Password Managers: A Gentle Introduction

A password manager stores strong, unique passwords behind one master password. It sounds technical but it makes life easier.

Step by step

1. Pick a trusted manager. Look for well-reviewed options from established companies.
2. Create a strong master password. A long phrase you can remember.
3. Install the app and browser add-on. Follow the prompts.
4. Change your most important passwords first. Email, bank and Medicare.
5. Keep a written backup. In a safe at home.

What to expect

Expect to remember one strong master password while the manager fills in the rest.

Mistakes to avoid

Do not use a weak master password. Avoid storing the master password in a note on your phone.

A good next step

Move your three most important accounts into it first.

Why it helps

• You only need to remember one strong master password.
• Every site gets its own long, random password, so one breach does not open everything.
• It fills in logins for you and warns about reused or weak passwords.

Set it up, step by step

1. Choose a reputable manager. Look at well-known options and read recent reviews. Some come built into your phone or browser.
2. Create the master password. Use a few unrelated words, for example four random words and a number. Write it on paper and keep it at home.
3. Turn on two-step sign-in. This protects the manager itself.
4. Add your most important accounts first. Start with email, banking and shopping.
5. Replace weak passwords over time. Let the manager generate new ones when you log in.
6. Save the recovery information. Keep recovery codes with important papers.

Everyday use

• When a site asks to save a password, say yes.
• When you open an app, tap the manager suggestion to fill in your login.
• Share nothing by email or text. Use the manager's sharing feature if your family needs access.

What makes a master password strong

• Length matters more than tricks. Four or five unrelated words strung together are easier to remember and harder to guess than a short mix of symbols.
• Never reuse it anywhere else.
• Do not use names, birthdays or pet names.
• Practice typing it a few times in the first week so it becomes automatic.

Moving your old passwords in

1. Start with what you use most. Add your email, bank, pharmacy and main shopping accounts first.
2. Use the import tool if you have saved passwords in a browser. Most managers can import them from a file. Delete that file afterward because it is not protected.
3. Change weak or repeated passwords. The manager will flag them. Fix a few each week, starting with email and financial accounts.
4. Retire the old methods. Throw away the paper list and turn off the browser's own password saving once you are comfortable.

Using it on your phone and computer

• Install the app on your phone and the browser add-on on your computer.
• Turn on fingerprint or face unlock on your phone for quick access, while the master password remains the backup.
• Let the manager create new passwords when you sign up, and let it fill them in when you sign in.
• Use the built-in two-step code feature only if you understand the trade-off. Keeping codes separate from passwords is stronger.

When things go wrong

• If you forget the master password and have no recovery option, you may lose access. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe at home.
• If a website you use is breached, change that password right away and check for the same password elsewhere.
• If you lose your phone, sign in from another device and revoke the lost one.
• If a family member needs access in an emergency, set up the manager's emergency access or leave instructions with important papers.

A prompt you can copy

Common questions

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