‘Biometrics and security’ section, you’ll see a list of configurable settings. Scroll down until you see ‘Samsung Pass’ under the ‘Security’ subhead.

You can also click on the search icon on the top-right of your mobile screen. Type in ‘Samsung Pass’ to quickly find what you’re looking for.

4. Sign in with Your Samsung ID

If you’re accessing Samsung Pass for the first time, you’ll be greeted by the following window. Tap on ‘Agree’ to continue.

You’ll be prompted to enter your Samsung account credentials at this step. If you’ve forgotten your password, you can choose to reset it or verify with a one-time email.

Once you enter your credentials, the Samsung Pass app will return you to the welcome window and start processing your access requests.

5. Re-Enter Your Fingerprint Details

The main principle behind the Samsung password manager’s work is biometrics-based verification. Even if you have your fingerprint info stored on your mobile phone, Pass will ask you to re-enter them.

Place your finger on the designated spot until the verification process is complete. Once Samsung Pass has successfully captured your data, you will see a visual confirmation.

After this, you can sign into Samsung Pass whenever you want and retrieve all your passwords. Note that you’ll have to complete steps 4 and 5 only once, and from the next time onwards, Pass works like any other popular password management software.

6. Start Using Samsung Pass

Once you’ve registered for Samsung’s password management service using your biometrics and Samsung credentials, you can review the available options and view your passwords. During first-time use, you’ll see the following screen—click ‘Next’ to proceed.

Now, you’ll see the following screen:

Next, exit out of the Samsung Pass app and open any website where you need to log in with your credentials. As soon as you sign in, you’ll be prompted to save your password. Click on ‘Remember.’

That’s it! The Samsung password manager will now automatically save your credentials to Pass. You can follow steps 1-3 anytime to open it and access your saved data.

Is Samsung’s Password Manager Safe?

To fully answer the question, ‘Is Samsung Pass safe’, we need to know a little bit more about its underlying security framework, Samsung Knox. Introduced in 2013, Knox helps manage and secure over 150 million devices worldwide.

Modern Samsung phones that use the password manager support Knox 3.3 or above. These systems utilize file-based encryption (FBE) to protect your data, including the information stored in the Samsung Pass app.

In the FBE mechanism, each file is independently encrypted using AES-256-XTS, one of the strongest forms of the industry standard AES. Each file has an encryption key derived from a primary key, which is randomly generated for extra protection.

Another reason why Samsung Pass is so safe is because of a feature called Direct Boot. This allows an encrypted device to boot straight to the lock screen. During the booting process, the device will still receive phone calls, but secure data like passwords will remain locked as it’s part of Credential Encrypted (CE) storage.

Importantly, Samsung Knox enforces safety and security measures at a hardware level. It isolates highly sensitive data from the rest of the devices’ operations so that your passwords and other info remain protected no matter what.

You can use Samsung’s password manager without any worry about its safety. However, while it excels in terms of security and encryption, there are a few trade-offs in terms of convenience. You have to be a Samsung user to benefit from Pass and you can’t sync more than five devices.

Samsung Password Manager – Key Features

While Samsung Pass may not be as powerful as some of the top third-party password managers for Android, it does have a competent set of features. By using Samsung’s own password manager, you can enable:

1. Password Autofill

The main reason to use Samsung Pass is to conveniently autofill your passwords across apps and websites without having to remember them.

Around 2016, Samsung realized that most of us have more accounts than we can possibly remember and need an easy way to manage our passwords. Notably, Google also launched its built-in password manager around that time (in 2015).

Samsung Pass would provide a more convenient alternative to Samsung device owners who didn’t want to use a separate password management app. Therefore, its autofill functionality works seamlessly.

When you log in for the first time, you will be prompted to save your password on Samsung Pass. The next time you visit the same website or app, simply tap on the credential field—the Samsung Pass option will appear so you can sign in automatically.

2. Data Import/Export

Similar to other password managers we’ve reviewed, Samsung Pass also lets you import and export your credentials. The feature is a little difficult to find—open settings and find the ‘Import’ option to upload a CSV file containing your sign-in data. You can also export your passwords stored in Samsung as a CSV file.

2. Passwordless Sign-In Through Passkeys

As cybercriminals use social engineering and brute force attacks to hack our passwords, there’s a need for a smarter alternative. That’s where passkeys come in. These are digital credentials that use a combination of cryptography, biometrics, and device signatures to verify if the right person is accessing a website or app.

You can’t read a passkey, which means there’s no risk of sharing it or having it stolen. Passkeys are a core feature for most password managers and Samsung supports this functionality as well.

Open any passkey compatible app and from your account settings, find passkey configurations. When you create a passkey, your phone will automatically prompt you to save it on Samsung Pass. Bear in mind that the Samsung Pass app can’t generate passkeys of its own.

3. Secure Personal Information Storage

Like most password managers, Samsung Pass lets you store your non-password, sensitive data. Using the same Knox infrastructure, you can use it to protect your address information and payment card details. The app will even autofill these details if a website or app asks for them.

Make sure that the autofill service on your Samsung phone is turned on. And, make sure that it’s set to Samsung Pass, not Google or any other third-party software you may have on your phone.

4. Sync Up To Five Devices

You can use Samsung Pass on multiple gadgets, which syncs your passwords across devices, so you don’t need to transfer them manually. You can add it to a maximum of five mobile devices per Samsung account. You can also use it on your Samsung Galaxy Book laptops and Samsung Smart TVs.

For comparison, top password managers like NordPass support unlimited devices for every account. Also, the company won’t sync your biometrics or card details across apps for security reasons. While this keeps your data safe, it may prove a little inconvenient.

5. Biometrics-Based Verification

As we previously mentioned, Samsung Pass secures your credentials and sensitive data using biometrics. This could be fingerprint scanning or even iris scanning on more advanced devices. Samsung will store your biometric data and link it to your account. Whenever you autofill with Pass and log in, you’ll be prompted to complete biometric verification and then log into your account.

6. Secure Notes Along With Passwords

At par with other popular password managers, the Samsung Pass app lets you save notes in addition to passwords, addresses, and card details. You could add virtually any information to your notes, from social security numbers to answers to security questions.

Samsung Knox’s ironclad measures will protect all of this content. If Samsung Wallet is integrated with Pass in your country, open the Wallet app, go to ‘Private info,’ and click on the ‘Notes’ tab. Tap the ‘+’ icon on top to create a secure note with any text you want to protect.

If Samsung Pass is still a separate service in your country of residence, you’ll find the Notes option right on the home page.

7. Password Manager Embedded In The Keyboard

One of the unique features of the Samsung password manager is its integration with your mobile phone’s keyboard. Sometimes, the autofill service fails to work, or some websites may turn autofill off for security reasons. In such scenarios, Samsung lets you enter passwords directly from your keyboard.

To use this feature, open ‘Samsung Keyboard settings’ from the ‘Settings’ menu. Toggle the keyboard toolbar on. This inserts an additional toolbar on top of your regular keyboard, which has all of Samsung’s built-in options.

Next time you open the keyboard, you can simply tap the Pass icon to complete biometric authentication, and the keyboard will automatically enter your password into the text field.

Alternative Password Managers – Key Features

Password managers can be of two types – a) native or built into a platform or operating system, and b) third-party, built by a dedicated security company.

Now, the Samsung password manager falls into the first category. It’s a free service that you get with Samsung phones, laptops, televisions, and watches.

As an alternative, you could also consider a top-rated third-party tool like NordPass.

This second category of password managers isn’t as closely integrated with your device ecosystem. However, it offers a wider set of features and better compatibility across devices. If you’re considering an alternative to the Samsung password manager, here’s an overview of the features you can expect.

Note that third-party apps have all the features Pass offers, plus the ones below:

1. Secure Password Sharing

Commercial password managers have special tools to help you share passwords securely. NordPass, for instance, lets you create secure sharing links to passwords that expire after a while. Other apps might allow you to create sharing groups—say, for your friends and family members.

Samsung’s password manager doesn’t support sharing, and this is one of its bigger misses. Co-workers might share access to productivity tools, and you might share your Netflix password with a family member—there are many use cases for this feature.

If you feel sharing your passwords and other personal information through secure channels is something you could need, you may want to reconsider using Samsung Pass.

2. Cloud Vault with Web Access

The vault is a storage space on remote servers where the password management company hosts all your data. Rather than local storage, using the cloud makes it easier to access your passwords from anywhere, on any device.

Cloud vaults typically have a bunch of other features. They’ll include a master key that locks the vault. Some password managers support folder structures so you can organize your credentials, notes, and other items.

You won’t be using the vault every day to retrieve passwords (there is an autofill for that). But it does help to have a single web-based storage location where you can find everything.

3. Strong Password Generation

Again, this is one of the top misses when it comes to the Samsung password manager. You’ll have to create your own passwords (and passkeys), and Samsung Pass only saves them. This can lead to vulnerabilities like weak or reused passwords.

Alternative password managers like NordPass can generate passwords for you. The password could be a random string of alphanumeric characters or a set of words and phrases that are easy to remember but hard to guess. You can even control the password length, whether you want numbers in it, and several other details.

Once it’s generated, the password manager encrypts and saves it securely in the vault.

4. Hardware Based Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication, or MFA, configures accounts to ask for two or more levels of verification. When we log in with our password and a website asks us to enter an OTP, that’s an example of MFA.

Samsung password manager supports 2FA, where you’ll be asked to enter a security code or scan a QR code, in addition to biometric verification. However, it doesn’t support hardware keys.

Alternative password managers like NordPass usually support hardware-based security keys. You can simply insert a USB drive and it’ll help sign into your account. Hardware keys are very reliable because they aren’t linked to your identity. So, even if someone falls prey to identity theft, the hardware key will keep their data safe.

5. Data Breach Scanner

This is one of the value-adding features you’ll find in most password managers. Incidentally, Google’s password management tool also lets you check if any of your user IDs or passwords have been leaked – but Samsung doesn’t.

Here’s how it works: you store your data in the vault. The software runs in the background and checks online databases for breaches and leaks. If any of the leaked data matches the information in your vault, it’ll notify you immediately.

You’ll also receive instructions on how to change the password or block a payment card if necessary.

6. Weak Password Detection

Third-party password management apps will automatically run an audit and tell you if any of your passwords are weak.

For example, you could repeat the same string of characters for multiple accounts. A password might also contain other personal information, like your date of birth or phone number, which someone might obtain through social engineering.

The app will scan your credentials for such vulnerabilities and assign a strength/weakness score to each credential. That way, you can prioritize which ones to change first. Samsung’s password manager doesn’t have this functionality.

7. Family and Business Plans

Many users subscribe to paid password managers because of their group plans. Typically, a family plan gives you access to 5-10 premium accounts for a competitive price.

A business plan is more advanced. It costs between $6 and $10/month/user and gives you access to a host of tools, such as automated user onboarding/offboarding, company-wide password policies, and sharing groups.

These plans aren’t available with built-in password managers like Samsung Pass or Google’s password manager.

8. Emergency Access

Emergency access is a nifty little feature that many security companies have introduced lately. It allows a pre-designated contact to request access to your accounts should you be unavailable. If you don’t deny their request within a stipulated time, they’ll be able to see your passwords and IDs.

At a time when so much of our lives are led online, it’s important that someone manage our accounts in our absence. Emergency access makes it possible without compromising your security.

This sophisticated functionality is not available with free or built-in password management services. You’ll have to buy a commercial alternative like NordPass to enjoy this feature.

7. Multi-Platform Support

Finally, the biggest motivator to look for an alternative password manager is probably multi-platform support. Today, most of us use a variety of platforms, browsers, and devices for work and personal use.

From an iPhone at home to Linux for work, we need a password manager that works with everything.

Unfortunately, Samsung’s password manager isn’t up to the task yet. Despite launching desktop apps and browser extensions, it’s still limited mostly to mobile phones and the few Samsung Galaxy Books out there.

An alternative password manager, on the other hand, will supply all your devices and browsers. 1Password even supports Apple Watch, making it even more convenient to sign into your accounts.

Samsung Password Manager Interface – Is it Easy to Use?

The Samsung password manager’s user interface is one area where it really shines. Since it’s the company’s native password manager, the user interface design closely mimics the rest of the Samsung ecosystem. You won’t face much of a learning curve and can start using the Samsung Pass app straight away.

Initially, Samsung launched its password manager as a mobile-only tool that would store data locally. Since then, it has extended this ambit for convenience and ease of access. Today, you can sync passwords across five mobile devices (but not your fingerprint or credit card details).

You can also install the Samsung password manager on compatible PCs and browsers.

Using Samsung Pass on your Desktop

In February 2023, Samsung announced that Pass would now be available for download from the Microsoft Store. It’d support Windows 10 and 11 PCs and require a machine that has Windows Hello. Your PC should also have TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0 or higher, which is the case for most Windows 11 devices.

Interestingly, the desktop version of Samsung Pass was launched at the same time as Galaxy Book 3, the company’s flagship PC offering.

The desktop app is clean and minimalist—almost bare bones—which makes it extremely easy to use for PC owners with any level of tech savvy. Note that it doesn’t have full feature parity with the mobile service and doesn’t support older Windows machines or Macbooks.

On the upside, using Windows Hello for biometric authentication makes Samsung Pass a highly secure password manager for your desktop.

The Samsung Pass Interface for Browsers

Samsung also provides a browser extension for Pass, which is compatible with Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers, including Brave. It looks and works exactly like the desktop app, but some users faced issues when trying out the password manager extension on non-Samsung PCs.

The browser extension has all the basic features, like password storage, biometric authentication, and autofill. We liked that you can choose which network to use to sync your passwords, adding another layer of security.

Apart from this, you can configure the browser extension’s appearance using light or dark themes.

The Samsung Pass Mobile App Experience

This is Pass’s primary user interface, and in many parts of the world, it still exists as a standalone service, separate from Samsung Wallet. To open Pass, all you need to do is head to Settings, find the Samsung Pass app, and scan your fingerprint to verify.

You’ll be greeted by your list of IDs and passwords, private info like cards and addresses, and any security notification you may have received. The three-dot menu right on top opens Samsung Pass settings, where you can choose which type of biometrics authentication to use.

Here, you’ll also find options to download or erase your data, import/export passwords, and view all the devices that can access your Samsung Pass account. Overall, the app experience is smooth and bug-free. You’ll feel like you’re using just another feature hardwired into your Samsung phone and not an additional service.

Samsung Password Manager vs Other Password Managers

Globally, the password management market is worth more than $2.5 billion, which gives you plenty of options to choose from. If you’re looking for an alternative to Samsung password manager – either for better cross-device compatibility or more features – here are the top options:

The Samsung password manager’s biggest USP is that it’s free.

It’s also closely integrated with the entire Samsung ecosystem, from mobile hardware to payment methods. However, if you’re looking for advanced features and want to manage passwords on non-Samsung devices, too, consider NordPass, 1Password, Dashlane, or Keeper.

How to Use Samsung’s Password Manager

We have already explained how to find, set up, and use Samsung’s password manager – i.e., Pass – from your phone settings. Now, let’s look at the steps for accessing your sign-in information from the Samsung Pass service embedded in Samsung Wallet. Later, we’ll also explain how to turn off the Samsung password manager.

1. Open Samsung Wallet

As we mentioned, Samsung Wallet is available in the UK, the US, Europe, Australia, India, and several other countries. Users in 25+ countries worldwide can enjoy Samsung Pass as part of the integrated Wallet app.

You can find Samsung Wallet by simply swiping up on your phone to open the app drawer, where you can simply search for or scroll down to Wallet.

2. Navigate to the Menu and Find Pass

When you open the Wallet app, you’ll be greeted by a quick view of all the cards you have saved. This lets you perform biometric verification and start paying for things using your phone’s built-in NFC chip without any hassles.

However, our goal is to use the Samsung password manager. To do that, tap on the ‘Menu’ button on the bottom right and scroll down until you come to the Samsung Pass section.

Tap on ‘Sign-in info’ to view your saved passwords.

3. Complete Biometric Verification

When you tap the ‘Sign-in info’ option, you’ll be prompted to verify your fingerprints (or facial recognition, if it’s turned on). Next, you’ll see an alphabetically arranged list of all the apps and websites for which your credentials are saved in Samsung Pass.

Tap on the credential you want to view or modify. The Pass service in Wallet also lets you set up two-step verification for a particular app or website.

How to Turn Off the Samsung Password Manager?

As we explained, the Samsung Pass app isn’t really an ‘app’ that you can install and uninstall. It’s a built-in service by Samsung that you can’t completely remove. However, you can turn it off – here are the steps to follow:

If Pass is integrated into Wallet on your phone, you can repeat the same steps within the Wallet app. Go to Settings, tap ‘Manage devices,’ and then tap ‘Remove’ below the device where you’d like to turn off the Samsung password manager.

You might also want to choose your autofill service to a different password manager if you’re going to disable Samsung Pass. To do this, open autofill from your phone’s Settings menu and switch to your preferred password management service.

Samsung Password Manager – Key Takeaways

While we don’t subscribe to the idea of a ‘fanboy,’ we do understand brand loyalty. If you’re wedded to the Samsung ecosystem, the password manager can prove extremely convenient. It captures and syncs your passwords across five devices.

Thanks to recent updates, it even supports PCs and browsers (best suited to Samsung laptops).

The new Wallet app improves the experience even further. Not only can you store your card details, but you can also pay directly by holding your phone close to the payment terminal. It collects all your sensitive data – including digital automobile keys on select models, official IDs, and smart home info – in one place.

On the other hand, it only works seamlessly if you’re within the Samsung ecosystem. It lacks a few essential features like password generation and secure sharing. For pro users of password management platforms, an alternative app like NordPass works much better.

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