At first it seems like a practical and smart move: it’s so hard to remember all of the many complex passwords you have to create for different websites and apps, so why shouldn’t you simplify things by saving them in your Notes app? Notes is right there, simple to access, and easy to use. Plus, you may think, it’s private to you — so no one will be able to access it and see and use your passwords.
But Notes is far from being the perfect solution to your password troubles. In fact, tech experts caution iPhone users to beware of the scary reasons why you should never save your passwords in Notes.
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1. Notes Lacks Encryption
You can lock Notes with a password, but your information isn’t encrypted. This means if someone does get ahold of your device, it won’t be that difficult for them to see your notes because the security isn’t super strict. A password manager or iCloud Keychain is a much more secure and less accessible place to store passwords and other sensitive data.
2. Syncing
When you use iCloud to sync your notes across other Apple devices, you risk exposing your passwords to more devices. So, even if your iPhone remains in your hand and is never compromised, if any of your other devices are compromised, your passwords can be leaked.
Maintaining a number of different, complex passwords can be a challenge. Use a dedicated password manager like LastPass, iCloud Keychain, or 1Password to help ensure your passwords are stored in a safe, encrypted space that also automatically generates the password when you need it.
