Microsoft is testing a new feature for Edge. Don't worry, this time it isn't bloatware. The browser's built-in password manager could soon allow you to save credentials manually.
Most modern browsers have a password manager, that lets you log in to your favorite sites with ease. Not unlike standalone tools (which often require an extension), browsers offer to save the username and password when you sign in to a website. Allowing it to do so, provides a convenient auto-login option that is triggered the next time you visit the same website. Besides, you don't have to type the long passwords, or even remember complicated patterns/phrases.
The password manager has been a part of Microsoft Edge for quite a while, though it has been missing an important option, the ability to add passwords without the login process that I mentioned above.
For context, Firefox's password manager, Lockwise, has had this feature for a long time, but Google Chrome was a little late to the party, it recently added support for saving passwords manually.
Since Edge is based on the Chromium source code, it is not surprising that Microsoft has brought the option over to its browser. The feature, spotted by a redditor, is currently available for select users participating in the Microsoft Edge Canary channel. Screenshots reveal that the feature can be accessed from the Edge Settings > Profiles > Passwords page.
With the addition of the handy option, you will be able to click the Add Password button which will bring up a pop-up modal, that allows you to add the URL of the website's login page, the username and password, and save it to your browser's vault. It looks very similar to the Edit passwords panel.
This may not sound like a useful option if you are using a cloud-based service like LastPass or Bitwarden, or a standalone password manager like KeePass. But for people who rely on Edge's password manager, the option to save passwords manually can be a lifesaver. The only other way to add passwords to Edge is by importing logins from other browsers, or a HTML or a CSV file.
The new feature seems to be in A/B testing phase in the current build available for users in the Microsoft Edge Canary Channel, version 99.0.1124.0. Once it passes the checks, and gets a positive nod from testers, Microsoft will roll out the option to the stable channel.
This is the sort of feature that users need, not a shortcut to MSN Games or Loans and other nonsense. In case you missed it and are wondering what I'm talking about, I recommend reading Martin's article where he wrote about how the recent additions to Edge have cluttered the browser.
Personally, I prefer a standalone password manager or a dedicated cloud service, for the sake of cross-platform/device compatibility. I use KeePass with a cloud service to synchronize the database across my devices, but also have Bitwarden as a partial backup.
What about you, do you use the built-in password manager in your browser?
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