Now's The Perfect Time to Start Using a Password Manager - WIRED

You’re probably not looking for another addition to your digital to-do list, but allow me to make one humble recommendation: Get started with a password manager.

Here’s why: The more you browse, the better password managers become.

If you've been using the same password in multiple places, well, that's even more of your personal data at risk.

"By using a password manager and generating random passwords for all your accounts, you significantly reduce the chance of having your password stolen, and if it does get stolen it will only impact that one account," Cranor says.

And yes, the best password managers cost money (although some good ones are free, or have a free tier), but consider this: The cost of a password manager is likely less than you'd spend trying to recover a breached account that contains all of your personal data, or what you'd spend on a subscription to an identity theft service.

There are plenty to choose from, but we have a guide to the best password managers here.

"If you haven’t, then a good option is to start using the password manager with just a few of your most frequently used passwords and then add passwords to it as you use them.

There is no reason that you have to add them all at once." Pick one that works for you, set up an account, and just use your devices the way you always do; let the password manager to the rest for you.

One thing to note: Your web browser probably already offers to save your passwords and log in to websites for you, but you’re better off with a stand-alone password manager.

While in-browser password management has improved over the years, they still lag behind all of the tools that password managers give you to make sure your entire digital life is secure, including reminding you when you've reused a password, offering different levels of password complexity, and the option to sync across multiple devices and browsers.

"If you are currently reusing your passwords or using weak passwords, you are much better off with a password manager than without one, despite the fact that password managers cannot guarantee security.".

As with most things, the hardest part of getting started with a password manager is getting started.