These are my 8 must-have features in a password manager

I have many online accounts for different purposes. I use a password manager to manage all my login information in one place. Sure, there are many options on the market, but I won’t use any password manager without these eight key features.

Strong encryption

Since I will be saving login information for all my accounts, including important platforms like banks, security is of the utmost importance. Fortunately, password managers use several encryption protocols to ensure that your data is safe from the bad guys. First, a password manager should support modern encryption protocols such as 256-bit AES encryption for data storage.

Second, to make sure my credentials are known only to me, I only choose a password manager that uses a zero-knowledge architecture to store passwords and other personal information. This approach ensures that the password manager will not have access to the credentials stored in the vault. It also ensures that data is safe even if the company is hit by a security breach.

Finally, the password manager should support multi-factor authentication for additional security of user accounts and end-to-end encryption to ensure data security in transit.

Multi-platform support with sync

I own several devices with different operating systems. Cross-platform support is therefore key to ensure that I can still access my password vault no matter what operating system I’m using. A password manager should support at least four major platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS.

Additionally, a password manager should have a browser extension on major browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. This makes it much easier to fill in your details on any login page. Plus, with browser extensions, you can access your passwords on other platforms like Linux without a special app.

Cross-platform synchronization is equally important. With it, you can switch to another device and immediately find all the current information in the password vault. Fortunately, it’s available with all major password managers—unless you want offline storage.

Easy to use password generator

It has become standard for every password manager to have a password generation feature. These password generators are essential and play a key role in creating strong and unique passwords. This removes so much of the overhead of creating passwords; you don’t need to remember all the tips for creating secure and strong passwords.

Password generators offer customization options and allow you to adjust the length of the generated password and even choose whether to include special characters, numbers, lowercase or uppercase letters. Some even give you a history of generated passwords in case you need them later. But having a password generator baked in is not enough. I will also check if the password generation feature is easy and convenient.

Save and autofill functionality

This is another must-have feature in a password manager. Password autofill eliminates the need to manually type or copy and paste usernames and passwords to log into your accounts. Similarly, a password manager should allow you to easily save newly created credentials using the save feature. The two go hand in hand and are an integral part of all common password managers.

Stores more than passwords

A password manager should allow you to store more than just passwords. Some password managers allow you to store personal files in your vault. File storage is usually limited to 1 GB and you may have to pay for it.

In addition to files, a password manager should allow you to store other confidential information such as your credit card and personal information for easy form filling. Different password managers also offer certain unique features. For example, you can store your cryptographic data in 1Password.

Recovery options

When you sign up for a password manager, you must create a master password. This will be the primary key to your encrypted vault. If you forget it, you will lose access to your storage data without the possibility of recovery.

Because of the critical role a master password plays, it’s important to check what recovery options a password manager has to offer.

There is no standard approach for this; different password managers have their own ways of doing things. I always check that the password manager has recovery options. It should have at least one recovery option to help you regain access to your vault if you forget your master password.

Securely share credentials

A password manager should also offer secure sharing of login credentials and vaulted items. Sharing credentials is not uncommon. Additionally, despite the crackdown on account sharing, several streaming services still allow password sharing.

If you ever need to share credentials, this feature lets you share them securely without having to send them as plain text via instant messaging platforms like iMessage or WhatsApp.

There are a variety of password managers to choose from if you’re looking for one. While Bitwarden is my password manager of choice, you can find anything that suits you simply by using these features as your Polaris.

Credential export and import support

The export feature is another key factor that allows you to easily export your storage data. This might not sound like much when looking for a password manager, but it’s handy if you want to have a local backup or switch to an alternative.

A password manager should also offer support for importing credentials, which is important if you want to migrate from one option to another. The import feature ensures that you don’t have to go through the tedious process of adding all your previous logins one by one to your new password manager of choice.