Ipad For Genealogy–Pt 3–Password Overload!

This is the 3rd installment of a series I’m doing on how I use the iStuff (iPhone/iPad) for genealogy and general research. You can read the first posts here: Part 1 - Calendars and Part 2 - Free Cloud Storage.

How many different internet sites or apps do you have password protected? If you are like our family, there are countless numbers from bank accounts, emails, kids internet sites, school internet sites, etc... As family historians, we only add to the number of passwords with the internet and database sites that we may subscribe to. We have to keep track of those passwords and keep them close by when we need them while also keeping them protected. We started using one of those solutions about a year ago, it is called Cozi Password Vault.

There are lots of password vault apps out there and all pretty much do the same thing, they are the keeper of your passwords and other sign-in information that you need on a daily basis but just can't always remember. What separated Cozi Vault for me was the ability for it to sync between devices. I wanted to use it on my iPhone and iPad and also my wife's iPhone, and it works great.

In order for it to sync between devices, it is ultimately setup in the cloud so that may be scary for some. It is not that scary for me because I read reviews of things like this and also look at their security issues, I was impressed with what people had to say so we started using it and have not looked back.

Here is a list of things that we like about it:

1. Syncs between all our iStuff so I add/change a password for our bank account on my phone or iPad, it updates on my wife's phone automatically. This syncing does not have to take place on Wi-Fi, Cozi will use cellular service to keep everything in sync.
2. Not just for passwords, you can customize menus and data so you can store login information or just about anything that you want to remember for a site.
3. The database has places for the url for the site so you can access your password and then open up the site right from within cozy
4. It has a password generator - I have some accounts where I have to change passwords every 30 or 60 days and I cannot use a password that I used before so this generator comes in very handy.
5. With on click, your password is copied to your clipboard so you can paste it right into the site when needed.

This is not a free app, I think it costs $1.99, not much when you think about the hassle it saves trying to remember all those passwords and login information.

I know there are plenty of these apps out there; which one are you using and why? Let us know in the comments.

Thanks for reading and keep diggin' for that family.

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