Google’s new Passwords app just made it easier for me to ditch Chrome

I’ve been on a mission to de-Google my life as much as possible in an attempt to control how much information a single company has about me. While there are some essential Google services I will never part with, switching my browser from Chrome has been a priority.

I have never regretted the switch to Brave. However, Chrome remained in my app rotation for one simple reason: I have hundreds of passwords saved in the Password Manager. While it’s possible to export passwords to another browser, Password Manager is also built into Android. This integration allows you to save passwords, generate secure password suggestions, and access login details across devices.

This also means that Password Manager has been essential for my Android phones. When an OEM doesn’t have its own version of a credential manager, Google’s Password Manager remains the default way to save and access app passwords. Even when an alternative manager was available, I used Google’s solution wherever possible to make my details easily accessible across phones from different manufacturers.

I could technically access the passwords by searching through my phone’s settings and finding my Google account preferences, but the process was different for each device and resulted in me visiting a variety of different menus before finding the right one. This is why I kept Chrome around. If I wanted to access my app passwords easily, I needed to open Chrome and access them there. But the standalone Password Manager app has changed that.

Google Password Manager now exists as a standalone app that you can download from the Google Play Store. Not only does this make it easier to access the service on your home screen and through your app drawer, but it also makes accessing the service easier overall.

I was initially concerned that the app only functioned as a shortcut to the password manager within Chrome. I’ve since disabled Chrome on my smartphone to see whether this was the case. I was happy to discover that I can still access the password manager without needing Chrome. I was also able to sign up for a new app, generate a password through the Password Manager pop-up, and save the password to the service.

Likewise, I can still access the most important features of the service, including account credentials, the checkup tool, and autofill settings.

The only other reason I kept Chrome around was to easily access Google Search when I needed shopping links or better local results. I love Brave Search, but it doesn’t provide as many local results and local shop listings as I would like. However, I don’t need Chrome to access Google — I can just add a shortcut to the search engine in Brave.

With the introduction of the standalone Password Manager app, my last reason to keep Chrome around no longer applies. The anxiety I felt when considering completely leaving Chrome behind is gone.

However, there are drawbacks. Even though Google Password Manager is now a standalone app, this doesn’t mean it acts like other credential management apps. When I use Brave, the passwords I enter save to Brave’s built-in password manager, even when I’m using my phone. Google’s autofill feature also only works when I’m using an Android app that requires a login, or when I’m using Chrome.

So, when I want to log in to a site using Brave, I need to open Google’s app to copy over the credentials and paste them separately to the browser. Overall, though, I’m glad I no longer need to keep Chrome installed to do this.

While Google Password Manager is the most convenient password manager to use across devices, it isn’t necessarily the most secure. There are plenty of great password managers to choose from, many of which offer free plans. Since I’ve also switched from Chrome as my default browser on my computer, I need a manager I can use across devices and browsers. A dedicated password manager app will also allow me to use the autofill feature regardless of which browser I’m using.

But to be honest, I find comfort in familiarity, so it will take time for me to truly make the jump. I’m eager to try out Proton Pass due to the company’s focus on privacy. The password manager also offers benefits like email aliases and an integrated two-factor authentication (2FA) feature. It will also let me import my passwords from multiple browsers and generate strong passwords for accounts.

However, before I make the switch to an alternative, I will need time to test it and see that it suits my needs. At the same time, I’m glad that Google’s new standalone app makes it possible for me to easily store Android credentials without needing to use Chrome to access them anymore.

I no longer feel stuck and bound to Chrome, which in turn has made it easier to envision more ways I can reduce my reliance on Google. I want to use a service because it offers the best features, not because I’m simply locked into the ecosystem.