The Best Mac Tips – Productivity Tips for Mac Users (2015)

LASTPASS

LASTPASS IS AN AWARD winning app. It is a password manager that not only saves your passwords; it also provides you with a secure access to your passwords from every mobile device and computer. This amazing app will fill out your logins for you and will conveniently sync all your passwords whenever and wherever you need them.

With this app you can work all day without having to worry about any security issues. It is perfect for all those who struggle to remember their passwords and accounts for a multitude of websites, saving their time and efforts.

Features

Here are some of the features you will come across when using LastPass:

Easy Login

After having saved your username and password for a website, LastPass auto fills the login space whenever you make your return to that particular website. You don’t need to think about what your password is and you don’t even need to type it out. This application does everything for you so that your login is hassle-free.

Streamlined Workflow

With the LastPass app, all you Mac users get offered a digital vault for the convenient feature of editing, sharing, organizing and managing all of your secure notes and passwords. With this vault option, you can view all of your passwords and accounts in one place or vault where you can organize, edit and delete the data you’ve stored.

For Mac users, this application is also built to provide the convenience of offline access which is available with the application’s browser extensions. All of your data easily and automatically gets backed up with the security of a local copy. This gives you access to your information even without an internet connection.

Maximized Security

LastPass aims at helping you create passwords that are stronger. It also keeps you informed and updated about your progress in regard with improving and enhancing your online security. There is a Security Check in this Mac app which provides you with a real time analysis regarding the strength of your passwords.

You are also provided with a snapshot of your security score. The application helps you identify duplicate and weak passwords so that you can conveniently have them replaced with new, unique and strong passwords.

Whenever you are creating or updating an account, the LastPass password generator will make an appearance so that you can have long, unique passwords that follow the best of security practices.

Quick Search

This is one of the key features that lets you search for a keyword or website so that you can quickly and easily locate your passwords, notes and logins. Using this application, you can directly launch sites straight from their default browser making use of just a keyboard shortcut and LastPass will fill in your password and username for speedy website logins.

Tips on Using LastPass for Mac Users

LastPass is extremely helpful for securing your passwords and helping you manage your accounts and here are a few tips on how you can efficiently use this app:

Unlocking the Quick Search Feature

When you feel the need to find a particular password, use the Quick Search feature by doing either of the following:

· Click on the LastPass Menu Bar icon or

· Press Shift + Command + L Hotkey (⇧⌘L) and open the Quick Search

Once you open the Quick Search, all you need to do is:

· Enter a keyword so as locate a secure note or login

· Use the launch button to have the website opened up in your default browser

You then don’t have to worry about the login as LastPass will take care of that for you.

The Addition of a Secure Note

Adding a secure note is an easy process. All you need to do is the following:

· Click on Secure Notes

· Select the option of Add Secure Note

Another way of adding a Secure Note is with the help of your vault. You simply have to go to the Actions sidebar and click onto the Add Secure Note button. Once your Secure Notes have been added, they will appear in the Secure Notes folder under a list.

This happens by default but you do have the option of moving them from the Secure Notes folder to any other folder you would like to place them in.

Adding Attachments to Secure Notes

You can add attachments to current of new Secure Notes. You will just need to:

· Go to the editing dialog by clicking onto the edit icon and click on the paperclip icon.

· Locate the file you would like to attach

By performing the simple steps above, you can sync your attachments and can access it whenever you log into your account no matter where you are. A single attachment of up to 10MB can be added and multiple attachments can also be added to a Secure Note.

The Addition of an Application

If you would like to add an application to LastPass, you would need to do the following:

· Launch the application you would like to add

· Select the option of Add Application after going to your computer taskbar and clicking on the LastPass for Applications icon.

· The Add Application dialog box will then be launched

· Click on Find

· Highlight the application’s window

· After LastPass confirms selected application’s file location, click on the option of Next

After performing the above steps, you will be required to train LastPass to be able to log into the application you added. Before you initiate the training, clear away all of the data present in the login fields.

To make things easier, and to allow you to just copy and paste the login data, you can store the password and username in a Secure Note. In order to train LastPass, you will have to do the following:

· Click onto the Train button after you are ready to start recording the login

· Click on the application you would like to store

· Add in your login credentials

· Click Login/Submit

After performing the above mentioned steps, the application should be successfully logged in. You will then need to:

· Go to the LastPass Add Application dialog

· Select the option of Stop Training

You should now be able to view an entry for the application you added in the Applications submenu. Also, you can Copy password/username, Edit, Launch, Retrain or Delete the application entry by going to your Applications Icon > Applications > Application Name

Adding New Sites

If you would like to add new sites to LastPass, the steps that follow are what you will be required to do:

· Go to the site you want to add and enter in your credentials.

· Click onto the field icon before you login so that the dropdown can be produced

· The pop-up will then expand after you click onto the option of Save Site

Before you click the Save Site option, you will be able to see a dialog box where you will need to fill in basic details such as your name, username, password and the folder you choose to keep your sites in an organized manner.

After hitting the Save Site button, the site data will be entered in automatically into your LastPass Vault by LastPass. After your encrypted data is stored, your information will be automatically filled in by LastPass the next time you login or visit the website you’ve added.

Getting Your Password Generated

Upon detecting that you are in the process of having a new login created for a new site, or that you are in the process of entering a password on a website that isn’t already stored in your Vault, LastPass will help you create a new and much stronger password by popping up the Generator icon ( ).

In the event that the pop up does not appear automatically, you can manually select the Generator icon (). You can do so by:

· Going to the password field and clicking onto the gray field icon

· Then go to the submenu and click on to the Generator icon ()

After you perform the above steps, a dialog box will appear where you can specify the characters and length of your password to create your new password that is much more secured.

You can choose the option of customizing your password by using Show Advanced Options. LastPass will save your password in your account if you do not stumble upon the chance to add in the new website after you Accept the password that has been generated for you.

By going to your LastPass Vault, you can view the password you have saved whenever you want. If it so happens that LastPass does not prompt you to have a new password generated, you can gain access to the feature by doing the following:

· Click the LastPass icon

· Select the Generate Secure Password dialog box to successfully launch it

LastPass is a highly effective application for securing your account and creating a protective seal around your valuable data. Most importantly, it helps you never to forget your password so that you can carry on with performing tasks without the hassle of having to lose track of what your passwords or login credentials are.