How to find Passwords on Mac in seven easy steps ?

We all rely on passwords every day to access various online accounts and services. Unfortunately, creating unique, strong passwords for each account and remembering them can be a challenge.  Therefore, it’s helpful to know how to find passwords saved on your Mac.

Fortunately, modern operating systems like macOS have features that help solve this problem.

Specifically, Macs running the latest versions of macOS (Monterey and later) include a built-in password manager.

Knowing where to find this information can save you time and hassle the next time you need to retrieve a forgotten credential.

Consequently, if you choose to use the built-in iCloud Keychain feature instead of a third-party password manager, one of its key benefits is seamless syncing between Apple devices.

Similarly, when you save a new username and password on one of your iOS or macOS devices, iCloud Keychain automatically makes them available to all your other linked Apple products.

Follow these simple steps to access your stored logins from the privacy and security of your Mac.

• First, open Finder and go to Applications > Utilities.

• Next, open the keychain access.

• Then, type “Passwords” in the search bar in the upper right corner.

• Subsequently, find the password you want in the list and double click on it.

• Following that, check the Show password box.

• After that, enter the password for your user account.

• Finally, you will see the password at the bottom of the pop-up window.

Follow the detailed steps in the section below and some other alternative ways to find passwords on Mac.

How to find saved passwords on Mac ?

If you use a Mac computer, you may have saved some passwords on it for your convenience. But what happens if you forget those passwords or need to access them on another device?

In this section, we will show you how to find saved passwords on Mac using different methods.

Follow below mentioned steps to find saved passwords on your Mac:

Find passwords in Keychain Access

• First, open the Utilities folder located inside your Applications folder. This contains several useful programs for your Mac.

• Next, launch the Keychain Access application. This utility manages the secure storage of your usernames, passwords, and other private credentials.

• Then, use the search bar at the top to enter the name of the website or app you need the password for. This will filter the long list for only the relevant result.

• After that, double-click the corresponding login to view its details. You will see the account name, but the password will be hidden.

• Following this, to reveal the secret password, select “Show Password” from the View menu.

• Subsequently, enter your Mac user account password for verification.

• Finally, the full plain text password will now be visible. You can then copy it directly to log in to the associated service.

Find saved password and passkeys in System Settings  

• First, go to the Apple menu  in the top left corner of your screen and choose “System preferences” from the menu that appears.

• Next, navigate to the “Passwords” section within Settings.

• Then, authenticate your identity with Touch ID or enter your account password.

• After authenticating, locate the website or app for which you need the credentials. Subsequently, click the blue “Details” button on the right to expand your information.

• Following that, here you can find the full username and password saved for that account.

• To delete a saved password that is no longer needed, click the gear icon, and select “Delete Password.”

• Alternatively, if a password needs to be changed, click “Edit” and update the password field before clicking “Save” to securely update it.

Also Check: How to forgot a network on Mac ?

How to find saved passwords on Mac with Safari ?

If you use Safari as your default browser on your Mac, you may have saved some passwords for various websites.

Similarly, this can be convenient, but it can also pose a security risk if someone else has access to your computer.

Furthermore, in this section, we’ll show you how to view saved passwords on Mac with Safari and how to manage them.

Follow below mentioned steps to find saved password on mac using Safari browser:

• First, launch the Safari web browser application.

• Next, click “Safari” in the menu bar and then select “Preferences” to open the Settings panel.

• After that, select the “Passwords” tab to view your stored logins.

• Then, authenticate with Touch ID or your account password when prompted.

• Following authentication, locate the website associated with the password you need.

• Subsequently, click the small “Details” button on the right to expand your information.

• Here you will find the full username and password.

• To delete an outdated login, click the gear icon and select “Delete.”

• Alternatively, to update a password, click “Edit” and enter a new password before clicking “Update.”

How to find saved password on Mac with Chrome ?

Chrome is another popular browser that you can use on your Mac. Similarly, if you have saved some passwords for different websites in Chrome, you may want to view them for several reasons.

Furthermore, in this blog section, we’ll show you how to view saved passwords on Mac with Chrome and how to manage them.

Follow below mentioned steps to find your saved password on Mac with Chrome browser:  

• First, launch the Chrome browser and click “Chrome” in the menu bar, then select “Preferences.”

• Next, select the “AutoComplete” section from the left sidebar.

• Then, under the “Passwords” heading, scroll through the list of saved logins.

• After scrolling, locate the website associated with the password you need.

• Subsequently, click the icon that looks like an eye to reveal the hidden password.

• Following this, a small window will appear: Enter your Mac account password to verify it.

• Once authenticated, the full text of the password will be displayed.

• You can view it directly or copy it as needed.

• Alternatively, to hide the password again, simply click the eye icon a second time.

How to find Wi-Fi passwords on Mac ?

One of the things you may want to do on your Mac is view your Wi-Fi password.

Similarly, this can be useful if you want to connect another device to the same network or if you have forgotten your password.

Furthermore, in this section, we will show you how to find saved Wi-Fi passwords on Mac using different methods.

​Specifically, there are different methods to find your saved Wi-Fi passwords on Mac, depending on whether you have already connected to the network or not.

Follow below mentioned methods to find Wi-Fi passwords on Mac

• First, if you have another Apple device that has joined the same Wi-Fi network, you can share the password with your Mac. You can also use the Keychain Access app or the Terminal app to view saved passwords on your Mac.

• Additionally, if you have access to the router, you can subsequently check the router label for the default password or log in to the router’s management website or application to view or change the password.

• Furthermore, if you are using a public Wi-Fi network, you can ask staff for the password or look for signs or information sheets that display the network name and password.

• Finally, you can also use some third-party apps to help you find your Wi-Fi password on Mac, such as NetSpot, CleanMyMac X3, or MacKeeper. These apps can scan your network, show you the password, and help you manage your Wi-Fi settings.

What should do if I can’t find saved passwords or passkeys on Mac ?

Sometimes you may not be able to find the password or passkey you are looking for on your Mac, As a result, trying the methods mentioned below can help you find your saved passwords on Mac.

• Firstly, make sure the “Passwords” section of System Settings is selected, not a specific group. This shows all passwords.

• Secondly, check the “Recently Deleted” section in case a password has been accidentally deleted.

• Furthermore, make sure iCloud Keychain is enabled if you use multiple Apple devices for seamless syncing.

• Additionally, passwords added to a shared iCloud Keychain group require compatible software to view them on other devices.

• Also, if a password that was moved to a group is not visible, confirm that your Mac is running a recent version of macOS (Sonoma or newer) for group support.

• Alternatively, consider signing in to iCloud.com from another device/browser to view passwords if they don’t appear on your Mac.

• Next, search Keychain Access by website/app name if a specific password is missing.

• Finally, contact Apple Support if you are having trouble finding passwords on your Apple devices and accounts.

Conclusion

In conclusion, finding passwords on Mac is not a difficult task if you know where to look. Specifically, you can use the built-in Keychain Access utility, system settings, or the Safari browser to view, edit, or delete your saved passwords.

Furthermore, these methods can help you recover your forgotten credentials, sync them across your Apple devices, and manage them securely.

However, you should also be careful not to share your passwords with anyone or store them in an unsecure location.

Similarly, remember, your passwords are the keys to your online accounts and services, so keep them safe and secure.

Reference:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/105115

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