How to Use LastPass for More Than Just Managing Passwords
Store Secure Notes
You can store Secure Notes in LastPass as well as passwords. To do this in LastPass on a desktop, click the LastPass icon on your browser’s toolbar, select “Secure Notes,” and click “Add Note.” In the LastPass app for iPhone or Android, open the “Notes” section in your vault and tap the “+” (plus sign) button.
To type whatever you want, you can select the “Generic” option and get a big text box. If you want to store another type of data in your vault, you can even create a custom template. Just click the “Note Type” box, scroll to the bottom, and click “Add Custom Template.”
You can save as many notes as you want and even sort them into folders. To find your notes, click LastPass icon > Secure Notes, or select “Secure Notes” in the vault in the LastPass smartphone app. You can also search through all your secure notes using the search box in LastPass.
Like any passwords you save to LastPass, these notes are securely encrypted and stored in your vault. When LastPass is locked, no one will be able to see them. And they’ll be accessible on all your devices via the LastPass app, as they sync just like passwords.
You can store an unlimited number of items in your LastPass vault, but LastPass says you’ll start to see your vault slow down after 2500 items.
Keep Files in Your Vault, Too
Better yet, you can attach files directly to secure notes. LastPass lets you store entire files in your vault.
This might be particularly useful for identity documents, for example. You could take a photo of your driver’s license or passport and attach it to the appropriate secure note, so you’d always have a photographic copy if you need it in the future. However, you can attach and store any other type of file, too.
Files you store in here are encrypted just like passwords and notes, so this is more secure than just storing them in your Dropbox account or your smartphone’s Photos app.
To do this, click the “Add Attachment” button while creating or editing a secure note to add any file you like. In the smartphone app, tap the paperclip icon at the top of the screen while editing a note to attach a photo.
Make a List of Secret Bookmarks
LastPass can store secret bookmarks that are hidden from your normal web browser. If you have sensitive websites you want to remember but don’t want anyone else knowing about, keep them here.
To create a new bookmark, click LastPass > Sites > Add Site.
Enter the address of the web page you want to visit in the URL box. For example, if you wanted to bookmark Google Calendar, you’d enter https://google.com/calendar. Name the bookmark whatever you want—for example, “Google Calendar.”
You can store the bookmark wherever you want. For example, you might want to place it in a dedicated “Bookmarks” folder so you can easily find it.
When you’re done, leave the username and password fields blank and click “Save.”
You can now click LastPass > Sites, click the name of the bookmark folder you created, and click the name of the bookmark to open it in a new browser tab immediately. This list of bookmarks will appear under Sites in the LastPass smartphone app, too.
Automatically Fill Your Address, Credit Card Number, and More
LastPass can remember and fill in more than just usernames and passwords. You can save your name, address, phone number, credit card numbers, and other personal details in LastPass to make entering them easier online.
To create a form fill profile in LastPass, click LastPass icon > Form Fills.
If you see a Default form fill profile, click “Edit” to edit it, or click “Add Form Fill” to create a new one. Or, if you want to fill your credit card number quickly, click “Add Credit Card” instead.
LastPass lets you fill in all kinds of information, including your name, birth date, gender, mailing address, email address, phone number, credit card information, social security number, bank account routing numbers, and more. Save your data by clicking “Save” when you’re done.
You can even create multiple profiles if you like. For example, you could create one profile for your mailing address and another for a family member’s mailing address if you frequently order packages online for that person.
When you want to fill in this information online, click the profile icon in a field and select your form fill profile, saved credit card, or whatever else you want to fill in.
You can also click LastPass icon > Form Fills and click the name of a form fill. The information from your saved profile will be automatically filled into the form on the current page.
