Disable Password Saving for Selected Apps/Sites in SmartLock Password Manager for Android

In the Google I/O 2015, they announced many new things including a new password manager for Android built on top of the existing SmartLock feature available in the Lollipop version of the popular mobile OS. The SmartLock password manager for Android helps you save the sign-in information for various web sites and apps to the connected Google account, so that you can sign-in to these apps or sites with ease later on. SmartLock password manager can both automatically sign-in to the apps/sites for which you have saved the passwords as well as seek your confirmation before signing in.

As with every other password manager, there are certain apps or web sites for which you may decide not to save the sign-in information (basically the username and password). If you want to prevent SmartLock to save the passwords for some of the apps or sites, then you can change the settings in Android in the following manner:

  1. Open the Google Settings in your Android phone. The shortcut to Google Settings can be found in the apps drawer where all other apps have their shortcuts too.
  2. On the Google Settings screen, you have to select SmartLock Passwords option given near the very lower end of the screen.Android SmartLock Password Manager
  3. The next screen that opens, lets you choose the preferences for SmartLock Passwords. At the very bottom of this screen, touch the plus sign that reads + Add site or app not to be saved.
  4. It will display all the apps for which sign-in information can be saved, choose any of these apps – passwords for which you do not wish to be saved.Android SmartLock Password Manager
  5. Repeat the steps for all the apps for which passwords are not to be saved. You can add as many apps as you want to the ignore list.

Conclusion: SmartLock Password Manager feature is going to make things easier by saving the passwords for many of the frequently used apps and web sites. But it is flexible enough to help you avoid saving the passwords for some of the sensitive apps or sites (e.g., online banking sites).