Help changing passwords

[Barbara Jay]

I am not sure this is the proper thread for this question. If it is not then move it to where it belongs

I have used the same password for a lot of sites including Apple. Apparently that is not a good idea so I am in the process of changing passwords.

However I am a bit confused as the application or use of my Apple account(s) and passwords

I have a password I use to log into my computer and I use the same password for my Apple ID account and my iTunes account.

Are all of my Apple accounts connected so they would use the same password?

IF I change my Apple ID password will it also change my iTunes password or visa versa?
Or are my Apple ID and my iTunes account the same?

When I change either my Apple ID password or my iTunes password or both will it also change the password I use to log into my computer ?

I hope this makes sense . I don't want to create a mess for myself
Thanks
Barbara

[bobtomay]

The login to the user account on your computer has nothing to do with your Apple ID.

iTunes uses your Apple ID.
You change the password for your Apple ID, then yes, you have changed the password for logging in to iTunes.

[Barbara Jay]

Thank you !
I will change the password for my Apple ID and iTunes.

Do you ever change the password you use to log into your computer?
Thanks again
Barbara

[chscag]

Do you ever change the password you use to log into your computer?

Not on my iMac which sits in my home office. I don't use a password to log on to it but I do for all my "portable" devices.

[Barbara Jay]

Thanks
When I set up my iMac years ago it asked me to establish a password so I did .

[bobtomay]

I keep a login password on my notebooks - but don't on my desktop machines either.

I also use a password protected password manager on my all my machines - so, no stored passwords in my web browsers, etc. on any of them.

[Barbara Jay]

I keep a login password on my notebooks - but don't on my desktop machines either.

I also use a password protected password manager on my all my machines - so, no stored passwords in my web browsers, etc. on any of them.

What is a "password protected password manager' ? And how does it work

I had use one password for everything until I my CC was hacked and the fraud department at the Bank told me to change ALL of my passwords . When I told them I had one all purpose password they said I needed to come up with different passwords for each site . So I have been coming up with random letters , numbers and symbols for each site I visit and writing them down on index cards. This is very time consuming so if there is a better way I would like to know about it .
Thanks
Barbara

[chscag]

Barbara:

You need a password manager that will do that for you. There are numerous ones available, even some that are free, however, most of us use 1Password for maximum protection. It's a bit pricey except when on sale.

1Password for the Mac

[Rod Sprague]

Barbara, you might be interested in using a low tech approach. I stress it’s not as secure as say “1Password” but it’s what my wife does and she, like you, used to have one password for everything.

Her laptop login is a phrase. You can use a nonsense phrase that you will remember like, “I don’t roast fish”. This is much stronger than your name or birthday or combination of the two and much harder to guess. Mix up the lower and upper case letters and it’s even stronger.
Do make sure you tell someone you trust what it is. Recently a woman left her new iPad to her son in her will but had not told him the password. It is now an expensive paperweight. Apple will not help and neither can a technician. There is of course always the possibility that we might forget it ourselves eg. stroke, illness, accident, Alzheimer’s etc.

She has a free dedicated email account that she uses for her user name. That way any annoying ads don’t end up in her main email address.

She uses a free app from the App Store called DoorMan to create passwords for each new site.

On each new occasion she creates a MS Word document named for the site eg “Mac Forums” docx and saves it in a folder with an innocent name (not My Passwords) in a place she can find easily.

Now any time she needs to log in to a site she goes to the appropriate doc and simply copies and pastes her user name and password into the dialogue boxes.

I say again this is convenient and simple but not very secure but, it is much safer than using the same password or weak passwords for everything and your main email address is more secure.

[MBP17•David]

Well, the password question has already been answered extensively, I just wanted to add that, even your Apple ID doesn't have to be the same: I have different ones for iCloud and iTunes.

In fact, due to often spending considerable amounts of time across the pond, I have two separate iTunes accounts for US and UK stores - works perfectly and yes, all purchases are in the same iTunes app

[bobtomay]

Rod, another way to do what your wife is doing and a little more secure - have her use the Keychain to store her passwords. I did this up until I just had too many passwords and it became a pitb to go copy and paste instead of having an app (like 1Password) do it all for me.

If not using Safari or not allowing Safari to remember login details of sites - When creating a new password for a site, open up Keychain Access and create a new 'Secure Note'. Copy and paste the usename/password and any other pertinent info into the note. Keeps everything in one place and will require at a minimum knowing the login password of the machine to access any other info.

[Luvntravln]

Currently on 50% sale!

[Rod Sprague]

Thanks Bobtomay, thats a way of using KeyChain I had not heard of. I'll explore that. It could be very handy for my kids but I like you have way too many password files now. I keep all my files in a password protected .dmg file.
I like MBP.17.David have 2 Apple Id's but I wonder how he gets around the 90 day device association rule for iTunes. He seems to be saying he has purchases on 2 different iTunes accounts all in one iTunes app.
It was my understanding you can't do that unless he is using two separate devices.

[Luvntravln]

Thanks Bobtomay, thats a way of using KeyChain I had not heard of. I'll explore that. It could be very handy for my kids but I like you have way too many password files now. I keep all my files in a password protected .dmg file.
I like MBP.17.David have 2 Apple Id's but I wonder how he gets around the 90 day device association rule for iTunes. He seems to be saying he has purchases on 2 different iTunes accounts all in one iTunes app.
It was my understanding you can't do that unless he is using two separate devices.

I have had two Apple IDs for years: USA - Australia.

Simply log out of one store and log into the other. PIA!

[MBP17•David]

I like MBP.17.David have 2 Apple Id's but I wonder how he gets around the 90 day device association rule for iTunes. He seems to be saying he has purchases on 2 different iTunes accounts all in one iTunes app.
It was my understanding you can't do that unless he is using two separate devices.

Yup, all on the same MBPro 17". Just like Luvntravln said above, I simply log out of the UK store and login to the US one - the message pops up telling me the account only valid for the US store and iTunes is taking me there - done. Quite often I do that a few times a day - particularly when there are updates for apps purchased in different stores, or new episodes of TV shows ... My Apple TV is permanently log in with UK store ID, but has full access to my entire library, including items purchased in the US store.