How to Use Your Android Phone’s Built-in Password Manager
Android devices are packed with features to make navigating your digital life easier, and one of the most useful is a password manager.
Password managers not only store your login information for a seamless login experience , but they also make it easy to create strong, unique passwords for every app or website you use. This is important because hackers have many strategies for getting around weak passwords, and password reuse puts multiple accounts at risk if someone steals your login information.
While we usually suggest using highly rated third-party password management services , the benefit of using them on Android is that they’re free and built into your device – you don’t have to buy or download an extra app to use them. It also conveniently links your encrypted password information to your Google account, so your saved logins are available wherever you’re signed into your Google account. Google will also keep track of your passwords and alert you if it’s leaked.
How to enable Google Password Manager on Android
- On an Android device, go to Settings > Privacy > Google’s Autofill Service, or use the search bar in the settings menu to find Autofill.
- Turn on “Use Autofill with Google”.
- Make sure you’re signed in with the correct Google account.
- Click “Passwords” in the “Autofill” menu list to open the “Password Manager” menu.
- Tap the gear-shaped settings icon in the top right corner, then turn on Prompt to save passwords if you want your device to save the login information for the apps you use and the websites you visit in Chrome. Please note that Google Password Manager does not store passwords used in other browsing applications such as Firefox or Edge, however these applications also offer their own password management features.
With these settings turned on, your phone will now suggest new passwords whenever you create new accounts on apps or websites and store them in a safe place. However, there are a few other optional settings that you can enable.
- If you’d like to make signing in even easier, turn on Auto Sign In and your phone will automatically enter saved usernames and passwords whenever you’re prompted.
- For added security, turn on Password Alerts to be notified if any of your passwords are found online. It’s similar to using Have I Been Pwned to check for password leaks, but Google constantly and automatically checks and warns you if a login is compromised.
How to manage saved passwords with Google Password Manager
Now that you have Google Password Manager enabled on your device, you can search, view, and edit your saved passwords from the Google Password Manager menu. All saved login information is displayed in a list at the bottom of the screen.
Tap one of the websites or apps in the list to view your account information and your currently saved password (you’ll need to enter your PIN, password, or fingerprint on the lock screen to access this menu). After you sign in, you can edit or delete your saved password information.
security check
If you receive a password security warning or want to check the strength of each saved password, go to Settings > Privacy > Google AutoFill Service > Passwords and select Check Passwords to open the password checker tool. Click “Check Passwords” on the next screen and follow the instructions.
Export password data
You can export password data from Google Password Manager in Settings > Privacy > Autofill Service from Google > Passwords > Settings > Export Passwords . This creates a file of your password data, which you can then import into another service, such as 1Password, or use as a backup for safe offline storage.
Autofill personal information, billing information, etc.
While not strictly tied to Google Password Manager, Android phones can store and automatically fill in a lot of other useful personal information, such as your name, birthday, and gender; the addresses of your home, place of work or frequently visited places; and payment methods such as credit card numbers or Google Pay. You can turn on these features and change any saved information in Settings > Privacy > Google’s Autofill Service.
[ SlashGear ]