Where to Save Your Passwords
Last updated: October 2026
Your passwords need a safe home. Here's how the options compare — and what to avoid.
Password manager (recommended)
- Dedicated app with encrypted vault
- One master password unlocks everything
- Generates, saves, and autofills passwords
- Works across devices and platforms
Browser-built-in manager
- Convenient, already on your device
- Encrypted credentials stored locally
- One caveat: entries filed under the page's origin (the site you're on when you save)
Paper
- Works for a few critical passwords (email, bank, manager master)
- Keep it in a locked drawer or safe
- No digital attacks possible, but no backup if lost
What NOT to use
- Notes apps — not encrypted for secrets
- Spreadsheets — no encryption, easy to copy
- Email to yourself — inboxes get breached
- Screenshots — no encryption, often backed up to cloud
Sources
- NIST SP 800-63B-4 (final Aug 2025) - digital identity guidelines (password managers and paste must be allowed)