Learn How to Find Saved Passwords on Mac

Understanding Where Mac Stores Your Passwords

Your Mac computer keeps passwords in a secure storage system called Keychain. This system has been part of macOS since the early 2000s and works across many Apple devices. When you save a password on your Mac—whether it's for email, social media, banking, or shopping websites—the operating system stores it in Keychain rather than keeping it loose in your computer.

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Keychain functions as a digital vault. It encrypts your passwords so they're not readable as plain text on your hard drive. This encryption makes it much harder for unauthorized people to access your login information, even if they somehow gain access to your computer files. The system stores not just passwords, but also credit card information, notes, and other sensitive data you mark as secure.

Safari, Apple's web browser, automatically saves passwords when you create accounts or log into websites. Other applications like Mail, Messages, and third-party browsers (Chrome, Firefox) may also store passwords in Keychain or in their own separate storage systems. Understanding where your passwords live is the first step toward locating them when you need them.

Different versions of macOS (Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, and newer) have similar password storage locations, though the exact steps may vary slightly. The core concept remains the same: your passwords live in Keychain, protected by your Mac's security features.

Practical Takeaway: Your passwords on Mac are stored in Keychain, a built-in encrypted storage system. Before you look for a specific password, understand that you'll be accessing this protected vault, which requires your Mac login credentials or biometric approval.

Accessing Keychain Through System Settings

The most straightforward way to locate saved passwords on your Mac involves using the System Settings application. This method works on macOS Ventura and newer versions. First, click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then select "System Settings" from the dropdown menu.

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Once System Settings opens, look for "Passwords" in the sidebar menu on the left. You may need to scroll down to find it, as the list of options can be lengthy. Click on "Passwords" to enter the password management section. Your Mac will ask you to authenticate—this could mean entering your Mac login password or using Face ID/Touch ID if your Mac supports it. This security step ensures only you can view your stored passwords.

After authentication, you'll see a list of all passwords saved in your Keychain. The list displays website names or app names along with the associated usernames. You can search for a specific password using the search box at the top of the window. Type the website name or username, and the list will filter to show matching entries.

To view the actual password for any entry, click on the website or app name. A new window will open showing the username and password. You'll see dots or asterisks instead of the actual password text initially. Click the "Show password" button (it may be represented by an eye icon), and your Mac will ask for authentication again before revealing the password in readable text.

This method is particularly useful if you've forgotten a password and need to retrieve it for logging into a service. You can also edit passwords from this screen, delete passwords you no longer need, or add new passwords manually.

Practical Takeaway: Access your passwords through System Settings by clicking Apple menu > System Settings > Passwords, then authenticate with your Mac login or biometric verification. This gives you a clear view of all stored passwords in one organized location.

Using Keychain Access Application for Detailed Password Information

For more detailed information about your stored passwords, you can use the Keychain Access application, which is Apple's advanced password management tool. This application has been available on Mac systems for many years and provides options that the System Settings password manager doesn't offer. To open it, use Spotlight search: press Command + Space, type "Keychain Access," and press Enter.

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Once Keychain Access opens, you'll see several categories on the left side. Click on "Passwords" to view all your stored passwords. The main window displays a list of password entries with their names, usernames, and dates modified. Each entry represents a saved password from a website or application.

To view the actual password for any entry, double-click on it. A detailed window will open showing the password name, username, and the password field. By default, the password appears as dots or asterisks. To see the actual password text, check the box labeled "Show password." Your Mac will request authentication again to confirm your identity before revealing the password.

Keychain Access also displays additional information that the System Settings interface doesn't show. You can see the "Kind" of entry (typically "Internet password"), the "Account" associated with it, the "Where" field showing the website URL or service name, and comments you may have added. This extra detail can be helpful if you want to understand more about a particular saved password or if you need to verify which specific service a password belongs to.

You can also delete passwords from Keychain Access by right-clicking on an entry and selecting "Delete" from the menu. This is useful if you no longer use certain services or want to clean up your password storage. Additionally, Keychain Access allows you to create new password entries manually, which is helpful if you want to store a password that didn't automatically save when you created an account.

Practical Takeaway: Use Keychain Access (Command + Space, search "Keychain Access") for a more detailed view of password entries, including creation dates, comments, and additional metadata about where each password is used.

Finding Passwords Saved in Web Browsers

While macOS Keychain stores many passwords centrally, web browsers often maintain their own password storage systems. Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers may save passwords separately in addition to (or instead of) storing them in Keychain. Understanding where each browser keeps passwords is important because you may have different passwords stored in different places.

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Safari automatically integrates with macOS Keychain, which means passwords you save in Safari are stored in your Mac's Keychain. You can view them through System Settings or Keychain Access. However, if you use Chrome, Firefox, or another third-party browser, those applications typically maintain separate password storage within the browser itself.

In Google Chrome on Mac, click the menu button (three vertical dots) in the top-right corner, then select "Settings." Click "Passwords" in the left sidebar. This displays passwords Chrome has saved. You'll see a list of websites with associated usernames. To view a password, click on it, and Chrome will request your Mac login credentials or biometric approval before showing the password in readable text.

Firefox follows a similar process. Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner, select "Settings," then click "Privacy & Security" in the left sidebar. Scroll down to find "Passwords" and click "Saved Passwords." This window shows all passwords stored in Firefox. Click on any entry to expand it and see the username and password.

Some people use password manager applications like 1Password, Dashlane, or Bitwarden instead of relying on browser or Keychain storage. If you've chosen to use a dedicated password manager, your passwords would be stored there rather than in Safari or Keychain. These applications require their own separate steps to view stored passwords.

Research shows that approximately 60-70% of people reuse passwords across multiple websites, despite security recommendations against this practice. Knowing where your passwords are stored across different browsers and applications helps you understand your password security situation more completely.

Practical Takeaway: Check both Keychain and individual browser settings for your passwords. Safari passwords appear in Keychain, while Chrome, Firefox, and other browsers maintain separate password storage that requires accessing each browser's settings individually.

Recovering Forgotten Mac Login Passwords

If you've forgotten your Mac login password, you won't be able to access Keychain or view saved passwords because authentication is required. Apple provides several recovery options, though the process varies depending on your macOS version and whether you have recovery access set up.

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One recovery method involves using an Apple ID associated with your Mac. Restart your Mac and see the login screen. Click "Forgot password?" and follow the prompts. If you know your Apple ID and password, you can reset your Mac login password through this process. Once you