Saturday 16 November 2019

Why You Shouldn’t Use Your Web Browser’s Password Manager

Password prompt on a laptop computer.
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We recommend using a password manager like 1Password, LastPass, or Bitwarden. But modern web browsers have built-in password managers, so why install a different one? There are many good reasons to avoid your web browser’s built-in tool.

Why You Need a Password Manager

Using a password manager is crucial. The biggest risk to your accounts online is password re-use. If you use the same passwords over and over, a breach at one website means your email and password is out there. Attackers will try to use that email and password to log into other sites. This simple trick is how accounts are often “hacked” these days.

The solution is using strong, unique passwords everywhere. But who can remember hundreds or even dozens of strong passwords? A password manager can remember if for you. You remember your password manager’s master password, which unlocks your secure vault. Your password manager can randomly generate strong passwords, remember them for you, and log you into websites with them.

Signing into the Yelp website with 1Password X in Google Chrome.

1Password, LastPass, Bitwarden, and Dashlane are all reliable, stand-alone password managers. The open-source KeePass is okay, too, but it doesn’t have built-in sync features.

Web browsers have been able to remember your passwords for many years, but their password managers are now getting more sophisticated. Still, we recommend skipping the password manager built into your web browser—whether that’s Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge—and using a dedicated password manager.

RELATED: Why You Should Use a Password Manager, and How to Get Started

Your Web Browser’s Password Manager Is Just Okay

Google Chrome offering to save a password.

Your web browser’s password manager is better than nothing. With no additional software, your web browser can remember all your passwords and securely sync them between your devices. They can be stored encrypted in the cloud. You can use strong, hard-to-remember passwords because your software is automatically remembering them for you. This keeps your accounts secure, as you won’t need to re-use passwords.

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