In our previous post, we talked about why you should change your passwords and gave you tips on creating strong passwords. Some of you might have even tried to create and test your new password, but found the results still weak. If random characters and numbers are giving you strong passwords, but you are finding it hard to remember them, this article may help.

Today we are featuring 20 desktop tools to help you generate and also manage multiple passwords. Most of them are free, however those that require you to pay have additional features that make it stand out from the rest.

Recommended Reading: Change Your Passwords.

Password Generators

It can get a bit frustrating when some websites require you to include certain characters in your chosen password. It helps make the password harder to crack but adding that extra upper case character, a number and/or a symbol may make it harder for you to remember your passwords.

To help you, we recommend the following desktop programs which not only help to generate strong passwords but can also help generate pronounceable (hence, easier to remember) passwords.

Password Generator

[Windows] This program is a lightweight tool that does not require installation. Just run the program, choose from one of the 15 languages provided and hit F5 to generate a list of passwords which you can save into a .txt file. The Password Check feature determines if your password is really secure. [Free]

Password Inventor

[Windows] No installation required. Choose from the three options Simple, Pattern or Pronounceable passwords can be generated. You can either generate just one password or a list of passwords which can be saved or copied out. The Pattern option is a powerful feature where users determine which specific characters or symbols to include as well as its position within the password. [Free]

SecureSafePro Password Generator

[Windows] With an easy-to-understand user interface, this program can generate up to 100,000 unique passwords in a single click. The passwords can be saved into a .txt file for future reference. Passwords generated can also be 99 characters in length and pronounceable, generating secure and easy-to-remember passwords. [Free]

Quicky Password Generator

[Windows] Sometimes a basic generator without the hassle of advanced options can still produce secure passwords. Allowing variable-length passwords of 4 to 20 characters makes this password generator standout from the rest. [Free]

PWGen

[Windows] A very secure program that has multiple features, this program includes options to Encrypt, Decrypt and Clear the clipboard so that no information is intercepted when copying passwords out of this program. It also offers PassPhrases which makes the password easier to remember. [Free]

PassworG

[Windows] When you need specific characters for your passwords, this program does not limit the user to checkboxes of different options. Users input their allowed characters to create unique and/or readable passwords. It also features an option to check the password strength. [Free]

Random Password Generator

[Windows] This is a basic, all-in-one program to generate, manage and determine password strength. This program requires you to install it to manage passwords, accessible via password. The manager also has an editable section for each saved password so you won’t forget what each password is for. [Free]

WinTinker Password Generator

[Windows] So far this is the only generator that features replacing characters with symbols to generate secure and random passwords. [Free]

RPG

[Mac] An easy-to-use yet powerful password generator. This program generates hexadecimal passwords which are commonly used but difficult to do on your own. [Free]

Password Boy

[Windows] This password generator works both online and offline. Just bookmark it and generate secure passwords whenever you need it. To use it offline, download it via this link. [Free]

SoftFuse Password Generator

[Windows] If you’re working in public you may like this asterisk mask of the password generated with this tool. Despite not seeing the password, you’ll still be able to copy the generated password and paste it wherever you need it. [Free]

Xyzzy

[Windows] The program uses an algorithm that has been perfected to generate secure pronounceable passwords. [Free]

Password Managers

Having unique passwords on every website you register for is good practice and ensures your security. However, this creates another issue: to remember all these unique passwords for multiple websites.

Below are a few password managers that will help you in ensuring that all your unique passwords are secure, well organized and protected at all times.

1Password

[Windows & Mac] This is one of the best password managers out there. Its best feature is that it is integrated into your web browser where you can save passwords on any website automatically. Not only does it support multiple operating systems, it syncs across all platforms and also Dropbox to ensure you have the password you need when you need it. [$49.99]

LastPass

[Linux, Windows & Mac] This program is free and offers users security, multiple password management and an in-built password generator. It also can be integrated into the web browser of your choice where it can save and fill in your login ID and password when you access any website. You can also backup your passwords into a USB flash drive. [Free]

Password Safe

[Windows] A lightweight program, Password Safe is protected by a master password. It is secure and easy to use for remembering passwords for different websites or services. [Free]

Cherbox

[Windows] Another lightweight and easy-to-use password manager which also helps you keep notes. Just like other managers, it is protected by a master password, ensuring all your information is secure. [Free]

Key SplashID Safe

[Windows & Mac] Sync information over multiple device platforms and operating systems, and skip browser integration. This program also features a USB key which you can use to securely bring all your passwords with you wherever you go. [$19.95]

mSecure

[Windows & Mac] mSecure comes with the promise of a secure encryption feature complete with self-destruct feature upon hacking attempts. Manage and organize your passwords with built-in groups where you can ‘favourite’ more commonly used passwords. Its secure syncing system enables you to have every password entry updated on multiple platforms instantly with the help of Dropbox. [$19.99]

KeePass

[Linux, Windows & Mac] With this tool, you can set hotkeys to save and execute passwords. Other features include multiple language support, a password generator and being able to import, export and transfer your passwords securely. [Free]

SuperGenPass

[Windows, Linux & Mac] This password manager is a JavaScript bookmarklet for your browser to generate secure passwords out of a master password. Although you type the same password into every website, the password that it generates is unique to each website. [Free]

Related posts:

1. Golden Rule to Internet Security: Change Your Passwords
2. Desktop File & Image Sharing Tools – Best of
3. Top 10 Desktop Customization Tools for Cleaner Windows
4. 9 Ways To Keep Hackers off Your Facebook Account

Editor’s note: This post was written by Alexa Garthwaite, Business Development Manager at executiveoffices.co.uk.

The definition of the word ‘tools’ has taken on many forms over the centuries, and in this day and age it’s shrouded in ambiguity. A construction worker probably wouldn’t find the prospect of a new tool overly exciting, but a Blogger would certainly have his interest piqued.

If you are an active member in the blogosphere you no doubt send and receive plenty of emails each day. Whether it’s responding to enquiries or sending out your own outreach emails to build relationships and pursue prospective guest post opportunities, it can be both time consuming and tedious. Thankfully there are plenty of tools that make your life easier, whether it’s hunting down contact details or scheduling reminders to chase up an email.

We have scoured the internet and compiled a list of these time saving email outreach tools that every blogger should be using, which can save a tonne of time and increase productivity.

Recommended Reading: 20+ Essential Tools And Applications For Bloggers

1. Boomerang

Boomerang for Gmail is a plugin for Firefox and Chrome that is packed full of fantastic features, which will make you wonder why Google didn’t implement them in the first place.

Email Scheduling

One of Boomerang’s core features is the ability to schedule emails to be sent at a later date, whether it’s in a day, week or a month. This is useful for a number of reasons, for example you may be sending an email to someone in a different time zone who is currently asleep, but want the email to land in their inbox at 9 am when they arrive in the office. Or perhaps you need to send the same person another email but don’t want to bombard their inbox, with Boomerang you can give them a chance to digest your first email by scheduling the second to send later on in the day.

Follow up Reminders

Boomerang also allows you to, believe it or not, boomerang emails back to your inbox at a chosen time. Let’s say you approach a blog about a guest post opportunity, but because they are very busy they ask you to get in touch again in a couple of weeks. Simply set up a follow up reminder for 2 weeks’ time, and Boomerang will archive the email and return it to the top of your inbox when you actually need it.

You can also use this feature to remind you to chase people up if you don’t hear back from them by a specific time. Simply tick the appropriate box and your message will return to your inbox if they haven’t gotten back to you.

2. Buzz Stream Email Research Tool

Buzz Stream’s email research tool is great for hunting down the contact details of a person or website. Struggling to find the contact details of a blogger is a common occurrence when performing email outreach, but with Buzz Stream the only information you need to know is the website address, name or company.

Fill out any of these details and hit ‘Generate Searches’ and you are presented with a variety of Google search operators that will scour the site for email links and contact forms. It’s lightweight and easy to use, perfect for when you need to find the contact details of a single site.

3. Gmail Canned Responses

Canned Responses is a Google Labs add on which allows you to create simple templates, and are great when sending common outreach emails. Typing out similar emails can become very tedious, and with this simple tool you will save valuable time and eliminate the repetitiveness of everyday tasks.

4. Rapportive

Rapportive is another Gmail addon which happens to compliment Boomerang rather well. It pulls in all available information on the person you are emailing from their various social media accounts, such as Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. This allows you to interact with them on a more personal level and provides invaluable information when reaching out to fellow bloggers. The information is displayed in an unobtrusive box at the side of your screen, and it even allows you to write notes on a specific person.

5. Gmail Undo Send

Undo Send is a Google Labs add on which simply allows you to cancel an email from being sent within 5, 10, 20 or 30 seconds. It’s a real life saver when you fire an email off too early or to the wrong person, or if you forget to attach a document.

6. Follower Wonk

Twitter should be an active part of every bloggers life; it allows you to connect with your readers on a more personal level and is a great way to notify them of new posts. It’s also a goldmine for finding guest post opportunities and building relationships with other bloggers. Follower Wonk is a relatively new tool that harnesses the power of Twitter, allowing you to search for bloggers in a certain niche.

Perhaps you run a design blog and want to reach out to fellow bloggers in your niche, simply enter ‘design blogger’ and Follower Wonk will sift through thousands of likeminded Tweeters and rank them according to their influence, number of followers and how long they have been on Twitter.

You can also analyse a Twitter accounts followers allowing you to find bloggers that already follow you, making it easy to build upon any existing relationships you may have.

7. Citation Labs Contact Finder

If you need to find contact details for more than one blog at a time, Citation Labs also offer a contact finder, allowing you to enter up to 1,000 URLs. It takes several minutes dependent on how many websites you enter, and will crawl the web and compile a list of email addresses which you can then export in .csv format. This allows you to open them up in Excel to sort them accordingly, such as removing duplicates or grouping them into specific niches.

Conclusion

That concludes our list of the best email outreach tools that every blogger should be using. Incorporating these tools into everyday activities will save hours of time and make your life easier. It’s important to reach out to fellow bloggers in similar niches in order to get noticed and sniff out guest posting opportunities, helping to build your readership and establish relationships with like minded indivuduals.

Related posts:

1. 20+ Essential Tools and Applications For Bloggers
2. Networking Guide for Bloggers: How to Approach People (Part 4)
3. Networking Guide for Bloggers: Messages That Get Noticed (Part 6)
4. Networking Guide for Bloggers: Setting Your Goals and Rules (Part 2)