Tried using a password manager for the first time and locked myself out of my own email

I set up Bitwarden last weekend, synced all my passwords, then promptly forgot the master password and got locked out of Gmail for 3 hours lol. Has anyone else had a panic attack over forgetting their own password? What backup method do you use?

3 comments

3 Comments

elliot_grant381mo ago

used to think password managers were overkill until I did the exact same thing and spent 45 minutes trying every variation of my dog's name before it locked me out completely. now I keep the master password written on a sticky note taped inside my desk drawer, which kind of defeats the purpose but beats getting locked out again. also set up a backup code sheet that I printed and stuck in my safe, feels a bit paranoid but it saved me when my browser decided to forget everything after an update. honestly wish someone had warned me about that first time setup panic, feels like they should make you test the recovery process right away.

spencer_moore391mo ago

Yeah that sticky note in the drawer trick is something I've seen a lot of people do. I ended up putting mine in a lockbox under my bed, figured at least it's not out in plain sight. The backup code sheet is the real lifesaver though, I keep one in my car glovebox and one at my parents house. That browser update thing is brutal, had Firefox nuke all my saved logins once and had to dig out those codes.

barbara27826d ago

Elliot_grant38 mentioned that lockout panic and it's wild how we'll jump through hoops for digital security but half the time the safety net is a piece of paper in a drawer. It's like leaving a spare key under the mat for your whole digital life and nobody thinks twice about it.