"I don't see why I would ever want to use it": Analyzing the Usability of Popular Smartphone Password Managers

Passwords are an often unavoidable authentication mechanism, despite the availability of additional alternative means. In the case of smartphones, usability problems are aggravated because interaction happens through small screens and multilayer keyboards. While password managers (PMs) can improve this situation and contribute to hardening security, their adoption is far from widespread. To understand the underlying reasons, we conducted the first empirical usability study of mobile PMs, covering both quantitative and qualitative evaluations. Our findings show that popular PMs are barely acceptable according to the standard System Usability Scale, and that there are three key areas for improvement: integration with external applications, security, and user guidance and interaction. We build on the collected evidence to suggest recommendations that can fill this gap.