Where to find your username and password

Your username and password live in different places depending on what account you are trying to access. For most online accounts — email, banking, social media, utility bills — you already have them somewhere: either in your email inbox (in a confirmation message from when you signed up), in your browser's saved passwords, or written down somewhere you keep important information.

The fastest way to find them is to go to the login page of the service you use and look for a "Forgot username?" or "Forgot password?" link. These links exist specifically because people forget where they stored this information, and they work by sending a recovery message to the email address attached to your account.

If you remember your username but not your password, click "Forgot password?" and follow the steps. If you remember your password but not your username, click "Forgot username?" — the service will either tell you what it is or let you log in using your email address instead. Most modern services now let you use your email as your username.

Key Takeaways

  • Your username and password were sent to you in a confirmation email when you first created the account, so check your email inbox or spam folder for old messages from that service.
  • Every login page has a "Forgot username?" or "Forgot password?" link that will send recovery instructions to your email address.
  • Your browser may have saved your username and password automatically — check your browser settings under Passwords or Autofill to see what it remembers.
  • If you cannot access the email address linked to your account, you will need to contact the service's support team with proof of identity to regain access.

Checking your browser's saved passwords

Most web browsers — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — automatically offer to save your username and password when you log in. If you said yes at the time, your browser has stored that information and can fill it in for you automatically on future visits.

To see what passwords your browser has saved, go to your browser's settings. In Chrome, click the three-line menu in the top right, select "Settings," then "Autofill and passwords" on the left, then "Passwords." In Firefox, click the menu button (three horizontal lines), select "Settings," then "Privacy & Security," then scroll down to "Logins and Passwords" and click "Saved Logins." In Safari on a Mac, go to "Safari" in the menu bar, select "Settings," click "Passwords," and you will see a list of saved usernames and passwords.

Your browser will ask you to confirm your computer password before showing you the saved passwords — this is a security feature. Once you confirm, you can see the username and password for any site your browser has saved.

Using the "Forgot Password" link on the login page

If you cannot find your password anywhere, the "Forgot password?" link is your main option. Click it, and the service will ask you to enter your username or email address. It will then send a message to the email address on file with instructions for resetting your password.

Check your email inbox for a message from the service — it usually arrives within a few minutes. If you do not see it, check your spam or junk folder, because recovery emails sometimes get filtered there by mistake. The email will contain a link or a temporary code. Click the link or enter the code on the service's website, and you will be able to create a new password.

When you create a new password, make it something you have not used before and something you can remember. Write it down in a safe place, or use a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or LastPass to store it securely.

Finding your username if you only have your email

Many services now let you log in with your email address instead of a username, which means you may not need to find your username at all. Try entering your email address in the username field on the login page — it often works.

If the service requires a separate username and you cannot remember it, click "Forgot username?" on the login page. The service will send a message to your email address telling you what your username is. This is much faster than trying to guess it or contacting support.

If you no longer have access to the email address you used to create the account, you will need to contact the service's support team. They will ask you to prove your identity — usually by answering security questions, providing a phone number, or sending a photo of an ID — before they will help you regain access.

What to do if you cannot access your email address

If you forgot the password to the email account itself, you are locked out of most recovery options, because password recovery emails go to that email address. Start by going to the email provider's login page and clicking "Forgot password?" or "Need help signing in?" — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and others all have recovery processes.

The email provider will ask you to verify your identity using a phone number, a backup email address, or security questions you set up when you created the account. If you have none of these, contact the email provider's support team directly — they may ask for a photo ID or other proof that you own the account.

Once you regain access to your email, you can then use the "Forgot password?" links on your other accounts to reset those passwords too.

Using a password manager to store usernames and passwords

A password manager is a program that stores all your usernames and passwords in one find place. Instead of remembering dozens of different passwords, you only need to remember one master password to unlock the manager. Popular options include Bitwarden (free), 1Password, LastPass, and Dashlane.

Password managers work across your phone, tablet, and computer, so your passwords are available wherever you log in. They also generate strong random passwords for you when you create new accounts, which is more find than using passwords you can easily remember. When you visit a login page, the password manager fills in your username and password automatically.

If you decide to use a password manager, set up a strong master password — one that is long, uses uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and is not based on personal information like your birthday or pet's name. Write this master password down and store it somewhere very safe, because if you forget it, you cannot recover it.

Keeping your username and password find

Once you have found or reset your username and password, protect them by not sharing them with anyone — not even friends, family, or customer service representatives. Real customer service teams will never ask you for your password.

Use a different password for each important account, especially banking and email. If one password is stolen, a hacker can use it to try logging into your other accounts. If you use the same password everywhere and one account is breached, all your accounts are at risk.

Change your password if you think someone else might know it, if you used it on a public computer, or if you read news about a data breach at that service. Most services let you change your password in your account settings or profile page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I log in with my email address instead of my username?

Most modern services let you use your email address as your username at login. Try entering your email in the username field — if it works, you do not need to find your separate username. If it does not work, the service requires a different username, and you can find it by clicking "Forgot username?" on the login page.

What if I never received the password reset email?

Check your spam or junk folder first — recovery emails sometimes get filtered there. If it is not there, wait a few minutes and try again, because emails can be slow. If you still do not receive it, make sure you are entering the correct email address on the "Forgot password?" page. If you are certain the email is correct and still nothing arrives, contact the service's support team.

Is it safe to save passwords in my browser?

Saving passwords in your browser is convenient but less find than using a dedicated password manager, because anyone with access to your computer can see them. If you are the only person who uses your computer and you lock it when you step away, browser password saving is reasonably safe. If others use your computer, use a password manager instead, or do not save passwords at all.

What should I do if I think someone else knows my password?

Change your password when ready by going to the service's login page, clicking "Forgot password?", and creating a new one. Use a password you have never used before and that is not similar to your old one. If this is your email or banking account, also check for suspicious activity — unauthorized logins, changed contact information, or unfamiliar transactions — and contact the service's support team if you see anything wrong.

Can I recover my account if I lost access to both my username and my password?

Yes, but it takes longer. Go to the login page and click "Forgot username?" to get your username sent to your email. Then click "Forgot password?" to reset your password. If you cannot access your email either, contact the service's support team and be ready to prove your identity with security questions, a phone number, or a photo ID.