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. Managing passwords
  3. Managing usernames and passwords
  4. Master password
  5. Sync passwords

Why you need a password manager

The Mobile Yandex Browser has its own integrated 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.

Managing passwords

  1. Automatically save passwords
  2. Automatic password retrieval
  3. Switching between usernames
  4. Disable password saving

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 entered passwords 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 saving a password from a website. A master password is used in the encryption algorithm and ensures a higher protection level, since it is stored only 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 selecting or entering a username. This enables the browser to decrypt the password from the website and enter it into the form.

Switching between usernames

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

Disable password saving

To disable password saving in the browser:

  1. Tap  → Settings.
  2. Go to Passwords.
  3. Disable the Save passwords option.

Managing usernames and passwords

  1. View
  2. Change
  3. Deleting all passwords

View

To view usernames and passwords from a specific website:

  1. Tap  → Passwords.
  2. If you have already created a master password, enter it to get access to storage. If you have not created one, enter the tablet code.
  3. Go to Password and tap the name of the website you want.
  4. Tap Show password.

Change

To change a password from a specific website:

  1. Tap  → Passwords.
  2. If you have already created a master password, enter it to get access to storage. If you have not created one, enter the tablet code.
  3. Go to Password and tap the name of the website you want.
  4. In the upper right corner of the window that appears, tap Change.
  5. Edit your username, password or password comment.
  6. Tap Done.

Deleting all passwords

  1. Tap  → Passwords.
  2. If you have already created a master password, enter it to get access to storage. If you have not created one, enter the tablet code.
  3. Scroll down the list of passwords from websites and tap Delete all passwords.
  4. Confirm deletion.

Master password

A master password provides an additional level of security for your passwords. After you create a master password, the browser will request it during an attempt to save the password on the website, enter the password into a login form or open password storage.

Instead of a huge number of passwords from websites, you will only have to remember one master password. Passwords from websites will also be more secure. Access to storage is blocked by the master password, which cannot be stolen, since it's stored only in your memory.

  1. The advantages of using a master password
  2. Create a master password
  3. Change a master password
  4. Delete a master password
  5. Time to block storage

The advantages of using a master password

  • Passwords in storage are more secure. Without a master password, passwords are encrypted by the operating system software, while the encryption key is stored on the tablet and can be stolen. If you created a master password, a hacker who steals the key will not be able to use it. The master password stored only in your memory blocks access to the key. So even if you lose the tablet, you will not have to change all your passwords immediately.
  • A stranger who gains access to the tablet will not be able to open the password managers or log in to the website with your username. This requires entry of the master password.
  • Neither Yandex nor anyone else will be able to access the passwords during syncing.
  • You can manually change the encryption key and re-encrypt all stored passwords at any time. All you have to do is disable and then re-enable the master password on the tablet.

Create a master password

Attention. Memorize the master password, do not write it down anywhere and do not show it to anyone. If you forget your master password, you will not be able to restore your passwords.

To create a master password:

  1. Tap  → Settings.
  2. Go to Passwords.
  3. Tap Create master password.
  4. Enter the master password. We recommend using passwords that are complex but easy to remember.
  5. Tap Create.
  6. Then re-enter it to confirm.
  7. Tap Create.

Change a master password

  1. Tap  → Settings.
  2. Go to Passwords.
  3. Touch Change the master password.
  4. Enter the master password and tapContinue.
  5. Enter your new master password. We recommend using passwords that are complex but easy to remember.
  6. Tap Create.
  7. Then re-enter it to confirm.
  8. Tap Create.

Delete a master password

  1. Tap  → Settings.
  2. Go to Passwords.
  3. Touch Delete the master password.
  4. Enter the master password and tapContinue.

The master password will then be deleted from the tablet. At the next sync it will also be deleted from all other synced devices.

Time to block storage

You can change the time after which the browser blocks access to password storage and requests a master password during an attempt to access it:

  1. Tap  → Settings.
  2. Go to Passwords.
  3. Tap List of passwords.
  4. Enter the master password.
  5. Tap Block access after and move the switch to the required position: after Browser relaunch, Screen lock, Never.

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 the tablet breaks down, you can restore 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  → Settings.
  2. Select Syncing.
  3. 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, you entered one master password on your computer, another one on a tablet, and then synced the tablet with the computer. In these cases, the browser does not know which master password must be used to encrypt merged storage.

To resolve the conflict:

  1. Tap  → Settings.
  2. Go to Passwords.
  3. Tap Passwords not synced.
  4. Enter the master password created on this tablet.
  5. A list of devices on which storage is protected by other master passwords appears. Future actions depend on whether you remember the master passwords you created on other devices.
  6. Passwords from devices for which you've forgotten the master password cannot be added to merged storage. The following options are available for these devices:
    • If you created a recovery key on a device, clear the master password from it and replace it with the master password for the current tablet. Wait for a while until the device data has been synced.
    • If you did not create a recovery key on the device, you will have to delete the password from it. To do this, tap the icon to the right of the device name.
    • You can also disallow a syncing conflict. In this case, the passwords will not be synced (the history, bookmarks and other data will be synced as before).
  7. Tap Merge with storage on this device.
  8. 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 the current tablet will be used to encrypt the storage.