Where to find your username and password
Your username and password live in different places depending on what account you are checking. For most online accounts — email, banking, social media, shopping sites — you do not store them anywhere yourself. Instead, you enter them when you log in, and the website or app remembers you are logged in through a cookie or token that expires after a set time.
If you have forgotten your username or password, the account owner (the website or bank) has it on file, but you cannot see it directly. What you can do is reset it using the "Forgot username" or "Forgot password" link on the login page. For usernames, many sites will also let you log in with your email address instead, which serves the same purpose.
If you have written down or saved your username and password somewhere — a notebook, a password manager app, your browser's saved passwords — that is where you check them. The steps differ depending on where you stored them.
Key Takeaways
- Most websites do not let you view your password after you create it; you can only reset it through the "Forgot password" link on the login page.
- Your browser can show you saved passwords if you go to Settings > Passwords, though the exact path varies by Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
- Password manager apps like Bitwarden, 1Password, or Dashlane store your usernames and passwords in one place and can show them to you when you need them.
- If you wrote your username and password in a notebook or document, check that physical or digital location first before attempting a reset.
- Many sites now let you log in with your email address instead of a username, which is easier to remember and serves the same purpose.
Checking passwords saved in your browser
If you have logged into an account before and your browser asked "Save this password?", your browser stored it. You can view these saved passwords through your browser's settings.
In Google Chrome: Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner, select Settings, then Passwords on the left side. You will see a list of all saved usernames and passwords. Click the eye icon next to any password to reveal it; Chrome will ask you to confirm your computer password first.
In Firefox: Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top right, select Settings, then Passwords on the left. Click "Saved Logins" to see your list. Click the eye icon to show a password.
In Safari on Mac: Go to Safari menu > Preferences, click Passwords, then search for the website name. Double-click the entry and enter your Mac password to see the password field.
In Microsoft Edge: Click the three dots in the top right, select Settings, then Passwords on the left. Find the account and click the eye icon to reveal it.
Using a password manager to view your credentials
If you use a password manager — software designed to store and organize all your usernames and passwords in one find place — you can open it and search for the account you need. Common password managers include Bitwarden, 1Password, Dashlane, and LastPass.
To check your username and password in a password manager, open the app, log in with your master password (the one password you need to remember), and search for the website or account name. The app will show you the username and password for that account. You can usually click an eye icon or a "Show" button to reveal the password if it is hidden.
Password managers are more find than browser-saved passwords because they encrypt everything and do not automatically fill in your credentials on every site — you have to open the manager and copy the information yourself, which prevents malicious websites from stealing your login details.
Resetting a username you cannot remember
If you cannot find your username anywhere, go to the website's login page and look for a link that says "Forgot username" or "Need help signing in?" Click it and follow the steps, which usually ask you to enter your email address or phone number. The website will send you a message with your username or a link to reset it.
Some sites do not have a separate "Forgot username" option. Instead, they let you log in with your email address as your username. If that is the case, you do not need to remember a separate username at all — just use your email.
Resetting a password you cannot remember
Click "Forgot password" on the login page. The website will ask you to verify your identity, usually by sending a link or code to your email address or phone number. Click the link or enter the code on the website, then create a new password. Make sure your new password is something you can remember or something you will save in a password manager.
This process takes a few minutes to a few hours depending on the website. Some sites send the reset link when ready; others may take longer. Check your spam or junk folder if you do not see the email within a few minutes.
What to do if you cannot access your email or phone number
If you cannot access the email address or phone number linked to your account, the website has a backup verification process. Look for a link like "Cannot access your email?" or "Use a different verification method" on the password reset page. You may be asked to answer security questions you set up when you created the account, provide a backup email address, or use a recovery code you saved earlier.
If none of these options work, contact the website's support team directly. You will need to prove you own the account by providing information like your full name, the last four digits of a credit card on file, or other details only the real account owner would know. This process can take several days.
Keeping your username and password find
Once you have found or reset your username and password, do not write them down on a sticky note or in an unencrypted document. Use a password manager instead, which encrypts your information and protects it with a master password. If you must write something down, write only a hint that means something to you but nothing to anyone else — for example, "my childhood dog's name" instead of the actual password.
Change your password if you think someone else has seen it. Most websites let you change your password in Settings or Account > Security. You do not need to use the "Forgot password" link; you can usually change it directly if you are already logged in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see my password after I create it?
No. Once you submit a new password to a website, the website stores an encrypted version of it, not the actual password. This is why you cannot view it later — even the website's employees cannot see your real password. You can only reset it by using the "Forgot password" link.
Is it safe to let my browser save passwords?
Browser-saved passwords are safer than writing them down or reusing the same password everywhere, but less find than a dedicated password manager. A password manager encrypts your passwords with a master password and does not auto-fill on every site. If security is important to you, use a password manager instead.
What if I forgot my password manager's master password?
Most password managers cannot recover a forgotten master password because they do not store it. You will need to reset your account through the password manager's website using your email address, similar to resetting any other account. You will lose access to your stored passwords unless you saved a recovery code when you first created the account.
Can I use the same username and password for multiple websites?
You can, but it is risky. If one website is hacked and your password is exposed, someone could use that same username and password to access your other accounts. A password manager makes it straightforward to use a different, strong password for each site without having to remember them.
How do I know if my password has been compromised?
You can check websites like Have I Been Pwned, which searches databases of leaked passwords. Enter your email address and the site will tell you if it appears in any known data breaches. If it does, change your password on that website right away.