Online password manager Lastpass has been updated to version 1.90.1. The cross-platform, multi-browser plug-in, also available as a separate download for 64-bit versions of Windows, adds one major new feature to this release: the ability to capture and securely store Wi-Fi passwords for transferring to other computers.

The password manager allows users to securely store all their various online login details through one convenient, central location, encouraging them to use strong, unique passwords for each site they frequent for security purposes.

Teething troubles
Capturing Wi-Fi passwords from your existing computer is simple – in theory: first, your Wi-Fi connection needs to be switched on, then open your browser and click the Lastpass icon, logging in if necessary. Select Tools > Import from and the Wi-Fi Passwords option should appear (look under “Other” if you’re using Chrome) – selecting this generates separate secure notes for the settings (including passkey and connection type) of each individual Wi-Fi network stored on your computer.

We say in theory, because a number of users – ourselves included – were unable to see the option at all after the initial upgrade. There’s no rhyme or reason for who gets affected – both Mac and PC users, as well as Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer have all been affected.

The good news is that there is a workaround, and while it’s not universal it did fix the issue for us. You need to remove all traces of Lastpass from your computer – in our case, that meant simply removing the universal installer we’d used to install Lastpass in the first place – and then install the latest version from scratch. You should then be able to access the option.

Other changes
Version 1.90 also introduces HSTS support for Internet Explorer when accessing Lastpass.com through the Lastpass extension. This basically forces IE to use a secure connection – typically HTTPS – when accessing the user’s data on Lastpass.com, and brings it in line with all other supported browsers.

When viewing site details through the Lastpass vault, a new History link allows users to view previously used passwords for that site, while Mac users will also be pleased to see a new OS X universal installer is now available for download, making it a quick and simple task to deploy Lastpass across two or more browsers from one convenient application.

The update is completed by a number of new features for Enterprise users, such as the ability to more easily move sites in and out of Shared Folders, while the new build also squashes a number of minor bugs and issues.

Lastpass works with most major browsers across Windows, Mac and Linux, including Internet Explorer, Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Opera as standalone extensions. It’s also available as a standalone universal installer for 64-bit versions of Windows.