third-party autofill providers assist on Chrome on Android

Posted by Eiji Kitamura – Developer Advocate (@agektmr)

In October 2024, we introduced that Chrome 131 will permit third-party autofill providers on Android (like password managers) to natively autofill kinds on web sites. Reflecting on suggestions from autofill service builders, we have determined to shift the schedule and permit the third-party autofill providers from Chrome 135.

Native Chrome assist for third-party autofill providers on Android implies that customers will be capable to use their most popular password supervisor or autofill service immediately in Chrome, with out having to depend on workarounds or extensions. This alteration is anticipated to enhance the person expertise and safety for Android customers who use third-party autofill providers.

Primarily based on developer suggestions, we have mounted bugs, and have been working to make the brand new setting simpler to find. To assist these targets, we have added the next capabilities:

A capability to question Chrome settings and study whether or not the person needs to make use of a 3rd get together autofill service
A capability to deep hyperlink to the Chrome settings web page the place customers can allow third-party autofill providers.

Learn Chrome settings

Any app can learn whether or not Chrome makes use of the 3P autofill mode that permits it to make use of Android Autofill. Chrome makes use of Android’s ContentProvider to speak that info. Declare in your Android manifest which channels you wish to learn settings from, e.g.:

<uses-permission android:identify="android.permission.READ_USER_DICTIONARY"/>
<queries>
 <!-- To Question Chrome Beta: -->
 <package deal android:identify="com.chrome.beta" />

 <!-- To Question Chrome Steady: -->
 <package deal android:identify="com.android.chrome" />
</queries>

Then, use Android’s ContentResolver to request that info by constructing the content material URI as on this instance code:

ultimate String CHROME_CHANNEL_PACKAGE = "com.android.chrome";  // Chrome Steady.
ultimate String CONTENT_PROVIDER_NAME = ".AutofillThirdPartyModeContentProvider";
ultimate String THIRD_PARTY_MODE_COLUMN = "autofill_third_party_state";
ultimate String THIRD_PARTY_MODE_ACTIONS_URI_PATH = "autofill_third_party_mode";

ultimate Uri uri = new Uri.Builder()
                  .scheme(ContentResolver.SCHEME_CONTENT)
                  .authority(CHROME_CHANNEL_PACKAGE + CONTENT_PROVIDER_NAME)
                  .path(THIRD_PARTY_MODE_ACTIONS_URI_PATH)
                  .construct();

ultimate Cursor cursor = getContentResolver().question(
                  uri,
                  /*projection=*/new String[] {THIRD_PARTY_MODE_COLUMN},
                  /*choice=*/ null,
                  /*selectionArgs=*/ null,
                  /*sortOrder=*/ null);

cursor.moveToFirst(); // Retrieve the outcome;

int index = cursor.getColumnIndex(THIRD_PARTY_MODE_COLUMN);

if (0 == cursor.getInt(index)) {
  // 0 implies that the third get together mode is turned off. Chrome makes use of its built-in
  // password supervisor. That is the default for brand new customers.
} else {
  // 1 implies that the third get together mode is turned on. Chrome makes use of forwards all
  // autofill requests to Android Autofill. Customers must opt-in for this.
}

Deep-link to Chrome settings

To deep-link to the Chrome settings web page the place customers can allow third-party autofill providers, use an Android Intent. Guarantee to configure the motion and classes precisely as on this instance code:

Intent autofillSettingsIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_APPLICATION_PREFERENCES);
autofillSettingsIntent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_DEFAULT);
autofillSettingsIntent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_APP_BROWSER);
autofillSettingsIntent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_PREFERENCE);

// Invoking the intent with a chooser permits customers to pick out the channel they wish to 
// configure. If just one browser reacts to the intent, the chooser is skipped.
Intent chooser = Intent.createChooser(autofillSettingsIntent, "Choose Chrome Channel");
startActivity(chooser);

// If the caller is aware of which Chrome channel they wish to configure, 
// they'll as a substitute add a package deal trace to the intent, e.g.
autofillSettingsIntent.setPackage("com.android.chrome");
startActivity(autofillSettingsInstent);

Up to date timeline

To replicate the suggestions and to depart time for autofill service builders to make related adjustments, we’re shifting the plan. Customers should choose Autofill utilizing one other service in Chrome settings to make sure their autofill expertise is unaffected. The brand new setting will turn out to be obtainable in Chrome 135. Autofill providers ought to encourage their customers to toggle the setting, to make sure they’ve the most effective autofill expertise potential with their service and Chrome on Android. Chrome plans to cease supporting the compatibility mode in summer time 2025.