10 Life Hacks Every LastPass User Should Know
LastPass has come under fire in recent years following a 2022 data breach that compromised user vaults . Despite the scandal, it remains a popular and convenient option for storing credentials. But you don’t have to stick to LastPass’ default settings: if LastPass is your preferred password manager, here are the best ways to optimize it.
Use vault credentials to separate work and personal credentials.
If you have one LastPass account for work and personal use, you can separate related items into sub-vaults. When switching between them, you’ll only see the credentials associated with that account, and LastPass will suggest only those items for autofill. This reduces confusion and clutter, especially if you have personal and professional accounts for the same services. You can also create mini-vaults based on thematic categories (such as travel or shopping) to organize your data. Go to More Options > Add Accounts in the left navigation bar and click the Add icon. Name the new account and drag items into it. Then click Save . You can switch accounts from the drop-down list below your user account.
Set up custom fields to save PINs and security questions.
In addition to your username and password, LastPass has custom fields you can use if a website or app requires other login information, such as a PIN or security question. Instead of storing this information as text in a note field, you can enter a name and value in a custom field. Open your password, tap the Edit icon, and select Custom Fields > Add Custom Field . Add a name in the Field Label column, then enter a value in the Field Content column and tap Save .
Use the Favorites section to quickly launch frequently visited sites.
If you frequently open the same websites—such as your work email, calendar, or project management platform—you can add them to LastPass favorites and launch them all with a single click. This will streamline your morning routine, eliminating the need to type URLs or open separate bookmarks. Find the desired item in your vault, hover over it, and click the Edit icon, then select Star > Save . When you’re ready to launch, go to More Options in the sidebar of your web vault and click Open your favorite websites . Each one will open in a new tab, and LastPass will automatically fill in your credentials if needed.
Use item history to recover old passwords or remove a lock.
When you update your credentials on a website or app, password managers will prompt you to automatically save the new version to your vault. However, sometimes the website itself crashes or fails to update the password, blocking access to your account. Instead of the tedious reset process, you can view the version history in LastPass to get the most recent password. Open the item and select “Edit,” tap the “History” icon, and select “View” to see the last five changes.
Add important documents to the Notes section for quick access while traveling.
If you need access to important documents like your passport, birth certificate, or medical records when you’re away from home but don’t want to store them unprotected in the cloud, you can add them to LastPass. The app encrypts each document, so they can only be accessed when your vault is unlocked on your device. Each attachment can be up to 10 MB in size. (Free users have a total storage limit of 50 MB, while LastPass Premium subscribers have a 1 GB limit.) Select “Notes” in the navigation bar and tap the “Add Item” icon. Select “Attachments” and follow the instructions. LastPass supports a variety of file types , including .pdf, .docx, .jpeg, and .txt.
Add other countries to your whitelist to access your storage abroad (or when using a VPN).
By default, LastPass restricts access to your vault to the country in which your account was created—a security feature that protects your account from unauthorized access attempts. However, sometimes you may need access from another country, such as while traveling or using a VPN connection elsewhere in the world. You can add additional countries to the whitelist in Account Settings > General > Show Advanced Settings . Under Security > Country Restrictions , check the box next to “Allow sign-in only from selected countries” and select the countries you want to add. Then, click Update , enter your Master Password, and click Continue .
Restrict access to shared accounts to hide passwords.
The credential sharing feature is useful in most password managers because it allows you to securely send logins for shared accounts. However, there are times when you need to grant someone access to an account to perform a task, but not allow them to view the password itself—for example, if you have a helper who uses your social media or payment systems, or a family member who needs temporary access to a streaming service. When you hide passwords, those you share access with can use autofill but cannot view or copy the credentials in plain text. When sharing individual items, you can leave the “Allow recipient to view password” checkbox unchecked; in shared folders, you can check the “Hide passwords” checkbox next to the recipient’s name.
Set up emergency access to transfer your digital heritage.
Unlike some password managers, LastPass has an automatic access to expired data feature that allows you to bequeath your vault to a trusted person in the event of your incapacitation. After receiving an invitation, the trusted person can request access to your vault. If you don’t reject the request within the specified timeout, they will receive an “Emergency Access” folder in their vault containing all items in your vault. Vault owners can revoke access later, but this is useful if your trusted person needs to manage financial accounts or access other data, even temporarily. In your vault, go to “Emergency Access” in the left navigation menu and open the ” Trusted People” tab. Click the plus sign and enter your trusted person’s email address. (Note that they must also have a LastPass account or have created one.) Specify the timeout, then click “Send Invite.”
Set up equivalent domains to combine multiple items into one record.
If you have a single account that you use to log in to multiple domains or subdomains from the same provider, you can consolidate these items in your LastPass vault instead of storing them as separate entries. For example, you might have a single account used on different Apple domains and would prefer not to store them as separate entries. This will reduce clutter in your vault and simplify selecting autofill options down to a single one. Go to “Advanced Options” in your vault and select “Autofill Settings” > “Equivalent Domains” > “Add New.” In the “Domain” field, enter the domain you want to consolidate, then click “Add.”
Add the Never Used URLs setting to prevent LastPass from automatically filling credentials or forms on certain websites.
Another useful advanced setting is “Never Used URLs,” which lets you disable some (or all) LastPass interactions with specific websites. You can prevent pop-ups asking you to create or save a password—which might happen if you’re simply entering a two-factor authentication code—or disable autofill if multiple people use the same device. Go to “Advanced Options” > “Autofill Settings” > “Never Used URLs” and select “Add New.” Enter the URL and select the desired action, then tap “Save.”