How to Use the Google Password Manager in Chrome

Keeping track of an endless number of passwords as you browse online is enough to give anyone a headache. Luckily, Google Password Manager in Chrome makes life a little easier by remembering your passwords for you. It’s a simple, free tool that’s already built into Chrome and stores all your login credentials in one easy-to-access place.

Also read:How to See a Password in Your Browser Instead of Dots

How Google Password Manager Works

You need only two things to use Google Password Manager – the Chrome browser and a Google account. Technically, you don’t even need a Google account. However, signing in and saving your login credentials allows you to sync them between devices. For example, passwords saved on your Android device in Chrome carry over to the Chrome browser on your desktop, while you’re signed in.

With Password Manager active, whenever you enter login information, Google asks if you want to save it. If you agree, Google saves your user name, email address (if applicable), and password. It’s that simple.

There isn’t a limit on the number of credentials you can save. Whether you have a dozen or hundreds, you can store them all in the same password manager.

Once your details are saved, all you have to do is visit the website you want to log in to and Google fills in the login details automatically.

Also read:Chrome Settings 101: How to Customize Google Chrome

How to Open Google Password Manager

Google Password Manager is cross-platform. Any device that uses Chrome can access the password manager since it’s a built-in feature of the Chrome browser.

To find the password manager:

1. Open Chrome on any device.
2. Click the profile icon at the top right. If you’re not logged in, this will be a default user icon.

3. Click the key icon in the pop-up panel to access the password manager.

Alternately, you can:

1. Go to the three dot menu at the top right of a Chrome window.
2. Select “Settings” from the pop-up menu.
3. Choose “Autofill” in the sidebar on the settings page.
4. Click “Passwords” in the right-hand pane.

While the remainder of this post outlines the steps for the desktop version of Google Password Manager, the instructions are nearly identical for the mobile versions, with one slight difference.

1. Open Chrome and click the three dot menu at the top right.
2. Tap “Settings.”
3. Tap “Passwords” – there is no “Autofill” step on mobile.

On the next screen, you’ll see the same type of options as you’d see on the desktop.

As one final option, you can also visit the Password Manager site from any browser and use it to import and export passwords. You can do almost everything else using the Settings menu in Chrome.

Also read:How to Find and Share Your Wi-Fi Password Easily on Any Device

What to Do Before Adding Passwords to Google

Before you start adding passwords, there are several things you need to check and do. To get the most out of Google Password Manager in Chrome, log in using your Google account. Otherwise, passwords won’t sync. Plus, if multiple people use the same device, anyone who opens Chrome can use your credentials if you’re using a local or guest account. By using your Google account, all you have to do is sign out to keep others from accessing your credentials. Just make sure you remember your Google credentials.

Once you’ve logged in, verify that Chrome is set up to save and autofill passwords.

1. Open Chrome and click the three dot menu at the top right.
2. Select “Settings.”
3. Open “Autofill” and select “Passwords.”
4. Ensure “Offer to save passwords” and “Auto Sign-in” are both toggled on.

You can check which passwords are saved at any time from this screen. You’ll see passwords saved to your Google account and locally saved passwords. You’ll also see a list of sites for which you’ve chosen to never save a password. Simply remove a site from this list if you want to auto-save the password in the future.

Finally, turn on Sync. This syncs your passwords among devices on which you’re logged in to your Google account. To enable sync:

1. Open Chrome and log in to your Google account, if you’re not already logged in.
2. Click your profile image at the top right.
3. Click “Turn on sync.”

Also read:How to Add Dark Mode to Google Chrome

How to Add Passwords

You have two main ways to add passwords to the Google Password Manager — with auto-save and manually. The process is simple for each, which is part of the appeal of using Chrome to track all your logins.

Add Passwords With Auto-Save

The first time you log in to a website, Chrome offers to save your credentials for you. This is the simplest and most straightforward option. Just make sure that you enter everything correctly or you’ll need to manually edit the saved details later.

1. Open the login page of the website you want to save your details for.
2. Log in as you normally would.
3. After logging in, you’ll see a pop-up asking if you’d like to save the password. If you’re already logged into your Google account, you’ll have the option to save it there. Otherwise, it’ll save locally. Click “Next” to save. That’s all you have to do.

If for some reason you don’t see the pop-up appear, click the key icon that appears at the far right of the address bar. You’ll then see the pop-up box to save your password.

You can also save your passwords using Auto-Save without fully logging in to the corresponding websites by doing the following:

1. Open Chrome and navigate to the desired website.
2. Enter your credentials but don’t actually log in to the site.
3. Wait for the key icon to appear at the top right of the address bar and click it.

4. Click “Next” when prompted to save your password.

Also read:12 Chrome Security and Privacy Extensions to Stay Safe Online

Add Passwords Manually

You’re able to manually add passwords at any time. This is great if you’ve previously clicked “Never” when prompted to store passwords or you don’t want to log in to the website at the moment.

1. Open Chrome and click the three dot menu at the top right.
2. Select “Settings” and choose “Autofill” in the sidebar.
3. Select “Passwords.”
4. Tap “Add” under “Saved Passwords.”

5. Enter your password details, including the site, username, and password. Make sure you enter the URL for the login portion of the website and not just the homepage URL. You can also choose to save your credentials locally to just that device or to your Google account.

6. Click “Save.”

Also read:12 Chrome Flags to Boost Your Browsing

How to Create Strong Passwords

A commonly overlooked, yet highly useful feature of Chrome’s password manager is the ability to create strong passwords. Take advantage of it when creating a new account on a website or app.

If you hate coming up with passwords, this one feature may be all the reason you need to start using the password manager. After all, it’s not going to create easy-to-guess passwords that relate to something personal to you, like a birthday or name. The following process is only for when you’re creating a new account.

1. Open Chrome and navigate to the login page of the site you want to create a password for.
2. Enter any relevant details, except the password.
3. Right-click the password field and click “Use suggested password.” You’ll see the password briefly before it’s entered and saved to your account. On a mobile device, click the key icon that appears in the address bar to generate a password.

4. Proceed with the account creation process. Your credentials are then saved to the password manager.

If you want to generate strong passwords for existing accounts, right-click any password field to get a suggested password. Write down the password. Log in to your account as usual using your saved credentials. Then, you can change your account’s password to the new stronger password. You’ll then need to update the change in Google Password Manager, which we’ll cover under “How To Edit Passwords.”

Also read:How to Set Up Parental Controls in Google Chrome

How to Check Chrome Passwords for Breaches

Another overlooked benefit of Google Password Manager is to check whether your stored passwords are still safe to use. The “Check passwords” tool will quickly scan all your credentials to verify if they’ve been part of a known breach. You’ll also see details if the passwords you’re using are too weak. You should also get a notification in your Google account if any credentials are discovered in a recent breach.

Here’s how to run the tool to check for unsafe passwords.

1. Open Chrome and click the three dot menu at the top right.
2. Go to “Settings -> Autofill -> Passwords.”
3. Click “Check passwords.”

4. Wait for the scan to complete.

You can also perform this same check on the Password Manager site. Once you’ve saved at least one password, click “Go to Password Checkup” to scan for breaches and unsafe passwords.

Also read:Chrome Password Breach Warning: How to Check and Fix ASAP

How to Edit Passwords

Over time, you’ll likely change your passwords. This means you’ll also need to edit them in Google Password Manager in Chrome. It’s a simple process. Just make sure you enter your new password correctly to ensure that you’re able to log in.

Edit Password from Chrome Browser Settings

1. Open “Passwords” under “Autofill” within Chrome settings.
2. Under “Saved Passwords,” locate the password that you want to change.
3. Click the three dot menu beside it.

4. Select “Edit Password.”
5. Enter your device pin or Google account password when prompted. This varies based on the device you’re using.
6. Enter your new password and click “Save.”

Also read:How to Use Password Store to Manage Your Passwords in Linux

Edit Password on the Password Manager Website

If you have numerous passwords, it’s sometimes easier to use the Password Manager website. Not only is it easier to see each credential, but there’s a handy search feature too.

1. Log in to your Google account on the Password Manager site.
2. Locate the password that you want to change.
3. Click the arrow beside it and enter your Google account password to proceed.

4. Click the “Edit” button, enter your changes, and click “Save.”

Also read:5 Ways to View Saved Wi-Fi Passwords in Windows

How to Import and Export Passwords in Chrome

If you have numerous passwords that you want to import at once into Google Password Manager, you can do so by importing a CSV file. If you’re using another password manager, export your existing passwords as a CSV file and then import them into Google.

1. Go to the Google Password Manager site.
2. Click the “Settings” (gear) icon at the top right of the page.

3. Click “Import” next to “Import passwords.”

4. Select your CSV file and import it to your Google account.

If you don’t have an existing password manager, you can create your own CSV file. Ensure that it has the following columns:

• url
• username
• password

If you have any trouble importing a CSV, verify that those three column names exist exactly as they are above.

Exporting works similarly. Instead of clicking “Import” in the above process, click “Export.” Choose where to save the file and you’re done. This works well if you’re moving to a different password manager or just want a backup of your passwords.

Also read:How to Import/Export Passwords Using Microsoft Edge

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Password Manager safe?

Google Password Manager is about as safe as any other password manager. Google encrypts your account details and even requires you to log in a second time in order to view your passwords or edit them. You can read Google’s Safety and Privacy guide to see exactly how your data is encrypted within Password Manager and other Google services.

You can further secure your passwords by first choosing an extremely strong and unique password for your Google account. If you’re storing your passwords locally, choose a strong password for your device.

The next step is to turn on 2-step verification. This uses a second step when logging you in to ensure that it’s actually you. Most often, you’ll get a code via a text message. With Google security settings like 2-step verification, you’ll have a much more secure Google account that better protects your passwords.

How can I turn off Google Password Manager?

While you can choose “Never” when prompted to save a password, this gets annoying if you don’t want to use Google Password Manager at all. You can choose to turn it off at any time.

Open the “Passwords” section under “Autofill” in Google Chrome’s settings. Toggle off “Auto Sign-In” and “Offer to Save Passwords.”

If you want to delete previously saved passwords, tap the three dots beside each password and click “Remove.”

Are there any alternative password managers?

Absolutely! Google Password Manager is far from the only password manager available. Many users prefer it for the convenience if they already use Chrome as their main browser. However, alternatives often allow you to save more than just passwords — you can also save license numbers and credit card information, for example. They may also offer extra security layers.

Whether you need something for web, mobile, or desktop, these Google Password Manager alternatives have you covered.

Image credit: Nathana Rebouças via Unsplash