Dropbox is not the first company to make such a decision this year
Starting this Thursday, August 28, Dropbox will turn off the autofill functionality, and users won’t be able to edit or add new passwords anymore. Though you will be able to download your credentials for around a week after that.
Dropbox recently announced that it is focusing on its core product and discontinuing Dropbox Passwords — a security application designed to host and manage login credentials. Users are urged to migrate any saved content to their personal storage solutions by October 28. Otherwise, access to saved passwords could be lost.
Phasing Out Timeline
- On August 28, the autofill functionality will be turned off and users won’t be able to edit or add new passwords anymore.
- On September 11, the mobile app will be closed. But the browser extension will still work for a while.
- On October 28, the browser extension will be closed and all entries will be deleted.
Starting to Look Like a Trend
“We’ve certainly taken note of Dropbox’s announcement regarding the discontinuation of Dropbox Passwords. For those who relied on it, this news can feel disruptive and leave people wondering how best to secure their online lives going forward. But it’s not the first time this sort of decision has been made this year. Companies abandoning non-core activities and disabling password managers or password management functions is starting to look like a trend in the technology market. Earlier this year, Deutsche Bank turned off the document and password vault in its online banking platform, and Microsoft just finished phasing out password management functionality in its Authenticator app,” says Karolis Arbaciauskas, head of business product at NordPass.
“This development, while challenging for affected individuals, highlights an increasingly crucial aspect of personal and organizational cybersecurity: the need for robust, reliable, and dedicated solutions. In other words, relying on integrated features within a broader service, which might be subject to strategic shifts, can expose users to unexpected vulnerabilities. But in the long run, this shift can be beneficial. Users will likely move from integrated solutions to dedicated cybersecurity tools. Meanwhile, Dropbox, Deutsche Bank and other non-cybersecurity companies will be able to focus on their core products. Keeping services, such as password vaults secure and up to date is costly and requires constant attention,” he adds.
Note for admins
Arbačiauskas notes that businesses, more specifically IT or cybersecurity administrators, should also pay attention to Dropbox’s notification, because each team member will also need to take the action to export their password data.
“Admins: Each team member will need to take the action above to export their password data. To see which of your team members are using Dropbox Passwords, go to the Passwords page in the admin console. If a team member has a Passwords score, then that indicates they’re using Dropbox Passwords. If it says Inactive then that user is not using Dropbox Passwords.” Dropbox informs.
How to Export Your Passwords
Dropbox provides the following instructions:
Browser Extension
- Open the Dropbox Passwords browser extension.
- Click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the bottom-left corner.
- Click “Preferences.”
- Click the “Account” tab.
- Click “Export.”
- Click “Export” to confirm.
Mobile App
- Open the Dropbox Passwords mobile app.
- Tap “Settings.”
- Tap “Export.”
- Tap “Export” to confirm.
“Just remember to delete the unencrypted CSV file after you import your credentials to another password manager,” says Arbaciauskas.
