How to Use Bitwarden to Manage Your Passwords

Emergency Situation#

Danger

You are in likely dire straights.

Current status: critical. You’re likely in a situation where your passwords are so insecure and you’re storing them in such a compromising way you should divert all of your attention to finding a better home for your passwords and a reliable system to manage them.

Video Guide#

Core Philosophy#

Here’s how you’re going to treat your password management from now on.

You’re going to turn over a new leaf and not settle for putting yourself (and your loved ones by proxy) in jeopardy.

Security will no longer be a risk for you.

Operating Principles#

1. One source of truth: your passwords are always up to date. You reject using browsers or insecure note apps to keep track.
2. Don’t rely on your memory: you don’t memorize any of your passwords except for your master password, because they’re too secure to be remembered.
3. Database-approach: you tie any other important bits of information to each login. This can be flexible to accommodate security questions, pins, or other important account-related details.

Setup Steps#

1. Create a Bitwarden account
2. Create a secure master password that you can remember. Write it down on a piece of paper and keep it with your passport, birth certificate and other important documents. Whenever you change it, update it there, too. Along with that, write down the recovery code.
3. Import passwords from your primary browser.
4. Install the browser extension for your primary browser, and install the mobile app and sign in on both.
5. Customize “account security” behavior. Unlock with biometrics, unlock with pin, or never lock (depending on how you secure your device itself). I have biometrics unlock on my phone and a pin unlock on my desktop.
6. Customize the “generator” settings. I like to do 20 character passwords, include capital letters, lowercase, numbers, and special characters with a minimum of 2 each.
7. Change your passwords for your most important accounts, going to the item in Bitwarden, generating a new password, and setting it. Password history will always store your earlier passwords for you.

Optional Steps#

1. Disable password saving for your passwords in your browser, and consider deleting browser password data altogether. You have a up-to-date copy of it in Bitwarden now.
2. Store other important bits of information - your vehicle details, credit cards, whatever you need secure, quick access to.
3. Experimental: passkeys can make signing in even easier.
4. URI will make it pop up for the correct website - so make sure it’s set. CTRL + SHIFT + L to load the last used login.
5. Use folders to organize types of passwords, for example separating work logins from the rest with a Work folder. Set custom equivalent domains in settings.

Tip

Share passwords securely with your spouse.

Set up an “organization” and when you want to share passwords, share it to that organization. Takes some getting used to, but it’s very handy.

Further reading: Top 5 Productivity Apps for Couples