To start using a password manager, you must be convinced it's worth incorporating into your daily workflow. Why should you change your habits and start doing something new? Well, it would benefit you and increase your quality of life. A password manager does just that.
A password manager is critical for any business today. When done right, it makes logging in easier and your accounts more secure. The hardest part of using a password manager is making the switch and building the habit of using one.
Benefits of using a password manager and why you should switch
For personal use:
Easy access to all your passwords
Some people write their important passwords on their phones or on paper. Using a password manager ensures you can access your passwords from anywhere.
Only one password to remember
Your password vault is unlocked with one password known as the master password.
Secure all your logins with impossible-to-crack passwords
Using the same password everywhere is not a good idea, even with variations, and creates a significant vulnerability for a hacker to compromise all your accounts.
The most secure practice is using a unique password for each service—the more complex, the better. This is impossible for mere mortals, but password managers completely control this and allow you to accomplish this goal.
Automatically login to websites
A password manager can auto-fill your passwords when using a browser extension.
You can start using a password manager even if you are not from a technical background
Even if you aren't an IT person, a password manager is accessible for anyone to start using.
For business owners:
Sharing a group of passwords
It makes sharing passwords a breeze and allows a group of passwords to be shared with a specific user. Withdraw or configure password access when you need to. You can group a client's passwords together and share them with the relevant employees. Easily control the permissions for passwords and users.
Prevent sharing and using bad passwords
Using a password manager prevents sharing old or bad passwords when sharing logins. Sometimes, a website requires changing the password every six months. In the event one person changes the password for security reasons, the second person will be unable to log in and wait for the response of the first person. If they had been sharing passwords via a password manager, the second person would use the updated password from the first person.
Phishing protection
Password managers can add a layer of protection against some of the more sophisticated phishing attacks. When scammers use special characters that make a fake login portal look real, or crafty javascript with fake popup windows, you might fall for it. Still, the password manager will only autofill your information on the actual website. Password managers can help you spot fake websites that might trick you into giving away your information.
Additional reasons
You can automatically import passwords you have saved in your browser
You have already started using a password manager if you have saved passwords into your web browser, but it doesn't have cross-platform communication and doesn't let you generate unique passwords, only saving what you have entered already.
Storing recovery information
Safely store security and recovery codes for the apps you use without having to worry about losing them or remembering where they are. Save secure notes with recovery codes in your password manager to easily access apps in an emergency.
Password backup
A password manager acts as a backup for all your passwords.
It is safer to use a password manager than not
Password managers are considered safe. There are more risks involved with not using one. Password management uses unique passwords for each account with military-grade encryption to secure your data.
Password managers are built on a zero-knowledge architecture, which means that your provider can’t see the information in your vault.
Conclusion
It’s not easy to change your habits and start using a password manager but it's actually easier to use than remembering your passwords. Password manager stay synced between your computer, browser, and phone letting you access your passwords from anywhere.
You will find the total time spent on entering passwords goes down when you only autofill or copy paste, and you never have to type in or remember a password across all the websites you use.
Ok, you're convinced and ready to try using a password manager, head over to my quick start guide for Bitwarden and get yourself started.
My guide goes over creating a master password. A secure master password for your password manager isn't supposed to look like an impossible jumble of letters and numbers, save that for the passwords inside the manager.
How Can Cove Help?
Cove members are encouraged to ask any questions about business software. In Cove, a private community for small business owners, you will find a wealth of shared experiences and valuable advice to guide you through these complex topics. There are similar learning opportunities available within the community.
About the Author
Shad Loos co-founded Cove.eco, an online community for small business owners, in 2023. Shad has experience creating online communities and managing technology infrastructure.
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