Why Storing Passwords in a Notes App Is a Bad Idea
1 min read
Summary
Around 25% of people store their passwords in a digital note or document, according to research from Pew Research Center.
Storing passwords in notes apps such as Evernote or Apple’s Notes is not recommended, because their core function is not to protect sensitive information, which creates cybersecurity gaps.
The absence of encryption on most regular notes apps means passwords are vulnerable to being exposed if a phone or laptop is lost or stolen.
Even notes apps that offer encryption do not offer the same level as password managers, which means providers can access data on their servers.
Password managers use encryption on everything with one master password and have features such as autofill and strong password generators.
Recommended password managers include Bitwarden, which is free for basic use and open source, KeePassXC, which is the community-driven successor to KeePass, and 1Password, which has a highly polished app.
