Chrome's built-in password manager is convenient, but is it actually secure? We break down the risks and explain what cybersecurity experts recommend instead.
If you use Google Chrome, you have almost certainly seen the prompt: "Do you want to save this password?" It is tempting to click "Save" and move on. After all, Chrome remembers the password for you, fills it in automatically next time, and syncs it across your devices. But is it actually safe to save passwords in Chrome?
The short answer: Chrome's password manager is better than reusing weak passwords or writing them on sticky notes, but it has significant security limitations compared to a dedicated password manager. In this guide, we will explain exactly how Chrome stores your passwords, where the vulnerabilities lie, and what security professionals recommend instead.
When you save a password in Chrome, here is what happens behind the scenes:
On the surface, this seems reasonable. Your passwords are encrypted, synced, and conveniently auto-filled. But the security model has important weaknesses that you should understand before relying on it for all your credentials.
While Chrome's password manager is not fundamentally broken, it has several well-documented security limitations that cybersecurity professionals consistently flag:
This is the most serious risk. Info-stealer malware such as RedLine, Raccoon, and Vidar specifically targets Chrome's password database. Because Chrome encrypts passwords using your OS credentials, any malicious program running under your user account can decrypt and extract every saved password in seconds. This is not a theoretical risk -- these attacks are documented in thousands of real-world incidents every year.
Unlike dedicated password managers, Chrome does not require a separate master password to access your saved credentials. If someone gains access to your computer while you are logged in -- whether physically or remotely -- they can view all your saved passwords by navigating to chrome://password-manager/passwords. While Chrome may ask for your OS password before revealing individual passwords, this is the same password that is already entered on a logged-in machine.
Your Chrome passwords are only as secure as your Google account. If your Google account is compromised through phishing, a data breach, or a weak password, an attacker could potentially access all your synced passwords from any device. This creates a single point of failure for your entire digital life.
Chrome's password manager lacks many features that security experts consider essential: there is no secure password sharing, no encrypted file storage, no dark web monitoring for most users, and no emergency access for trusted contacts. It is designed for convenience, not comprehensive security.
Chrome's password manager only works within Chrome. If you use Firefox at work, Safari on your iPhone, or another browser for specific tasks, your passwords do not follow you. This often leads people to reuse passwords across accounts so they can remember them -- one of the most dangerous password habits.
To put things in perspective, here is how Chrome's built-in password manager compares to a dedicated solution:
| Feature | Chrome Password Manager | Dedicated Password Manager (e.g. NordPass) |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | OS-level (DPAPI / Keychain) | XChaCha20 with zero-knowledge architecture |
| Master password | Uses OS login (no independent vault) | Independent master password required |
| Cross-browser support | Chrome only | All major browsers + standalone apps |
| Malware resistance | Low -- info-stealers target Chrome directly | High -- encrypted vault independent of browser |
| Secure sharing | Not available | Encrypted sharing with other users |
| Data breach scanning | Basic (Google Password Checkup) | Continuous dark web monitoring |
| Encrypted file storage | Not available | Secure notes, documents, credit cards |
| Emergency access | Not available | Trusted contact access in emergencies |
| Password generator | Basic | Advanced with customisable rules |
| Zero-knowledge architecture | No -- Google can technically access synced data | Yes -- provider cannot access your vault |
The differences are clear. Chrome's password manager handles the basics, but it was designed as a browser convenience feature, not as a security tool. If you want to learn more about where to keep your passwords safely, read our guide on where to save passwords.
Dedicated password managers are purpose-built for one job: keeping your credentials secure. Here is what sets them apart:
With a zero-knowledge password manager, your data is encrypted and decrypted only on your device using a key derived from your master password. The company running the service never has access to your unencrypted passwords. Even if their servers were breached, attackers would get nothing but encrypted data they cannot read.
While Chrome relies on your operating system's encryption (which varies by platform), dedicated password managers use independently audited encryption algorithms. NordPass, for example, uses XChaCha20 encryption -- the same family of algorithms used for securing military and government communications. This encryption is applied regardless of which device or operating system you use.
Your password vault in a dedicated manager is a separate, encrypted container that requires its own master password to unlock. Even if your computer is compromised, an attacker still needs your master password to access the vault. With Chrome, accessing your OS account is often sufficient to decrypt all saved passwords.
A dedicated password manager works across every browser, every operating system, and every device. This eliminates the temptation to reuse passwords across accounts because you cannot remember them in browsers where Chrome is not available.
NordPass uses XChaCha20 encryption and zero-knowledge architecture to keep your passwords safer than any browser can. Works across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and all your devices.
Get NordPass with 50% discount →Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.
NordPass is built by the team behind NordVPN, one of the most trusted names in online privacy. It directly addresses every weakness of Chrome's password manager:
Unlike Chrome, NordPass treats password management as a security-first discipline, not an afterthought added to a web browser. For anyone managing more than a handful of accounts -- and most people have 100+ online accounts -- this difference matters.
Switching from Chrome to NordPass takes about five minutes. Here is the step-by-step process:
chrome://password-manager/passwords or go to Settings > Autofill and passwords > Google Password Manager.chrome://password-manager/settings and turn off "Offer to save passwords." This prevents Chrome from prompting you to save passwords going forward.Once the migration is complete, NordPass will auto-fill your passwords across all browsers and devices, protected by significantly stronger encryption than Chrome provides.
Regardless of which password manager you use, these practices will help keep your accounts safe:
Stop relying on Chrome to keep your credentials safe. NordPass encrypts everything with XChaCha20, works across all browsers, and alerts you if your passwords appear in data breaches.
Get NordPass with 50% discount →Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.
Chrome's password manager is better than nothing. If the alternative is reusing "password123" across every site, then yes, let Chrome save your passwords. But if you are serious about protecting your online accounts -- and you should be -- Chrome's built-in solution falls short of what a dedicated password manager provides.
The core issue is that Chrome was designed to be a web browser, not a security tool. Password management is a convenience feature added on top of its primary function. A dedicated password manager like NordPass is built from the ground up for one purpose: keeping your credentials safe with zero-knowledge encryption, cross-platform support, and proactive breach monitoring.
For most people, the five-minute migration from Chrome to a dedicated password manager is one of the highest-impact security improvements they can make. Start by generating strong, unique passwords with our Random Password Generator, and store them somewhere that treats security as a priority, not an afterthought.
