I remember when I used to keep a Word document of all my passwords for all the different websites. It’s either that or use the same password for everything, right? And neither one is very secure. Not to mention that the passwords I chose were always super simple, usually with no caps or numbers.
Now that’s all done with, I never need to deal with any of that.
Instead I am now using 1Password made by Agile Web Solutions for the Mac.
The beauty of it is that I have one Master Password (yes, you do need to remember one password), and I use it to automatically log on using my other passwords to a host of websites. Basically 1Password puts a little “1P” button in your browser bar, and anytime you’re on a page that needs a login, you click on the “1P” and 1Password will either ask you for your Master Password (if you haven’t logged in in awhile) to fill in the username and password for that specific site, or it will just fill in your username and password automatically.
And if you sign up with a name and password on a new site, 1Password asks if you want it to remember this for next time.
1Password can even create very secure passwords for you, in various formats of your choice (with/without numbers, with/without dashes, with/without caps). And since you don’t need to actually remember it, it doesn’t matter how wacky it is. So there is no excuse for picking those lame passwords like the name of your dog.
For some sites, like Google, I have two passwords–one that’s personal, and one for the company for Google AdWords and so on. Well of course 1Password stores both, and asks you which one you want to use.
Okay here is where the genius comes in. I use SugarSync to keep certain files on my home Mac and office Mac in sync, so I can easily work at home. Well I added the 1Password data file to the list of items that get SugarSynced and now, whenever I add a new password at work, I have it at home too! So my password info is never in the “wrong” place.
1Password costs $40 and has saved me endless frustration and time searching for my passwords, or making random guesses, or having to wait for those “Forgot your password?” emails. Honestly I use it probably 10-20 times a day, every day.