Using a password manager is a no-brainer in 2023, especially if you happen to have too many online accounts. The best password managers not only secure your passwords, but they also generate unique passwords for you, and allow things like one-tap logins, secure password sharing, and more. There are plenty of reliable password managers out there that can help keep your online accounts safe, but if you're not ready to sign up for one yet, then consider checking out Google Password Manager.

Google, in case you don't know, offers a handy password manager that's built into its Chrome browser and the best Android phones. It's very easy to use, and it automatically saves your credentials to help you log in to various websites and applications. Managing your passwords with Google is fairly simple, and here's everything you need to know before dipping your toes and getting used to this.

What is Google Password Manager, and how does it work?

Google's password managing feature takes a no-frills approach to save all the usernames, email addresses, and passwords associated with an account. You can either allow Google to automatically save passwords when they're created on a particular website or an application, or manually add passwords from your Android device or Google Chrome browser on a computing device. Once done, you'll automatically see a prompt to fill in your username and password on various websites and apps.

One of the best things about using Google Password Manager is that you can access the saved passwords on any device with Google Chrome. This includes everything from Apple's iPhones to Windows computers and Chromebooks. All you need to do is ensure the sync feature is turned on. Here's how to do it:

1. Open Settings by tapping the three-dot icon in the top-right corner of Chrome.
2. Locate Sync option and make sure it's turned on. You can also do this on your desktop by clicking your profile photo in the top-right corner of the screen to see if Sync is enabled.

Since the credentials are associated with your Google accounts, they'll automatically sync on all devices running the same account. This means you'll have access to the passwords on your Android phone(s) for logging in to the corresponding apps too. Here are a couple of screenshots showing the auto-fill Password Manager prompt for both Netflix on the web and the Netflix app on an Android device:

How to save and edit passwords in Google

Google's auto-save feature lets you automatically save all your passwords to your Google account. It takes little to no effort to enable this feature, and it works flawlessly. Google can also save your updated passwords, which is very handy for those who frequently change passwords for their online accounts. Here's how to enable this feature:

1. Open Settings on Chrome browser by tapping the three-dot icon.
2. Select the Password Manager.
3. Tap the settings cog icon and toggle to enable the Offer to save passwords. This will start prompting an offer to save passwords in Android and Chrome.

How to manually save passwords in Google

You can also manually add and save passwords to your Google account. You may not use this method to save passwords to your account, but it's a fairly simple process that only takes a few additional steps. Even the manually saved passwords can be filled out automatically when you visit that particular website in the future. Here's how can do it:

1. Open Settings in Chrome by tapping the three-dot icon.
2. Select Password Manager to open the Google Password Manager page.
3. Tap on the + icon next to the Search passwords field.
4. You'll now see an option to add a corresponding application for the site you're adding. Adding an app here will prompt your phone to offer the auto-fill option in the future when you open the app to log in.

You can do this via Chrome on a desktop too, but the steps may vary as Chrome on a desktop will let you save the passwords directly instead of opening a separate page or directing you to a new app.

You can use the same steps mentioned above to find, edit, or even delete your saved passwords in case you feel the need to do so. Just head over to the Password Manager page by following the first two steps mentioned above. You can then select the website you want to delete the saved password for and hit the delete button to remove it. You'll be asked to authenticate with biometrics or a PIN before accessing the saved password, so keep that in mind.

Password Checkup and other useful tips

Google's Password Manager offers some other nifty features to help you manage your password better. Password Checkup is among the best features that check your saved passwords to tell you whether they're compromised or if you're using a weak password. It'll also prompt you to create a unique password if you're reusing a particular one across multiple sites.

Google also offers on-device encryption on both Android and Chrome to encrypt data on your device before it's saved to Google Password Manager. You'll find this option within the Password Manager settings on your Android phone or Google Chrome browser.

Enabling this feature will let you take control of your password encryption, but it's worth noting that only you can see your passwords with this setting enabled. This means if you lose the key, you could lose your passwords too. Additionally, you can also export your passwords or add exceptions for sites and apps not to save passwords for.

Managing passwords with Google: Final thoughts

Google's Password Manager has improved a lot over the years. It's easier to access on both Android and Chrome browsers, and it also lets you add, edit, and remove passwords from your account with little to no effort. New features like Password Checkup and the ability to encrypt your passwords on your device also make it on par with a lot of other password managers out there. That being said, it lacks the finesse you get with dedicated password managers like Bitwarden. For instance, you can't make the Google Password Manager shortcut appear in the app drawer. And while it asks for your authentication to view any of the stored login credentials, it doesn't confirm your identity before listing all the websites and apps you've saved your passwords for.

All things considered, Google Password Manager is a good place to start for beginners who have no experience using a service to manage their online credentials. But if you are an experienced user with a lot of online accounts, then we recommend using a dedicated password-managing service. You can even get started with some free password managers before committing to a paid service. We also recommend checking out our password manager beginner's guide in case you want to know more about these services before getting started.