Sharing of log-in credentials between Mac and iPad

[mac_in_tosh]

I recently purchased an iPad Air and despite being a long-time Apple user there are still things I need to learn. I don't usually log into any sites on the iPad, rather preferring to do all that on my MB Pro. But on the iPad, using Safari, I started to log into a particular online forum that I visit frequently and to my surprise I was prompted with the username and asked if I want to use Touch ID to log in. I tested this with another online forum and the same thing happened. This is despite being pretty sure that I had never logged into either site on the iPad, but even if I did I had recently gone into System Preferences to clear all Safari web data.

I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this, so how did my iPad know the log-in credentials that I use on the MB Pro? What setting on the two machines controls the exchange of such information?

Thank you.

 

[Weaselboy]

It sounds like you have Keychain iCloud sync turned on on both devices.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

It sounds like you have Keychain iCloud sync turned on on both devices.

On the MB Pro, under "Apps on this Mac using iCloud:" Keychain is not checked. In fact, I never knowingly use Keychain.

 

[Weaselboy]

How about that setting on the iPad?

 

[mac_in_tosh]

Keychain is off.

 

[Weaselboy]

That is the only way I can think of the passwords got moved over to the iPad. Did you restore the new iPad from an existing iPad backup where the passwords could have come over that way?

 

[mac_in_tosh]

That is the only way I can think of the passwords got moved over to the iPad. Did you restore the new iPad from an existing iPad backup where the passwords could have come over that way?

This is the only iPad I have ever had.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

What I discovered - on the iPad I went to System Preferences / Passwords and there I found listed the three sites that the iPad was allowing me to log in to using Touch ID. I deleted them. I don't know how the passwords ever got saved there. I noted also that on the MB Pro going to Preferences / Passwords in Safari no passwords are listed.

 

[Tagbert]

What I discovered - on the iPad I went to System Preferences / Passwords and there I found listed the three sites that the iPad was allowing me to log in to using Touch ID. I deleted them. I don't know how the passwords ever got saved there. I noted also that on the MB Pro going to Preferences / Passwords in Safari no passwords are listed.

Is there a reason that you don’t want to be able to login to those sites on the iPad? It’s usually seen as a benefit that your computer and iPad both know your credentials for sites so you have more flexibility.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

Is there a reason that you don’t want to be able to login to those sites on the iPad?

Probably no good reason.

I was just concerned about how it knew my credentials as I hadn't knowingly granted it permission to store them.