Tag: secure

“Hi, Kim, I save all my passwords in my browser. So why do I need a password manager? Thanks for your newsletter. I can tell it’s a lot of work. The quality every single day is incredible.” — Robby in South Carolina

Thanks for your question and kind words, Robby. Now, l get this question a lot. Let me break it down.

Plenty of people still rely on their browser’s built-in memory for passwords. Chrome, Safari, Edge, they all pop up with that little offer: “Want me to remember this for you?” Which sounds sweet … until you realize it’s like giving your house key to a raccoon.

⚠️ The risks

Those saved passwords are stored in plain text behind your account login, not wrapped in the same heavy-duty encrypted professional password vault. 

If someone cracks into your computer, steals your phone or sneaks into your Google account, congratulations! They inherited the keys to your entire digital kingdom. 

Apple’s iCloud Keychain and Google Password Manager work fine if you stay in one ecosystem forever, but life isn’t that neat. Maybe you’re an iPhone person with a PC. Or use an Android tablet alongside your Mac. Suddenly those passwords don’t follow you everywhere you need them. 

🧩 The difference 

A true password manager generates long, unique passwords for every site you use and syncs them seamlessly across all your devices. 

Open your phone, laptop, tablet, and your logins are securely filled in with a click. Many managers monitor the dark web for breaches and send you an alert the moment one of your accounts shows up in a leak. That’s something no browser is going to do for you.

🫡 The hidden bonuses

Good password managers also give you great tools for the long haul. Need to share Netflix with your family without typing your password into a group text? Done. Want to make sure your spouse or kids can access critical accounts if something happens to you? The best managers include emergency access. You can’t do that with passwords saved in a browser.

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