Integrating a Password Manager into a Browser Extension
Overview
Problem
McAfee was integrating a password manager into its existing browser extension, WebAdvisor. The challenge was introducing a new product into an established interface without overwhelming users or disrupting existing behavior.
Solution
Designed a set of flows that allowed users to access and manage passwords directly within the extension. Introduced a tab-based structure to organize multiple features while keeping the experience simple and easy to navigate.
Role
UI/UX Designer
Outcome
The feature was fully designed and ready for launch, but the release was paused due to shifting company priorities. Despite this, the project helped define how multiple products could coexist within a single extension and established patterns for future work.
Approach
Approach
The main challenge was integrating a new product into an existing system without making the experience feel crowded or confusing.
Creating a structure that could scale
The extension already had established functionality, so simply adding new screens wasn’t enough.
I introduced a tab-based structure that allowed users to switch between features without losing context. This created clear entry points into each product while keeping the interface organized.
Designing for constrained environments
Browser extensions have limited space and different interaction patterns compared to full web apps.
I focused on:
- Keeping layouts compact and scannable
- Prioritizing essential actions
- Reducing unnecessary steps
This helped ensure the experience felt lightweight and usable within a smaller UI.
Building end-to-end flows
A big part of the work involved designing complete user flows, not just screens.
This included:
- Onboarding into the password manager
- Adding and saving credentials
- Updating or changing primary passwords
- Handling different states depending on where the user initiated the action
I worked closely with engineering to make sure these flows accounted for real-world usage and constraints.
As we moved into implementation, technical limitations and edge cases came up. I collaborated closely with engineers to adjust flows and refine interactions, making sure the experience stayed consistent while still being feasible to build.
Results
The project resulted in a complete set of production-ready flows for integrating password management into the WebAdvisor extension.
Although the feature was not released due to shifting priorities, the work helped establish a scalable structure for supporting multiple products within a single extension.
It also reinforced the importance of designing for constrained environments and thinking through full user flows, especially when integrating new functionality into an existing system.
