Edge deleted all my passwords. NOT happy.

[kojack]

I kept all my site passwords on edge to make it easy to log into the sites I use regularly.  So, the other day, my passwords got deleted and now I can’t get them back. EFFING MS.  I think this is the last straw and I am moving to Mac for my PC/tablet experience. 

[Aaron44126]

I am a fan of KeePassXC and I will describe a bit how I put it to use.

 

https://keepassxc.org/

 

KeePassXC is a free / open source password management solution. It uses the same database format as KeePass 2, but unlike that one, it is cross-platform (Windows / Linux / macOS).

There are extensions to have it auto-populate passwords in browsers (Firefox, or Chromium-based).

It can also autofill passwords in other desktop apps with a keyboard shortcut. You can specify what the autofill key sequence is for each individual password entry. (Username + tab + password + enter is default, but you can override that.)

 

It also supports TOTP functionality (i.e. Google Authenticator style temporary six-digit codes).

 

For syncing between devices, I put the KeePass database in "the cloud" but protect it with a "key file" which I do not store in "the cloud", but rather only shuffle between devices "by hand". With a "key file" plus a complex master password, if someone were to grab the password database file, it still should be impossible to get anything useful out of it.

 

For access from mobile devices (iOS / iPadOS), I use the app "Keepassium" which can read the same password database format. It hooks into iOS's password autofill mechanism so you can autofill passwords in any browser or app (...well some sites and apps are stubborn and for those you can open the Keepassium app itself and copy/paste what you need out). The free version is adequate if you only use one password database.

 

I imagine that there is also a solution for Android, but I don't have any Android devices to worry about.

 

KeePassXC doesn't support any cloud functionality. To sync the database between devices, you can just put it in a cloud file store of your choice.

 

The specific mechanism that I use to keep it in sync between desktop and mobile is to have the password database stored in iCloud Drive. Keepassium is happy to open the file right out of there, and if you have it "keep the folder downloaded" (you set this in the Files app), it will automatically keep a local copy of that database file any time that it is changed. Two things that need to be set in KeePassXC (on all devices) are "Automatically reload the database when modified externally" (makes automatic sync work properly between desktop/desktop) and "Use alternate saving method: Directly write to the database file" (makes automatic sync work properly between desktop/mobile).

 

(I used to try storing it in OneDrive, which "works" but on the mobile side I sometimes had issues with the sync getting hung up. I would have to unlink the OneDrive-hosted database file from Keepassium and hook it up again in order to jar it into working. With iCloud Drive plus the settings that I mentioned above, it has been completely smooth sailing. The only complaint that I have is that the Windows iCloud Drive client could use some work and sometimes takes several minutes in order to notice that the file has been changed and sync up. But, it is pretty uncommon that I add a new password or change a password on one device and then immediately need access to it on another device.)

 

I know that you've been messing with Linux but I am not sure if there is an iCloud Drive solution for Linux. When I had Linux in the mix, I used a separate script to check a Windows system and keep the database file up to date if one copy or the other had changed.

 

Using this solution puts you in control of your password database and keeping it backed up. With a good backup strategy for both the database file and the key file, it should be "impossible" to lose your passwords. (Here I am thinking that there will be a backup mechanism on top of having it stored in "the cloud". You should have some way to retrieve it if that breaks, or if the database file becomes corrupt somehow — which has never happened to me but is something that I'd like to plan for.) I think a personal password database is too important to trust to someone else.

[Chalybion]

Thanks, I didn't realize KeepassXC has TOTP functionality, now I need to see if I can completely replace Google/MS Authenticator

[Aaron44126]

58 minutes ago, Chalybion said:

Thanks, I didn't realize KeepassXC has TOTP functionality, now I need to see if I can completely replace Google/MS Authenticator

 

Yeah, just right-click any entry and select "TOTP -> Set up TOTP". You'll have to give it the "secret string" from the web site where you are setting up 2FA. (Usually the site presents a QR code but has something to click if you can't scan the code, which will reveal the secret string.) After it is set up, you can pull codes from the KeePassXC UI, or you can also right-click a text field in the browser (if you have the integration set up) and select "Fill TOTP" and it will just plop it in for you.

[kojack]

That won't work for my use case.  I am beyond rotted with the crappy software from microsoft.  I have an idea, how about you hire back all the dev's you fired for "insider testing" and ditch ai.  have real people develop your products.  

[kojack]

So, It only took Linux to restore my passwords. I fired up my little linux laptop, turned off wifi, saved my CSV file from edge on it, because it was not updated to the new edge yet.  Got them back.  PHEW.  Oh, and eff MS!  If my son never used steam to game on his pc, I would seriously switch everything to Linux.  It just shows I need to get everything on onedrive, OFF IT.  I have to figure that one out now.  hmmmmm.