Set Up a Password Manager, One Account at a Time

Follow these steps

1. 1

   Start with the devices you actually use. Write down whether you need an iPhone app, Android app, computer browser extension, or all three. Check that a candidate supports those devices and lets you export your information. A built-in manager may already cover your needs.

2. 2

   Open the provider’s official website yourself. Follow its download links to the correct app store or browser-extension listing. Confirm the publisher. Avoid a download offered by an unexpected message, pop-up, or caller.

3. 3

   Set up the vault using the provider’s instructions. If it uses a master password, make it long, unique, and unrelated to your other passwords. Save the recovery information as instructed in a secure place you can access if the device is lost. Do not put your only recovery copy inside the vault.

4. 4

   Add one low-risk account you already own. On the account’s real website, change its password to a new password generated by your manager. Save the updated login in the vault. Merely editing an entry in the vault does not change the password on the website.

5. 5

   Sign out of that low-risk account, then sign in again using the saved entry. Check the website address before filling. Lock the vault and practice unlocking it. If filling fails, confirm that you saved the correct website address and account name.

6. 6

   Turn on the manager’s supported extra sign-in protection and save any recovery codes securely. Use the provider’s recovery guide to understand what happens if you lose your phone or forget the master password.

7. 7

   After the practice works, move important accounts gradually. Use a different password for every account. Avoid exporting an unencrypted password file unless you understand how to protect and remove it afterward.