If you are using Google Chrome, you might already be using the Google password manager. Recently, Google launched a new web tool – Google Password Checkup (earlier available as Password Checkup Chrome extension) which lets you test if your password has been compromised in a recent security breach. It also shows you if you are using the same password on multiple sites and provides a one-click option to update it. Let’s see how to use it.
Follow the stepsÂ
- On your Chrome browser, click on this link
- Sign in to your primary Google account
- Click the ‘Check Passwords button’
- Wait for a few seconds for Google to analyze your saved password
Once done, it’ll show you passwords in 3 categories – compromised, reuse, and weak. That’s which accounts are compromised in data leaks, accounts that have the same password as well as week passwords. There is also an option to change your password in one-click.
It’s important to keep in mind that your passwords are not stored in plain text on Google’s server. Instead, the passwords are stored on your desktop and when it connects to the Internet, they are encrypted. But nothing is ever truly secure. If someone has physical access to your computer or Android, they can easily view saved passwords by going to passwords.google.com and enter the password for your Windows 10 PC or Mac.
In short, while Google password manager has many benefits, like quick registration and easy access on both Android and Web, a better way to manage your saved password is by using a dedicated password manager. They have a different master password then your Windows 10 PC or Mac lock screen code. At techwiser, we recommend password managers like LastPass or 1Password. The former is cloud-based, so you can access your passwords from anywhere on the cloud while the later one works on your local system only.
