Where iPhone stores passwords and what you can delete

Your iPhone stores passwords in two places: iCloud Keychain (which syncs across your Apple devices) and individual app password managers. You can delete passwords from both, but the process differs depending on where they live. Most people want to remove passwords they no longer use or that belong to accounts they've closed.

iCloud Keychain holds passwords for websites you visit in Safari, passwords for Apple services, and Wi-Fi network passwords. You can delete any of these one at a time. Passwords stored only within individual apps (like banking apps or social media) must be deleted within those apps themselves — iPhone's Settings cannot touch them.

Key Takeaways

  • Website and Wi-Fi passwords stored in iCloud Keychain are deleted through Settings > Passwords, where you tap Edit and then the red minus button next to each password.
  • Passwords saved only within individual apps must be deleted inside those apps, not through iPhone Settings.
  • Deleting a password from iCloud Keychain removes it from all your Apple devices signed into that account.
  • If you forget a password before deleting it, you can still remove it from your Keychain without knowing the original password.

Delete passwords from iCloud Keychain in Settings

Open Settings and scroll down to find Passwords (on newer iPhones) or Passwords and Accounts (on older ones). Tap it. You will see a list of all websites and Wi-Fi networks whose passwords are saved. Find the one you want to remove and tap Edit in the top right corner.

Once you are in Edit mode, a red minus button appears next to each password. Tap the red minus next to the password you want to delete, then tap Delete to confirm. The password is now removed from iCloud Keychain and will no longer appear on any of your other Apple devices.

If you have many passwords to delete, you can stay in Edit mode and remove several before tapping Done. This is faster than entering and exiting Edit mode for each one.

Delete passwords from Safari's autofill settings

Some older iPhones let you manage passwords through Safari directly instead of the main Settings app. Open Safari, tap the Bookmarks icon (looks like an open book), then tap History. Scroll to the bottom and tap Clear History and Website Data. This removes browsing history, cookies, and cached data — but it does not delete saved passwords.

If you want to delete passwords through Safari on an older iPhone, go to Settings > Safari > Passwords instead. This takes you to the same Keychain list you would see in the main Passwords section, so the deletion process is identical.

Remove passwords saved within individual apps

Apps like your bank, email client, or social media platform often store their own passwords separately from iCloud Keychain. iPhone Settings cannot delete these. You must go into each app and remove the password there.

The exact steps vary by app. Usually you open the app, go to Settings or Account within that app, find a Passwords or Login section, and look for an option to remove or delete the saved password. Some apps call it "Forget password" or "Log out and clear saved data." Check the app's help section if you cannot find where passwords are stored.

What happens when you delete a password

Once deleted, the password is gone from iCloud Keychain and will not autofill the next time you visit that website or connect to that Wi-Fi network. You will need to type the password manually or reset it through the website's "Forgot Password" option.

If you delete a password by mistake, you cannot recover it from iPhone — you will need to reset it through the website or service itself. This is why deleting passwords you no longer remember is safe: you can always reset them later if you need them again.

Deleting a password from one device removes it from all devices signed into the same iCloud account, since they all share the same Keychain. If you only want to remove a password from one device, you will need to turn off iCloud Keychain on that device first, delete the password, then turn Keychain back on.

Delete all passwords at once

If you want to clear all saved passwords rather than delete them one by one, you can reset iCloud Keychain entirely. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Keychain and turn it off. A prompt will ask whether you want to keep or delete passwords on this iPhone. Choose Delete to remove them all.

Turning off Keychain does not delete passwords from your other Apple devices — only from the iPhone you are using. Once you turn Keychain back on, it will sync passwords from your other devices again. If you want a fresh start across all devices, you will need to turn off Keychain on each one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a password if I do not remember it?

Yes. You do not need to know the password to delete it from iCloud Keychain. Go to Settings > Passwords, tap Edit, find the password, tap the red minus button, and confirm. The password is removed whether you remember it or not.

Will deleting a password log me out of websites?

No. Deleting a saved password does not log you out of any website or app. It only removes the stored password from your iPhone, so you will need to type it manually the next time you sign in. You will stay logged in until you manually sign out or the website times you out.

If I delete a password, can I get it back?

No, you cannot recover a deleted password from iPhone. You will need to reset it through the website's "Forgot Password" or "Reset Password" option. This is why deleting passwords you no longer use is safe — you can always reset them if you need them later.

Does deleting passwords from my iPhone delete them from my Mac or iPad?

Yes, if all devices are signed into the same iCloud account. iCloud Keychain syncs across all Apple devices, so deleting a password on your iPhone removes it from your Mac, iPad, and any other device using that Keychain. If you want to delete a password from only one device, turn off iCloud Keychain on that device first.

What if an app keeps asking me to save a password after I deleted it?

The app is offering to save the password again because you just typed it in. Tap "Don't Save" or "Not Now" when the prompt appears. If the app keeps asking even after you refuse multiple times, check the app's settings to see if there is a toggle to disable password saving.