Strengthen Your Online Security: Our guide to password managers

In today’s digital world, protecting your online accounts is more critical than ever. With data breaches, data mis-use, phishing attacks and all kinds of online scams on the rise, using a password manager can be one of the simplest and most effective ways to enhance your cybersecurity.

Tools like 1Password, LastPass, and other reputable password managers help you generate, store, and autofill strong, unique passwords for all your accounts so you only need to remember one master password.

You may be anxious about the security or unsure about the process of setting up a password manager. So read on for a step-by-step guide to strengthening your online security by using these convenient and reliable tools.

Why use a password manager?

It doesn’t matter how old you are, trying to remember all of the passwords for all of your many accounts is beyond challenging. We end up making compromises: reusing the same password for different sites, or having to constantly re-set them. Using a password manager can simplify logging on while enhancing the security of all of your accounts.

Beyond the convenience of autofilling login credentials across apps and browsers, using a password manager also offers:

Stronger Security: Generate unique, complex passwords for each site.
Sync Across Devices: Access passwords from your phone, tablet, or computer.
Secure Storage: Store other sensitive info like credit cards, IDs, and notes.

How to set up a password manager

Step 1: Choose a password manager and sign up for an account

There are a wide array of password managers out there. Some of the most popular options include:

1Password is known for its security-first design and clean interface and is a great option for individuals, families, and businesses.

LastPass is also very popular and offers a generous free plan and wide platform support.

Bitwarden is open-source and highly affordable, with a strong reputation in the tech community.

To sign up, simply visit the official website or download the app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).

Once you’ve signed up to your chosen password manager you will be prompted to create your master password: this is the only password you’ll need to remember.

Make sure that it is long, unique, and memorable. Do not reuse this password elsewhere and consider writing it down and storing it securely offline until memorized.

Tips for creating a strong password

The longer, the better. Aim for at least 12–16 characters.
Include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
Avoid common words or patterns like “password”, “123456”, or keyboard patterns like “qwerty” as well as names, birthdates, or pet names.
Avoid re-using passwords between accounts as this will compromise security.
Use a memorable but nonsensical passphrase like “correct-horse-battery-staple” or a sentence you’ll never forget. It’s easier to remember and hard to guess.
Use a password generator to help you generate a unique password.

Step 2: Install the browser extension and mobile app

Once you have an account, you’ll need to download the browser extension or install the mobile app so that you can use the password manager on all of the devices that you use to login to your various accounts.

Most password managers offer browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. These enable auto-filling login forms and saving new credentials.

Once downloaded and installed, log in using your master password.

Step 3: Import or add passwords

You’ll need to add all of your accounts to the password manager. This will involve importing existing passwords from your browser or any other tool you’ve been using – such as Apple ID or Google.

You can also manually add passwords for each site as you log in.

While you are in the process of adding all of your passwords to the password manager you can take the opportunity to further strengthen your security by updating any weak or reused passwords.

Step 4: Enable autofill and biometric login

To make logging in seamless you can enable autofill so that your password manager can instantly fill in usernames and passwords. You can also set up biometric login, where you use your face ID or fingerprint to login.

Step 5: Turn on Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

You can further enhance your account’s security by enabling 2FA (often via an app like Authy, Google Authenticator, or even within your password manager itself).

To do so, you should visit your “account settings” and select “enable 2FA”. You will then scan the QR code with your authenticator app.

Step 6: Maintain your vault

Once you have fully finished setting up your password manager you’ll be able to enjoy greater covenience and enhanced security. All you’ll need to do is to make sure you maintain your vault of passwords.

Experts advise that you regularly update passwords for important accounts like banking. This still applies even if you are using a password manager, so make sure you are updating your passwords themselves as well as the record held by your password manager.

The apps will also allow you to use secure notes to store any new PINs, recovery codes, or ID numbers.

You can also use the password manager to run security checks: LastPass’s Security Dashboard or 1Password’s Watchtower will help you to identify weak, reused, or compromised passwords.

Final tips for password safety

With tools like 1Password, LastPass, or Bitwarden, you no longer need to remember dozens of passwords and you can rest easy knowing your digital life is secured behind one strong master password.

Setting up a password manager is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your online identity. Taking 15 minutes today to set up an account could save you a lot of time, hassle or sleepless nights – future you will thank you.

However, even with these tools at your disposal you should still exercise caution. Remember:

Don’t share your master password with anyone.
Beware phishing scams: never click suspicious links or enter your credentials on unknown sites.
Use a recovery method like an email or trusted device for account recovery.

If you have any thoughts on this topic, or any other consumer issues you would like us to cover, feel free to get in touch with us at support@resolver.co.uk.