MARCH 2021 PCWorld 97But browser-based password managers
lock you into using that particular browser.
If you use Chrome’s password manager,
for example, your login information will be
synced across your Google account. When
you try to sign into a website in Firefox or
Edge, those passwords aren’t readily
available—they’re only in Chrome. And if
you’re using the ability to automatically
generate long, random passwords (you
should be!), there’s no way you’ll be able to
recall the information without logging into
Chrome to find it.
Signing into mobile websites or apps can
also be a massive headache, though if you’re
an Android user that stores passwords in
Chrome, or an iOS user that stores passwords
in Safari, you might be able to sign into mobile
apps that hook into your Google or Apple
account, respectively.
WHY YOU NEED A
PA SSWOR D MANAGE R
Conversely, third-party password managers
like LastPass (go.pcworld.com/lpsv) (our
favorite) and Dashlane (go.pcworld.com/
dsrv) (a close second) were designed from
the ground up to be cross-platform and work
with any browser. Once you’ve installed their
tools, you can log into any service in any
software on any device, easy-peasy.
Websites? Mobile apps? Desktop software?
No problem. That alone makes a stand-alone
password manager worthwhile in today’s
multi-device world. (They can usually import
saved passwords from your browser when
you get started!)
Password managers offer other benefits,
too. Browsers revolve around your account
alone, but password managers include
features that help you easily and securely
share passwords with other people—helpful
if someone needs to use your Wi-Fi, or aMicrosoft Edge’s random password creation feature.
LastPass displays all your login accounts as tiles in
its virtual vault.