⌨️ AutoType - Automatic Credential Entry

AutoType is a powerful feature that automatically types your login credentials into applications and websites - without manual copying and pasting.

🎯 What is AutoType?

AutoType simulates keyboard inputs to automatically fill in username, password, and other fields. It:

  • Detects the active window based on the window title
  • Selects the matching entry from your database
  • Types the login credentials automatically

Advantages over Copy & Paste

Method Security Convenience Clipboard
AutoType ✅ High ✅ Very high ❌ Not used
Copy & Paste ⚠️ Medium ⚠️ Medium ✅ Used
Manual typing ⚠️ Medium ❌ Low ❌ Not used

Why is AutoType more secure?

  • Passwords never end up in the clipboard
  • No risk from clipboard hijackers
  • No accidental entries in clipboard history

🔧 How Does AutoType Work?

1. Window Detection

AutoType recognizes the active window based on the window title. For example, if you have the GitHub login page open, AutoType searches for entries with:

  • URL: github.com
  • Window title: GitHub or Sign in to GitHub

2. Sequence Execution

AutoType executes a keyboard sequence. The default sequence is:

{USERNAME}{TAB}{PASSWORD}{ENTER}

This means:

  1. Type username
  2. Press TAB (switch to password field)
  3. Type password
  4. Press ENTER (submit form)

3. Flow Diagram

┌─────────────────────┐
│  Press Hotkey       │  ← e.g. ⌘⌥A (macOS)
└──────────┬──────────┘
           ▼
┌─────────────────────┐
│  Read window        │
│  title              │
└──────────┬──────────┘
           ▼
┌─────────────────────┐
│  Search for         │
│  matching entry     │
└──────────┬──────────┘
           ▼
    ┌──────┴──────┐
    │   Found?    │
    └──────┬──────┘
     Yes   │    No
    ┌──────┴──────┐
    ▼             ▼
┌─────────┐  ┌─────────────┐
│ Start   │  │ Selection   │
│ AutoType│  │ Dialog      │
└─────────┘  └─────────────┘

⌨️ AutoType Sequences

Default Sequence

The default AutoType sequence is:

{USERNAME}{TAB}{PASSWORD}{ENTER}

Available Placeholders

Placeholder Description Example
{USERNAME} Username user@example.com
{PASSWORD} Password ********
{URL} Entry URL https://github.com
{TITLE} Entry title GitHub Account
{NOTES} Notes My developer account
{TOTP} TOTP/2FA code 123456

Control Characters

Character Function Description
{TAB} Tab Move to next field
{ENTER} Enter Submit form
{DELAY X} Delay Wait X milliseconds
{CLEARFIELD} Clear field Delete existing content

Example Sequences

Standard Login:

{USERNAME}{TAB}{PASSWORD}{ENTER}

Login with 2FA (TOTP):

{USERNAME}{TAB}{PASSWORD}{ENTER}{DELAY 2000}{TOTP}{ENTER}

Two-page Login (e.g., Microsoft):

{USERNAME}{ENTER}{DELAY 1500}{PASSWORD}{ENTER}

With field clearing:

{CLEARFIELD}{USERNAME}{TAB}{CLEARFIELD}{PASSWORD}{ENTER}

🖥️ AutoType on macOS

Keyboard Shortcuts

Function Shortcut
Execute AutoType ⌘⌥A (Cmd+Option+A)
AutoType Selection ⌘⌥⇧A (Cmd+Option+Shift+A)

Setup

  1. Open System Settings
  2. Privacy & Security → Accessibility
  3. Add iKeePass and enable it

⚠️ Important: Without Accessibility permission, iKeePass cannot simulate keyboard inputs!

Window Title Matching (macOS)

On macOS, AutoType uses the window title of the active application:

Browser Example Window Title
Safari GitHub - Safari
Chrome GitHub - Google Chrome
Firefox GitHub - Mozilla Firefox

Tip: The window title often contains the page title + browser name.

📱 AutoType on iOS/iPadOS

On iOS and iPadOS, classic AutoType is not possible because apps cannot access other applications. Instead, iKeePass offers:

Alternative: AutoFill

Feature AutoType (macOS) AutoFill (iOS)
System Integration Accessibility Password AutoFill
How it works Simulates keys Fills fields
Apps All apps Safari + supported apps
System Requirement macOS 14.0+ iOS 17.0+

Setting up AutoFill (iOS)

  1. Settings → Passwords → Password Options
  2. Enable AutoFill
  3. Select iKeePass

🎯 Configuring Window Matching

Automatic Matching

iKeePass automatically matches entries when:

  • The entry’s URL matches the website
  • The title appears in the window name

Manual Matching

For special cases, you can configure matching manually:

  1. Open entry
  2. Select AutoType tab
  3. Add window association

Example for Microsoft Login:

Window title: *Microsoft*
Sequence: {USERNAME}{ENTER}{DELAY 1500}{PASSWORD}{ENTER}

Wildcards

Character Meaning Example
* Any characters *GitHub*
? One character GitHub?

🔒 Security Notes

Best Practices

  1. Lock database when not in use
  2. Never enter Master Password with AutoType
  3. Review sequences for sensitive entries
  4. Add delays for slow websites

Known Limitations

Limitation Cause Solution
Doesn’t work Missing permission Enable Accessibility
Wrong entry Ambiguous title Manual association
Too fast Website loads slowly Add {DELAY}
Field not filled Wrong focus Adjust {TAB}

📊 Platform Support

Feature macOS iOS iPadOS
AutoType ✅ Full ❌ Not possible ❌ Not possible
AutoFill ✅ Safari ✅ Full ✅ Full
Shortcuts ✅ Global ❌ No ⚠️ Limited
2FA in Sequence ✅ Yes N/A N/A

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn’t AutoType work?

Checklist:

  • iKeePass has Accessibility permission (macOS)
  • Database is unlocked
  • Entry has matching URL/title
  • Correct window is active

Can I use AutoType for banking?

Yes, but with caution:

  • Review sequence before first use
  • Add delays for slow pages
  • Test manually that everything fills correctly

How do I prevent wrong matches?

  • Use specific URLs in entries
  • Manual window associations for conflicts
  • Use AutoType selection instead of automatic

🔗 Related Topics