What is a password manager?

How to manage your passwords

With so many emails, social media accounts, and app logins, we are swimming in passwords. Every password has certain character requirements for numbers, symbols, and lengths that can be difficult to remember. Typing the same complex passwords over and over is frustrating, while saving your passwords directly into a browser can be risky.

And password security is a perennial issue: data breaches can happen anytime and affect any of your accounts. Hackers can leak your passwords and gain access to your financial information. And as tempting as it may be, experts caution against using the same password for multiple accounts, since the chance of a single data breach can affect even more accounts.

Enter the password manager, which can store and organize your passwords with secure digital encryption and multi-factor authentication. The best password managers can connect your login information across multiple devices, websites, and apps (including connected devices such as smart TVs). Password managers can also autofill sensitive data including credit card information, billing and shipping addresses, and contact info.

Choosing and setting up a password manager is easy. Sign up at the website and create your account—then the password manager will keep track of your logins. Many password managers begin with a free trial, then continue into a monthly subscription. Once you’re subscribed, you can store multiple passwords across multiple devices (a free trial will typically limit this to one device). However, Microsoft Edge built-in password manager is completely free to use.

If you’re using a browser with built-in password management like Microsoft Edge, you will see a pop-up message when you log into a website asking whether you want to store your information. You can sync passwords across your devices with Microsoft Edge and update them.

Some password managers let you share login information with trusted friends and loved ones. With multi-factor authentication on your phone, or fingerprint identification, staying protected online has become convenient.

Built-in password features in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge has advanced password protection features built right in, from creating new and secure passwords to checking if your password has been leaked.

• Password Monitor: If you save a password in Microsoft Edge, your password is scanned to determine if it has been involved in a data breach. Every time you log in, Microsoft Edge scans your password in seconds, and alerts you in case you need to change it.
• Password Generator: Matching the character requirements across multiple logins can be daunting, so Microsoft Edge comes with a password generator that suggests a highly secure password that meets your account’s requirements. The password gets automatically stored, so you can access your new account login information easily.
• Password Health: Stay safe online by checking whether your password is strong enough, whether you’re using the same password across multiple websites, or if your password has been involved in a data breach.

These powerful integrated features can be activated anytime from the Settings menu. Try Microsoft Edge today and see how convenient it is to stay safe online.