Stay secure by avoiding 7 common mistakes when sharing passwords

Easy and effective password storage and sharing can enhance the overall user experience online, not to mention improve productivity and the ability to collaborate with others. However, doing so using unencrypted methods can also be dangerous, since it leaves data open for interception and creates a digital footprint that can be exploited.

The good news is that these risky methods are avoidable thanks to secure password management solutions. With this in mind, here are seven of the most common mistakes to avoid when sharing passwords, and why these practices pose a significant security risk.

Most email platforms are not encrypted, and copies of the contents are often saved in multiple places, including the providers’ backup servers. As a result, it’s best to avoid using email for password sharing.

Like email, text messages are not secured with end-to-end encryption. Copies of sent texts are stored and backed up in the cloud to prevent information loss. That being said, SMS text messages should never be used for password sharing or other sensitive information.

Using spreadsheets on your computer might be convenient, but they are often stored locally on your device, so accessing them on other platforms can be difficult. Storing passwords in a spreadsheet on your device also makes sharing passwords challenging for others who need easy access. You might wonder if cloud-hosted spreadsheets or shared folders are the solution, and the answer, unfortunately, is no.

Cloud-hosted spreadsheets and folders might make passwords more accessible to others, but their lack of encryption and shared links without identity access controls will also leave private data vulnerable to outside threats. While it might be tempting to consider sharing passwords with this strategy, it is best avoided.

The pitfalls of using sticky notes for sharing passwords may seem obvious, but they continue to surface as a common method for recording and managing passwords both at home and in the workplace. The biggest risk associated with using sticky notes to record private business data is that they can easily be accessed by others, or worse, lost and end up in the wrong hands. It’s best to avoid this risk and only use them for helpful reminders and to-do lists, not for sharing passwords.

Note-taking apps have become a common replacement for sticky notes. The types of information commonly found in note-taking apps today include passwords, social security numbers, and private billing information. What’s concerning about this is that users are often unaware that the majority of note-taking apps are unencrypted by default. It’s safer to avoid using note-taking apps for password storage and password sharing and consider more secure alternatives with note-taking ability, such as Bitwarden.

In the Bitwarden 2025 World Password Day survey, more than half (55%) of millennials reported they still rely on memory to manage their passwords. As we become more and more dependent on online applications, remembering dozens of strong, unique passwords is simply not feasible or realistic. Oftentimes, many folks turn to reusing the same easy-to-remember password for multiple accounts. This is extremely risky because it only takes one of those accounts being exposed in a data breach for the rest to become vulnerable as well.

Most web browsers offer to store your passwords to make logging into your online accounts easy and painless. The challenge is that a password manager built into your web browser is not as secure or scalable as dedicated third-party password managers.

Given their overall commitment to making sharing passwords secure, dedicated password managers like Bitwarden are available across all platforms, browsers, and devices. In contrast, built-in browser password managers are limited to that specific browser and do not enable users to securely store other sensitive information or allow secure sharing with others when necessary. A strong third-party password manager offers secure password sharing capabilities as well as easy-to-use desktop and mobile applications. This makes it safe to access and share your passwords and other sensitive information securely from anywhere, on any device, whenever you need it.

Boosting your security awareness online can lead to the use of password best practices that will protect your private information and completely transform your user experience with sharing passwords into a positive one. Secure password storage and secure password sharing solutions actually do exist. 

Bitwarden enables users to store private information with cross-platform compatibility, so your information travels with you wherever you are, on any device. The ability to create an organization within your Bitwarden vault enables secure information sharing with other individuals or large groups, making it the perfect option for single users, teams, and organizations alike. Bitwarden also ensures secure access for teams and organizations through centralized account management and the security benefits provided by single sign-on (SSO). With Bitwarden, sharing passwords securely is a given.

Ready to try out password management with Bitwarden? Sign up for a free individual account, or explore which business plan is right for you and learn how it can help you gain control over your online security today.