The ability to save your passwords is a basic feature of web browsers. The feature is usually enabled by default, which means you probably have a random collection of passwords in the cloud, along with your bookmarks and settings for your default browser.
If you regularly switch browsers, you may still have multiple sets of saved passwords in multiple clouds.
It's time to clean up this mess.
You have two options. You could decide to take this feature seriously and use it intentionally on every device you own. Or you could switch to a third-party password manager and turn off this feature in the browser.
In any case, it is wise to identify outdated saved passwords and delete them from the cloud.
Years ago, security experts warned users not to save their passwords in a browser. But things are different today. Consider the advantages of using your browser to save your passwords below:
- No additional download is required, as is the case with third-party password management utilities.
- Passwords are automatically synced along with all your other data. When you sign in to your browser on a new device, your passwords are available to you immediately.
- There is no subscription fee for these built-in password managers.
- Your stored/synced data is protected with the same encryption and two-factor authentication capabilities you use with your emails, cloud storage, and device security features.
The list of disadvantages is shorter, but these factors should be considered. The most obvious disadvantage is that browser-based password managers do not work with alternative browsers. If you regularly switch browsers on different devices, you will be disappointed when you change a password on one device only to discover days or weeks later that your secondary browser does not offer you your passwords.
The biggest problem is that free browser-based password managers generally have a basic feature set that can’t compete with alternatives . They all have enhanced password auditing capabilities that alert you if your password was part of a data breach, and they can usually also track things like addresses and credit card numbers for quick form filling. But they fall short on other, more interesting features.
Similarly, free browser password managers lack a feature that is vital for families: the ability to share passwords so that any family member can access a subscription service or place an online order using the same account.
With a third-party password manager, you can also add notes to each saved entry, manage bookmarks, enter alternative top-level URLs that use the same credentials, and so on.
For those with moderate internet usage, use the same browser on every device, and can live with the limitations of these basic features, a browser-based password manager is probably good enough. If you're not someone with moderate needs, the challenge is to migrate your currently saved passwords to a new utility, then disable the feature in favor of your preferred third-party password manager.
