Protect: password manager

Attention. This function is not available for all users since it's still being developed.

In today's world, there are too many passwords to remember. So users often use the same password on different sites, save their passwords in a file on their computer, or write them down on paper. All these methods are unsafe and inconvenient. To help solve the problem, there are special password managers that store authentication data in a secure location and automatically enter them into forms on websites.

  1. Why you need a password manager
  2. Manage passwords
  3. Manage usernames and passwords
  4. Master password
  5. Backup encryption key
  6. Sync passwords

Why you need a password manager

Mobile Yandex.Browser has its own built-in password manager. It lets you:

  • Easily view, delete and change website passwords.
  • Automatically enter saved passwords in login forms.
  • Use one password database for all synced devices.
  • Protect your password database with a master password stored only in your memory.

Manage passwords

  1. Automatically save passwords
  2. Automatic password retrieval
  3. Switch between usernames
  4. Don't save passwords

Automatically save passwords

Attention. To protect your data, use passwords that are complex but easy to remember on all websites.

When you enter a password on a website for the first time, the Mobile Yandex Browser asks if you want to save it. When you visit this website in the future, your saved password will be entered for you automatically.

The browser remembers passwords you entered by default. If you don't want to save a password for a specific website, disable the Save password in browser option that pops up above the virtual keyboard when you enter your password.

If you previously created a a master password, you must enter it when you save a website password. A master password is used in the encryption algorithm and ensures a higher protection level, since it is only stored in your memory.

Automatic password retrieval

Enter your username. When you enter a username, your usernames for signing into this website appear above the virtual keyboard. Choose one of them, and then this username and password will be entered in the fields of the login form.

If you have already created a master password, you must enter it after you select or enter your username. This enables the browser to decrypt the password from the website and enter it into the form.

Switch between usernames

To log in to a website using a different name, tap the field where you enter your username. The browser will display a list of usernames above the virtual keyboard that you have used for various websites. Select one of them.

Don't save passwords

If you don't want to save passwords in the browser:

  1. Tap  (if you don't see this button, then press the menu button on your smartphone).
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Go to Passwords.
  4. Disable the Password manager option.

Manage usernames and passwords

  1. View
  2. Change
  3. Delete

View

To view usernames and passwords from a specific website:

  1. Tap  (if you don't see this button, then press the menu button on your smartphone).
  2. Select Password manager.
  3. If you have already created a master password, enter it to access your vault.
  4. Go to Password and tap the name of the website you want.
  5. Tap next to the password.

Change

To change a password from a specific website:

  1. Tap  (if you don't see this button, then press the menu button on your smartphone).
  2. Select Password manager.
  3. If you have already created a master password, enter it to access your vault.
  4. Go to Password and tap the name of the website you want.
  5. Tap Edit.
  6. Edit your username, password or password comment.
  7. Tap Save.

Delete

Website password
  1. Tap  (if you don't see this button, then press the menu button on your smartphone).
  2. Select Password manager.
  3. If you have already created a master password, enter it to access your vault.
  4. Go to Password and tap the name of the website you want.
  5. Tap Delete.
  6. Confirm deletion.
All passwords
  1. Tap  (if you don't see this button, then press the menu button on your smartphone).
  2. Select Password manager.
  3. If you have already created a master password, enter it to access your vault.
  4. Scroll down the list of passwords from websites and tap Delete all passwords.
  5. Confirm deletion.

Master password

A master password provides an additional level of security for your passwords. Once you have a master password, the browser will use it to save a password on a website, enter a password into a login form, or access your password vault.

You will only have to remember one master password instead of dozens of individual ones. Your website passwords will also be more secure. Your master password will block access to your vault, which can't be broken into since it's only stored in your memory.

  1. The advantages of using a master password
  2. Create a master password
  3. Delete a master password
  4. Time limit for blocking vault access
  5. If you forget your master password

The advantages of using a master password

  • Passwords stored in a vault are more secure. Without a master password, passwords are encrypted by your operating system. However, your encryption key is stored on your smartphone and can be stolen. If you create a master password, a hacker will not be able to use it even if they steal your key. Your master password blocks access to the key, which is only stored in your memory. So even if you lose your smartphone, you will not have to change all your passwords immediately.
  • A stranger who accesses to your smartphone will not be able to open your password manager or log in to a website under your username. This is because they would have to enter your master password.
  • Nobody can access your passwords during syncing, including Yandex.
  • You can manually change your encryption key and re-encrypt all the passwords in your vault at any time. All you have to do is disable and then re-enable the master password on your smartphone.

Create a master password

Attention. Memorize your master password; do not write it down anywhere and do not show it to anyone. If you forget your master password, you will only be able to restore your passwords if you have a backup encryption key.

To create a master password:

  1. Tap  (if you don't see this button, then press the menu button on your smartphone).
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Go to Passwords.
  4. Tap Create master password.
  5. Enter your master password. We recommend using passwords that are complex but easy to remember.
  6. Tap Continue.
  7. Then re-enter it to confirm.
  8. Tap Create master password.

Delete a master password

  1. Tap  (if you don't see this button, then press the menu button on your smartphone).
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Go to Passwords.
  4. Tap Delete the master password.
  5. Enter your master password and tap Confirm.

Your master password will be deleted from your smartphone. The next time your devices sync, it will also be deleted from your other devices.

Time limit for blocking vault access

You can change the time limit after which the browser blocks access to your password vault and requests a master password in order to access it:

  1. Tap  (if you don't see this button, then press the menu button on your smartphone).
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Go to Passwords.
  4. Tap Access to saved passwords.
  5. Enter your master password.
  6. In the Lock access section, select the appropriate option: after relaunching the browser, after blocking the screen, or never.

If you forget your master password

If created a backup encryption key previously:

  1. In the form where you enter your master password, tap Forgot password.
  2. Tap Reset master password.
  3. Enter your Yandex password.
  4. Create a new master password.

If you don't create a backup encryption key, you won't be able to restore access to your passwords.

Backup encryption key

If you forget your master password, you will only be able to restore your passwords if you have a recovery key. To create one, you will need to enable syncing.

To change your master password, you will need a special file in addition to your recovery key. It will be created automatically when you enter your master password for the first time and will be saved locally. That's why even Yandex can't decrypt your passwords.

To restore access, you must enter the password to your Yandex account. The likelihood that a hacker could simultaneously steal the key from the server, the file from your device, and your Yandex account password is very low.

To create a backup encryption key, tap Enable as soon you create a master password in the dialog box. If your device hasn't synced, enable syncing by entering your Yandex password.

Sync passwords

During synching, passwords stored in the browser are encrypted and sent to the Yandex server, and then to other synced devices.

As a result:

  • Your saved passwords will automatically be entered into entry forms on all your devices
  • If your smartphone breaks, you can restore your passwords from the server.

Password syncing is enabled automatically when the syncing option is enabled.

Disable password syncing

Password syncing is disabled if syncing is fully disabled. To only disable password syncing:

  1. Tap  (if you don't see this button, then press the menu button on your smartphone).
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Select Syncing.
  4. Disable the Passwords option.
Password syncing conflict

If you created different master passwords on your smartphones, tablets or computers, there may be a conflict during syncing. For example, let's say you enter one master password on your computer and another one on your smartphone. Then, you sync your smartphone with your computer. In this case, the browser does not know which master password should be used to encrypt your merged vaults.

To resolve the conflict:

  1. Tap  (if you don't see this button, then press the menu button on your smartphone).
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Go to Passwords.
  4. TapPasswords not synced.
  5. Enter the master password you created on that smartphone.
  6. A list of devices where the vault is protected by other master passwords appears. The next steps you take will depend on whether you remember the master passwords you created on your other devices.
  7. Passwords from devices that you forgot your master passwords to cannot be added to your merged vault. The following options are available for these devices:
    • If you created a backup encryption key on your device, reset your master password by replacing it with the master password for your current smartphone. Wait for a while until the device data has been synced.
    • If you did not create a spare encryption key on the device, you will have to delete your passwords from it. To do this, tap to the right of the device name.
    • You can also choose to not solve the syncing conflict. In this case, your passwords will not be synced (whereas history, bookmarks and other data will continue to sync).
  8. Tap Merge with vault on this device.
  9. Enter the password from each conflicting device one at a time.

Passwords from all devices remaining on the list will be merged. The master password created on your current smartphone will be used to encrypt the vault.