How to Find Saved Passwords on a Mac

You need a password your Mac saved months ago — to log in on your phone, share it with a family member, or move it into a new app. The good news: your Mac has kept it safe, and revealing it takes seconds once you know where to look. Here are the fastest methods.

Method 1: The Passwords app (recent macOS)

Newer versions of macOS include a dedicated Passwords app, the simplest place to look:

1. Open the Passwords app from Applications, or search for it with Command-Space.
2. Authenticate with Touch ID or your login password.
3. Search for the website or service name.
4. Click the entry to see the username and password. Click the password to copy or reveal it.

This is the everyday tool for website and app logins, and it also shows passkeys and security recommendations.

Method 2: System Settings

You can also reach saved passwords through System Settings:

1. Open System Settings.
2. Click Passwords.
3. Authenticate, then search and select the account to view its details.

Method 3: Safari

If the password was saved while browsing, Safari can show it too:

1. Open Safari and go to Settings, then the Passwords tab.
2. Authenticate.
3. Find the site and reveal the saved password.

Method 4: Keychain Access (everything)

For the complete picture — including Wi-Fi passwords, app credentials, and certificates — use Keychain Access:

1. Open Keychain Access from Applications, then Utilities.
2. Search for the item in the top-right search box.
3. Double-click it, then check "Show password" and authenticate.

Keychain Access shows more than just website logins, which makes it the go-to when the Passwords app does not list what you need. Full walkthrough in how to use Keychain Access on Mac.

A quick safety note

Revealing a password displays it in plain text, so be mindful of who can see your screen, and avoid doing it during screen shares or in public. The authentication step — Touch ID or your login password — is what protects these secrets, so never disable it for convenience.

Keeping passwords findable and organized

If hunting for passwords across several tools feels messy, that is a sign your storage is scattered. Consolidating into one manager makes everything searchable in a single place. Passlock keeps your passwords in the native macOS Keychain, fully offline, with a focused interface for finding and managing them — and the option to lock specific ones behind a time delay or challenge if you want to make a tempting account harder to reach. Whichever tool you use, the underlying secrets live safely in your Mac's encrypted Keychain, ready whenever you need them. Learn more in how the macOS Keychain works.