Forget about trying to remember 50 different passwords. Avoid clicking the “Forgot your password?” link ever again. How? Use a password manager utility.

After finding that the number of my online registrations exceeded my (limited) brain capacity for recalling them, I realised I needed a way to retrieve passwords without using my Filofax. Because I used several browsers, my website passwords and registrations were all over the place. For a while, Ciphsafe was my secure haven. But a lack of recent development and limited functionality (ie. website autofill) led me to look for a replacement: 1Passwd.

As a Mac OS X utility, 1Passwd ticks all the boxes. Clean interface, tick. Fast loading and stable, tick. Stacks of features, tick. All you have to do is remember one “master” password and all your valuables (passwords, web forms, notes, identities) are locked away by 1Passwd’s 128 bit military encryption.

1Passwd also can easily manage important or confidential notes. I use the Secure Notes feature to record all the serial numbers of my valuables such as cameras, hi-fi and television etc. Each entry also lists when I purchased the item, how much I paid and where I bought it. Now, to some, this might seem pedantic but have you checked the fine print of you home contents insurance lately? I backup my Secure Notes on an external hard drive as well as online (off-site copy) – using 1Passwd’s export function – just to be sure.

Rather than list all the features here, go and check out the comprehensive 1Passwd website. Or check out a detailed review on thinkmac where 1Passwd is aptly described as a way to “Pimp your Keychain”.

Give 1Passwd a test drive as it seamlessly integrates with all major Mac OS X browsers and the developer support is excellent (yes, I’ve had some help). There’s a fully functional free version, albeit with a 12 Web Form limit, if you’re still not convinced.

Do you manage your passwords or just recycle the same old password? Leave a comment below.

This is the first review in a series on handy Mac OS X utilities. Keep a look out for the next one… or better yet subscribe to Arkhitekon.net.

UPDATE 16 May 2007: This article recently won Agile Web Solutions‘ 1Passwd Bloggin’ for Tunes Contest. Cool! I’m off to buy some muzak.