iCloud Passwords Fails to Autofill in ChatGPT Atlas (nativeMessaging Unsupported – macOS Fix & Workarounds)

Imagine opening an AI-powered browser built by the same company behind ChatGPT—only to get stuck at the simplest step: logging in. If you rely on password autofill and it suddenly refuses to work, that “smart browser” promise starts to feel disappointing.

That’s exactly what some macOS users are experiencing in ChatGPT Atlas. Even though the latest update (Build 1.2025.295.4 – October 28, 2025) finally fixed 1Password integration, many are still reporting that the iCloud Passwords extension can’t connect to the native keychain. The result? No automatic login, no instant autofill, and manual password lookup becomes the only option.

Confirmed Issue: nativeMessaging Unsupported

User reports from the OpenAI Community Forum show a consistent pattern: the extension installs correctly inside Atlas, but background scripts immediately throw errors and fail to communicate with the Apple Keychain daemon. This prevents the extension from generating a session key and syncing stored credentials.

👉 Hot issues: ChatGPT Atlas Is Not Supported on This Mac

Example Runtime Errors

Uncaught (in promise) SecretSessionError: Called encrypt() without a session key
Uncaught (in promise) Error: Could not establish connection. Receiving end does not exist.
FrameIsBrowserFrameError: Frame X in tab XXXXX is a browser frame.

From chrome://extensions-internals, affected users also reported:

"permissions": {
  "active": {
    "api": ["nativeMessaging", "privacy", "storage", "webNavigation", "scripting"]
  }
}

On Chrome or Edge, nativeMessaging allows iCloud Passwords to communicate with the local Keychain bridge. But inside ChatGPT Atlas, users are seeing signs that this API is either not supported or currently sandboxed. Because of that, the extension cannot create an encryption session, and autofill never runs.

👉 Also Learn: Essential Tips and Fixes for ChatGPT Atlas

Expected vs. Actual Behavior

• Expected: Extension connects to macOS Keychain, autofill works instantly.
• Actual: Extension loads, errors fire, no connection established.

This explains why the extension appears installed, but nothing happens when selecting credentials from the popup window.

What About the Latest Atlas Update?

In Build 1.2025.295.4, OpenAI confirmed:

• 1Password connection to the native app now works
• 1Password extension issues fixed even without the native app

👉 Learn: How to Keep ChatGPT Atlas Up to Date

That is good progress—but the release notes do not mention native support for iCloud Passwords or Keychain. As of now, there is no official confirmation that full Keychain integration has been implemented.

What Other Users Are Reporting

Several macOS users in the OpenAI Community Forum have noticed that iCloud Passwords is starting to show partial behavior after recent Atlas updates. The experience is still inconsistent, but some improvements are visible:

• Searchable credential window appears: When clicking on password fields, some users can open the iCloud Passwords dialog and search saved logins. Autofill still doesn’t trigger automatically, but credentials can be selected manually.
• Partial support after multiple patches: Users report that Atlas has pushed several rapid updates since launch, and one of those updates seems to have enabled limited Keychain behavior.
• OpenAI Support acknowledged the issue: A support representative confirmed that autofill is currently a poor experience and stated they are continuing to work with Apple on improvements.
• Passkey still not native: Even when passwords work, passkey authentication still shows a QR code instead of Touch ID on macOS—another sign native integration isn’t complete.

These reports show progress, but also confirm that full nativeMessaging and complete Keychain support are not yet available inside ChatGPT Atlas.

Temporary Workarounds

Until Atlas supports nativeMessaging (or Apple adds compatibility), users can try:

1. Click a password field and manually select “iCloud Passwords”
2. Search credentials from the popup window
3. Use 1Password (confirmed working in the latest build)
4. Log in through another browser first, then continue in Atlas

These methods are not perfect, but they allow logins to continue while waiting for an official fix.

Why This Matters

iCloud Passwords is the default password manager for millions of macOS users. Without nativeMessaging support, Atlas feels incomplete compared to Safari, Chrome, or Edge. Autofill is one of the most basic expectations of a modern browser—and losing it slows onboarding for new users.

👉 Are you also experiencing this error? “You can’t use this version of the application with this version of macOS” on ChatGPT Atlas

Will This Get Fixed?

OpenAI has been pushing rapid updates since launch, and the 1Password fix shows that native integration is being actively worked on. Many users hope iCloud Passwords is next in line, but until OpenAI releases an update or official response, the issue remains unresolved.

FAQ

1. Why doesn’t iCloud Passwords autofill inside ChatGPT Atlas?

Because the extension cannot connect to the Apple Keychain daemon. Logs show that nativeMessaging is not supported or currently sandboxed inside Atlas, preventing session key creation and secure communication.

2. Is this a bug or an unsupported feature?

Right now, it appears to be a compatibility limitation, not a fully supported feature. Atlas is Chromium-based, but it does not yet include the native bridge required for macOS Keychain integration.

3. Did the latest update fix iCloud Passwords?

No. The October 28, 2025 release fixed 1Password, but there is no confirmation that iCloud Passwords has been patched. Many users still report the same behavior.

4. Does the extension install normally?

Yes. It installs and shows up inside atlas://extensions, but the background scripts fail to communicate with the system’s secure storage, so autofill never runs.

5. Is there a workaround?

Yes. You can click the password field and manually choose “iCloud Passwords” from the popup. It’s slower but works until full support arrives. 1Password is also working in the latest build.

6. Should I switch browsers?

If iCloud Autofill is critical to your workflow, you may need to continue using Safari, Chrome, or Edge until Atlas adds native Keychain support. However, for general browsing, Atlas still works normally.

This article will be updated when full Keychain support is confirmed or released.

👉 What about this error? ChatGPT Atlas Login Error Explained: The Server Certificate Could Not Be Verified