iOS12.0 Safari Autofill Bug

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iOS12.0 Safari Autofill Bug

Hopefully this will save some of the Community some unnecessary angst - should they come across this bug in iOS12...

There appears to be a significant bug with Safari’s Password Autofill function on the iPad, such that after updating the iPad to iOS12, from 11.4.1, Password Autofill stops working. No amount of Googling has found a corresponding complaint at this time - and this Community doesn’t appear (yet) to have described the specific issue that I’ve encountered - initially with an iPad Mini 2 (A1490). It may affect other variants (as yet unconfirmed), but due to the seriousness of the bug for me, I’m not about to make the mistake of upgrading my iPad Pro to iOS12 so as to prove the point!

After many days of systematic debug (and support calls with the Apple Support Team - without finding resolution) - I have found the apparent cause of the problem - and since demonstrated its consistency with my configuration.

The problem is this:

When attempting to access a website that requires login, Password Autofill is not offering to populate the appropriate fields with credentials from the keychain. When you are routinely using strong/complex passwords, that are different for every account, this problem becomes serious when you rely upon the iOS keychain for credential management.

The bug, that prevents Autofill from working, is with split-keyboard (which I routinely use without thinking about). If you use the full-screen keyboard, that occupies half your screen, then Autofill in iOS12 works broadly as intended; the keyboard directly offers credentials when it senses a logon page. With split-keyboard, the keyboard does not offer credentials; whether this is a failure to “sense” the input fields - or a failure to offer credentials - I cannot say.

So, if you are unlucky enough to experience an Autofill issue in iOS12 - and you are using the split keyboard feature - the workaround may be to return to using the full keyboard. Hopefully Apple will fix this.

If you experience this problem, I strongly recommend that you fill-in Apple’s feedback form to report the issue and/or contact Technical Support. Any responses here will also be useful to Community members.

iPad mini 2 Wi-Fi, Cellular, iOS 12

Posted on Sep 27, 2018 7:58 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

LotusPilot Author

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Oct 10, 2018 2:21 AM in response to LotusPilot

Update:

This significant bug has now been confirmed to affect various iPad models. Password Autofill is now fundamentally broken when using the native (system) Split Keyboard under iOS 12.0 and 12.0.1. This fault was not present within earlier versions of iOS. NB: Due to differences in keyboard presentation and handling on the iPhone, where Split Keyboard is not available, iPhones are not similarly afflicted by this fault.

Credential fields within web-pages are not autodetected for Password Autofill when using the Split Keyboard on iPad. The Split Keyboard is also missing the “Password” button (as iOS 11.4 - left-side split) or key icon/button (as iOS 12 - right side as displayed in the full keyboard), thus making manual selection of passwords for field-input impossible from the keychain.

At present, until (or even if) Apple fix this issue, the only available workaround is to use the default full-screen keyboard - which sacrifices a considerable proportion of the available screen and all benefits of utilising the compact Split Keyboard (often utilised to facilitate holding the larger iPads in two hands whilst typing with thumbs - and/or as an accessibility feature). Unfortunately, it is also impossible to workaround this issue using a third party keyboard - as iOS always forces use of the native (system) keyboard for all password entry.

An additional bug with the Split Keyboard has been carried through from iOS 11.4 - whereby the keyboard does not redraw correctly when switching between landscape/portrait and portrait/landscape screen modes.

All users of the Split Keyboard on their iPad are strongly advised to report this Password Autofill bug directly to Apple, both using the Apple Feedback channel (from which you not receive a reply) and reporting the issue through Apple Support.

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Answer 2

Oct 26, 2018 5:52 AM in response to JayC_mac_user

So as to help everybody, you need to report the Password Autofill problem to Apple - using both the feddback form Feedback - iPad - Apple and by raising a case directly with Apple Technical Support.

As for restoring a split keyboard docked to the bottom of the screen, from the full keyboard, you need to simultaneously place a finger from each hand on the “g” and “h” keys - then move/seperate your fingers in opposite directions to the sides of the screen. The should restore the split keyboard, however, Password Autofill will be lost.

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Answer 3

Nov 9, 2018 3:34 AM in response to LotusPilot

But I’m not using the split keyboard. I never have, I can’t stand it.... what the heck am I supposed to do to bring up the password prompt. I mean, sure - I’ll tell apple. But there isn’t a ‘fix’, for me...per se.... I just have to wait until it’s recognized and repaired- meantime, I’m typing in these 15 digit passcodes that apple prompted me to make for security purposes..... grrr

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Answer 4

Nov 9, 2018 4:00 AM in response to juleeanne

Juleeanne

Sorry to hear that you’re also suffering from issues with Password Autofil - and, I agree, no solution to this issue exists or has been discussed here. I’ve no idea why this discussion is marked as solved - because it‘s not!

For the benefit of myself and others, can you describe what you’re seeing/doing - and preferably post a screenshot so that we can see what you see? Please also tell us what device you’re using and the version of installed iOS. You may have a different issue - or have the same issue that presents differently.

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Answer 5

Dec 11, 2018 12:02 PM in response to LotusPilot

Disappointed to learn that the latest iOS update, 12.1.1, still hasn’t resolved the Password Autofill issues when using the Split Keyboard.

Pass Autofill from the Keychain works just fine with the full on-screen keyboard - but remains entirely broken when using the Split Keyboard :(

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Answer 6

Oct 26, 2018 5:52 AM in response to LotusPilot

I’m having this probLen too. I also can not dock and split the keyboard any more. If I want it splot, the keyboard floats to the middle.

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Answer 7

Oct 30, 2018 11:10 AM in response to LotusPilot

Alas, regrettably, this significant issue is NOT FIXED in iOS 12.1. 😠

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iOS12.0 Safari Autofill Bug

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