Do you use the Notes app on your desktop or phone to store private information, or your Contacts app to keep track of things like garage door codes or your National Insurance number? Neither of these methods is very secure, which is why third-party password apps such as Lastpass include the ability to store Secure Notes alongside your passwords.
Such notes usually come in two forms: notes attached to passwords themselves, for example to remind you of what the password is for, when you last changed it or what additional things you need to do, and stand-alone notes that you just need secure storage for.
And now they're coming to Chrome.
Chrome Password Manager: now with notes
The latest Chrome Canary release has upgraded the Chrome password manager with the ability to store secure notes. As 9to5google.com reports, "The option appears both when you go to edit an existing password or when adding a password for the first time." Although Canary releases are previews rather than consumer releases, it shouldn't be long before the feature makes it into the main browser for everyday users. It's currently expected for the Chrome release in April or May, but that timescale may change.
That's not the only improvement Chrome is getting to its password management. It's also getting the ability to enter passwords manually instead of having to wait until you visit the site.
These improvements aren't a big deal individually, but collectively they bring Chrome up to speed with third party services. The new features probably won't make any third party app users ditch their password managers, but they're definitely worthwhile for people who just rely on their default apps to store things: anything that makes people's personal data more secure and easier to secure has got to be a good thing.
