Google Assistant can automatically change your passwords — here's how to enable it

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Google's making changing compromised passwords a breeze

Google Assistant
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Last year Google Chrome on Android launched a feature that would offer to change your passwords if Google detected they had been compromised. Almost 12 months later, and it seems that feature is starting to roll out to a much larger group of people.

If you sign into a site with a compromised password, Google will flash up a warning asking you to change your password. This isn’t anything new, but previously that required some conscious effort on your behalf. The change means there’s a button that says "Change automatically" and hands the reins over to Google Assistant. 

The tool uses AI from Google Duplex, the same feature that was first announced with the ability to make restaurant reservations over the phone. This allows Google Assistant to navigate a website, and fill out forms in the process of changing your password. 

In other words if you’re too busy, or too lazy to change your password manually, because it can be a drag, the Google Assistant can handle it all for you. Users can take over at any point, though.

Google will also let you trigger this process manually, without having to log in and get the warning first. Simply head to Chrome Settings > Passwords and you’ll see the blue Change password button with the four-circled logo of Google Assistant.

Automatic password changing isn’t available on all websites, unfortunately. Android Police also notes that Google hasn’t published any requirements for websites, enabling them to support auto-password changing. But it would make sense that this feature will become more widespread over time — especially on larger sites with more active users.

Tom Pritchard
Tom Pritchard
UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.