I use a password manager and all my passwords go into a single password database. It doesn’t matter if something was important (e.g banking) or less important (e.g one time use for a forum).
I am thinking about separating into multiple data bases. Something like:
- personal data
- hobbies
- finance stuff
- throw_away (one time use for forums / downloads …)
I want to get some inspiration and ideas how to separate the passwords.
Will the categories actually help? I mostly find that I search for the username or site name, and then it doesn’t really matter if they’re in a folder.
Also this is a rrrrreal nitpick but if you’re keeping them in the database, are they really throwaway?
I don’t really see the need to organize passwords in a password manager. It’s sufficient to be able to search, along with the right credentials being suggested to the right website/app
yeah. generally I just add notes as needed.
Decoy passwords on post-it notes.
And the real passwords in a spiral notebook called “Not Passwords”
Better label it with “Rules and Procedures for the case of emergency”
Then you can be sure that nobody opens it 🙃
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I don’t bother categorizing them, as someone else said it’s just extra steps, for what? When I need a password it either autofills or I search for it by name.
I took the time to tag accounts in which I used my credit card for automatic payments, which helped me when I had my credit card replaced because of fraud.
I knew where I had to update all my payment infos pretty quickly to avoid a non-payment on a subscription.
Yeah a password manager is mostly used to store credentials and sensitive infos, but it can be useful for its metadata too.
Keepass has a folder structure so you can organize the passwords by type. I used to do that with my stuff, but as others have said, I gave up and just search for them now
I still do, the problem is most of them fall under the category “Internet” and “Internet Alts”
Other folders are “API Keys”, “Locally Hosted”, “IRL”, “Cards/Banking”, “Wi-Fi” which are really situational and I don’t need to add stuff to them often.
The password manager I use lets me create a hierarchy so I can subcategorise. Reading the other comments here suggests that it’s not a unique feature and so I’ll hazard a guess that most of them can do the same thing.
It also supports different databases if you really want to go that route, but since that means you’ll need a different password for each one, you’re undoing some of the work of having a password database in the first place… unless you intend to have a master password database with a master master password. That just hurts my head to think about.
Why separate them? You will need to keep the most secure one anyways, might as well store everything there.
Just give them sensibly labels and tags when making them so they are findable and usable. Don’t fret over organization beyond that, it won’t improve your quality of life, go for a walk or something instead.
A bunch of cryptic notes in Notepad.
I just use Password1? for everything. No need to organize.
Use tags if available, and I keep my frequently used / primary ones in a different directory.
That way you can still display account per categories if needed.
Make sure the password to that master database is written down someplace safe. Make sure your will specifies where to find it. This means the witnesses to your will and your lawyer know where to find it, so make sure you can trust them. (A lawyer might even know of a good safe place to put it). If you don’t have a will and won’t get one, find an alternative for at least these.
When you die your estate needs to get into your account and pay your bills. A few online forums are personal enough that you should have them post your obituary (most are too anonymous - but some you get to know the other members). Hopefully your death is a long ways away, but it will come.
