It’s included in the most recent Play Services update
Password management might sound like a chore, but it’s vital to make sure you’re keeping your online accounts as safe and secure as possible. To speed things up, Google has built password tracking into Chrome, automatically alerting users when one of their passwords has been caught up in a breach. A few weeks ago, the company brought this feature to Android through Assistant, and as of today, it’s been confirmed as a new addition to your smartphone.
Password Checkup for Android is now listed among Google’s updates to System Services for the month of May. According to today’s patch notes, you’ll need to be running Play Services v22.18, first released on May 23, to access this tool. Google describes it as a way for users to “check their saved credentials for security vulnerabilities and provides a list of actions to improve online hygiene.”
In action, it’s just as we saw earlier this month. If you visit a site with a detected breached password, Assistant will prompt you to auto-change your credentials to something more secure. It’s a handy tool when it works — not every site is supported — and it should help make your mobile web browsing habits just as healthy as your desktop ones. Users who rely on third-party password managers will need to make sure they update their login information everywhere; you don’t want to lock yourself out of your bank account accidentally.
This update to Google’s System Services changelog is yet another mid-month edit, following changes to Nearby Share that streamlined how files move between your devices.
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