Most online accounts offer a "forgot password" link, so you can reset those via an email link, but it is a bit of a pain.

If there are passwords for which you are desperate, there are people who are able to recover most data from the typical crashed disc, but it isn't cheap and of course it can't be guaranteed to be successful. Some do a no-recovery/no-fee arrangement.

There are good arguments for putting important secure data on a memory stick and passing it to someone trustworthy and/or bank, lawyer, safe, etc.



FWIW, I also keep important passwords and similar data, e.g. for online banking, "memorable data", PINs and so on using a secure data application. There is a very, very, short list of people who have access to those secure data application files and their passwords. My wife and I have a reciprocal arrangement, and we each store the other's master password in our own file.

I keep all unimportant passwords in a Firefox account, but I don't sign-in anywhere, even to the Firefox account from Android. Using that account means I can use auto-generated passwords that are safer than my old algorithmic method from any PC that I use. Firefox accounts seem to have been pretty secure, but I'd never put important passwords there.



Both our files are stored both on our own personal PCs and also on our home fileserver, which is then backed up nightly and automatically, by BackupPC on a machine in an outbuilding. That way there's no issue of me forgetting to do it!

Part of the reason for all that is that when we die, there is a good method for other relevant people to be able to administer things.

Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful.
AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11
BIAB2025 Audiophile, a bunch of other software.
Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts
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