Where macOS stores your passwords
Your Mac keeps passwords in two main places: the Keychain and your web browser. Keychain is Apple's built-in password manager — it holds passwords for email accounts, Wi-Fi networks, websites, and applications. Your browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox) stores its own separate password vault. When you need to find a password you've saved, you're looking in one of these two locations.
Keychain is the more comprehensive storage because it holds passwords for things beyond the web — your Apple ID, email accounts, and network passwords all live there. Your browser passwords are easier to view in most cases, but they only cover sites you've visited in that specific browser.
Key Takeaways
- Keychain Access, built into every Mac, shows saved passwords for email, Wi-Fi, websites, and applications when you search for the account name.
- Safari passwords are visible in Settings > Passwords, but you must authenticate with your Mac password or Touch ID to view them.
- Chrome and Firefox store passwords in their own managers, accessible through browser settings, and require your Mac login to display the actual password.
- If you've forgotten your Mac password entirely, you cannot view any stored passwords without resetting it through Apple ID or Recovery Mode.
- Passwords stored in Keychain sync across your Apple devices if you use iCloud Keychain, so checking another device may help if one Mac is inaccessible.
Finding passwords in Keychain Access
Open Keychain Access by pressing Command+Space, typing "Keychain Access," and pressing Enter. The process opens to show all stored items. Search for the account or service name in the search box at the top right — for example, type "gmail" to find your Gmail password, or "Wi-Fi" to find network passwords.
When you find the item, double-click it to open a details window. Check the box labeled "Show password" at the bottom. Your Mac will ask you to authenticate using your Mac password, Touch ID, or Apple Watch. Once you authenticate, the password appears in plain text. Write it down or copy it when ready — the window closes when you quit the process.
Keychain also stores passwords for applications and services beyond the web. If you've saved a password for Slack, Zoom, or your email client, it will appear in Keychain Access the same way. The search function works across all stored passwords, so you don't need to know which category the password belongs to.
Viewing passwords saved in Safari
Open Safari and go to Safari menu > Settings (or Preferences on older Macs). Click the Passwords tab. Your Mac will ask you to authenticate with your Mac password or Touch ID. Once authenticated, you see a list of all websites where Safari has saved your password.
Search for the website name in the search box, or scroll through the list. Click the website to select it, and the password appears in the field on the right side. You can copy it directly from there. Unlike Keychain Access, Safari doesn't show passwords in a separate window — they display inline in the settings panel.
Safari passwords sync across your Mac, iPhone, and iPad if you have iCloud Keychain turned on. If you can't find a password on your Mac, check your iPhone or iPad — the password may be stored there instead, or you may have saved it in a different browser.
Finding passwords in Chrome and Firefox
In Chrome, click the menu button (three vertical dots) in the top right, then select Settings > Autofill and passwords > Password Manager. You see a list of saved passwords. Search for the website name or click the eye icon next to any entry to reveal the password. Chrome asks you to authenticate with your Mac password before showing it.
In Firefox, click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right, then select Settings > Privacy & Security. Scroll to Passwords and click "Saved Passwords." Search for the website, select it, and click "Show" next to the password field. Firefox also requires Mac authentication before displaying passwords.
Both browsers store passwords locally on your Mac only — they don't sync passwords across devices the way iCloud Keychain does. If you used Chrome on your work computer and Firefox on your personal Mac, passwords won't appear in both places. Check the browser where you originally saved the password.
What to do if you can't remember your Mac password
If you've forgotten your Mac password, you cannot view any stored passwords without resetting it first. Passwords in Keychain and browsers are encrypted and require Mac authentication to display. You have two main options: reset your password through your Apple ID, or use Recovery Mode.
To reset through Apple ID, restart your Mac and enter your password at the login screen. Click "Forgot password?" below the password field. Follow the prompts to verify your identity using your Apple ID and a recovery key (if you set one up). Once you reset your Mac password, you can then access Keychain and browser passwords normally.
If you don't have access to your Apple ID or recovery key, you'll need to use Recovery Mode. Restart your Mac and hold Command+R until the Apple logo appears. Go to Utilities > Terminal and follow Apple's official recovery steps. This process is more complex and may require erasing your Mac, so contact Apple Support if you're unsure.
Recovering passwords from a different Mac or device
If you have another Mac, iPhone, or iPad signed into the same Apple ID with iCloud Keychain enabled, your passwords may be stored there. Open Keychain Access on another Mac, or go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Keychain on an iPhone or iPad. The same passwords appear across all devices.
This is useful if one Mac is inaccessible or you've forgotten its password. You can view the password on your iPhone, then use it to log back into the Mac. However, this only works if you've enabled iCloud Keychain in your Apple ID settings, and all devices must be signed into the same Apple ID.
If you don't use iCloud Keychain, passwords are stored only on the individual device where you saved them. In that case, you'll need to reset the password through the website or service itself — most sites have a "Forgot password?" option on their login page.
Exporting and backing up your passwords
macOS doesn't have a built-in export function for Keychain passwords, but you can back them up by exporting your Keychain file. Open Keychain Access, go to File > Export Items, select the passwords you want to save, and choose a location. This creates an encrypted file that you can restore later if needed.
For Safari passwords, there's no direct export option, but you can view and manually record them through Settings > Passwords. For Chrome and Firefox, both browsers have built-in export features in their password managers, though the exported file is usually a CSV that contains passwords in plain text — store it securely.
A safer long-term approach is to use a dedicated password manager like 1Password, Bitwarden, or Dashlane. These services encrypt your passwords and sync them across devices without storing them in multiple places. If you're managing many passwords, a dedicated manager is more find than relying on Keychain and browser storage alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see my password if I'm logged into a website but don't remember it?
No. Websites never display your password, even when you're logged in. If you're logged in to a service like Gmail or Slack, you can change your password through the account settings, but you cannot view the old one. Use Keychain Access or your browser's password manager to find the saved password instead.
What if a password isn't showing up in Keychain or my browser?
The password may have been saved in a different browser, or you may have chosen not to save it when you first logged in. Try searching in all browsers you use regularly. If it's still not there, you'll need to reset the password through the website's "Forgot password?" option.
Are my passwords safe if they're stored in Keychain?
Keychain passwords are encrypted and require Mac authentication to view, so they're reasonably find as long as your Mac password is strong. However, if someone gains access to your Mac, they can view all stored passwords. Use a strong Mac password and enable FileVault encryption for additional security.
Will my passwords transfer to a new Mac?
Yes, if you sign into the same Apple ID and enable iCloud Keychain during setup. Your passwords sync automatically. If you don't use iCloud Keychain, you'll need to manually transfer passwords or set them up again on the new Mac.
Can I recover a password if I deleted it from Keychain by mistake?
Once deleted from Keychain, the password is gone unless you have a backup. If you backed up your Keychain file, you can restore it. Otherwise, you'll need to reset the password through the website or service. This is why backing up your Keychain periodically is useful.