The Security Risk of Shared Computers
By default, every time you log into a new website, Google Chrome displays a pop-up in the top-right corner asking if you want to save your password. If you accidentally click “Save,” or if you have previously instructed Chrome to save passwords without asking, your sensitive credentials are stored directly within the browser. If you are using a shared family computer or a public workstation, anyone who opens Chrome after you can easily log into your banking, email, or social media accounts with a single click. Furthermore, constantly dismissing the “Save password?” prompt on a computer where you explicitly never want to store data is incredibly annoying.
How to Disable the Password Save Prompt
You can configure Chrome to completely stop asking to save passwords, ensuring that your credentials remain exclusively in your head (or in a dedicated, secure third-party password manager app).
1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner of the window.
3. Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
4. In the left-hand sidebar, click on Autofill and passwords.
5. Click on Google Password Manager.
6. On the Password Manager screen, look at the left sidebar and click on Settings.
7. You will see a toggle switch labelled Offer to save passwords.
8. Click this toggle switch to turn it Off.
Managing Existing Passwords
Turning off the prompt stops Chrome from asking for new passwords, but it does not delete passwords you have already saved. To secure your browser, you must return to the main Password Manager screen (by clicking “Passwords” in the left sidebar). Review the list of saved sites. For every site you wish to remove, click the small arrow next to it, enter your computer’s PIN or password to verify your identity, and click the Delete button to permanently wipe the credential from Chrome’s memory.