Using BW to change a website password

Ask the Community Password Manager
1

I’m testing BW to potentially replace Lastpass. I’ve got a LOT of website passwords to change, so I want to be sure I’m doing it right.

  1. Go to website. BW often auto-fills username/password combo (I’ve switched it on in Settings). I select “change password” from whatever profile feature the website offers.

  2. Here’s where I start getting unsure what to do. I click on the Chrome Browser BW extension icon and select “Generator”. I copy the generated password (to the clipboard) and then paste it into the (usually two) New Password fields. I submit the changes on the website.

  3. BW seems to have no knowledge that the password has now changed, so I must open the Web Vault, find the entry and also paste the new password into the vault record. Is this right ? This seems quite long-winded. Lastpass would auto-detect change-password fields, prompt to auto-generate, and update the vault record in one smooth process.

The Lastpass extension is still on this computer, and although I don’t log into it, I’m aware that there could nonetheless be some interaction with BW functionality which is modifying my experience.

Hence this question.

2

It’s hit or miss.

From the extension icon, select Settings and then select Options. Make sure “ask to update login” is checked.

When you update a website, you can also click on the BW extension icon and click the view icon next to the website that’s listed. It should default to the website you are on (the password you just changed). Click the view icon and then click edit. You can then paste the new password there.

Also, under Settings → Options, scroll all the way to the bottom and make sure “auto-fill on page load” is selected. It’s an experimental feature but has been working pretty well for me.

Congrats on making the transition. I’m also a former LastPass user. Made the switch this week and have permanently deleted my LastPass accounts and canceled my subscription.

3

Thank you ! That was the detail I was missing - the little “Edit” box in the top corner when the browser extension shows the vault record. The UI could make that a bit bolder in my opinion, but now I know it’s there it makes everything so much easier.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

4

Although Bitwarden catches changed passwords for me nearly all the time, there is also another method that is slightly different from what @southerndoc suggests above, which I use successfully (and it is a bit quicker and very reliable):

  • browse to the website login page where you want to change your password
  • click the Bitwarden extension icon in the browser and open the correct BW entry in Edit mode
  • change your password in Bitwarden first, using the password generator, and save the change (note: Bitwarden retains the previous password in the item’s history in case you need to revert back)
  • on the page requesting a new password, select your recently modified credentials in the BW extension to auto fill it on the page, or just copy it from BW and paste it in the page twice - done!
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5

That’s an interesting trick. I’ll give it a go. Thanks for the reply.

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6

This technique is also the most reliable way to create a new login item in the Bitwarden browser extension! Cheers.

7

Thanks. I’ve not tried creating a new login yet - still working my way through an immense ex-Lastpass vault changing passwords. However, I’ve made a note to check this out.

Thanks for the idea.

8

I started using bitwarden yesterday moving from chrome password manager.

I have over 200 weak passwords and started changing them. Was surprised of how many clicks were necessary to change a password.

Questions

  1. Am I doing anything wrong or does it require 5x more clicks than on chrome to change a password?

  2. Is there a way for the extension to float on top of the window so I dont have to click on it to bring its features up?

  3. Is there a way to call bitwarden from the password field (similar to what chrome and lastpass do)?

Setup info:
Ubuntu Linux
Brave with Bitwarden extension

Thanks

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9

  1. You may want to utilize exporting Chrome passwords into Bitwarden as a start. Then work your way through changing them. That would be a savings in clicks.

  2. Use the Bitwarden Windows App side by side with Chrome. Put Chrome in 60% and Bitwarden hanging in the other 30%

  3. Right click the mouse in the password field to get the context menu with Bitwarden as one of those menus