How to easily view saved passwords on different web browsers?

Passwords. They are the bane of so many users’ existence. Yet, they’re one of the only ways we have to secure our accounts, and those accounts are frequently compromised. It is very convenient for one to allow their browser to automatically store their passwords to every service they register to. Sure, it’s convenient. After all, who wants to type a password every single time it’s requested?

At the expense of productivity, there’s a very good reason why you should never allow a web browser to remember your passwords. That reason is how easy it is to view passwords in modern web browsers.

Using the Inspect Element window of a browser, you can edit the code of a page in such a way that it will un-hash a user password. But, let me demonstrate another way to view saved passwords on the three browsers mentioned. Remember, this only works on passwords that are stored by the browser.

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Chrome

1. Open Chrome.
2. Click the Menu button and select Settings.
3. Scroll to Autofill and click Passwords.
4. Locate the password you want to view and click the “eye” icon (see below).
5. On the Linux operating system, you will not be prompted for a user password. On macOS and Windows, you will be required to authenticate the user before passwords will be listed.
6. Enjoy that password.

Firefox

1. Open Firefox.
2. Open the Menu and select Preferences.
3. Click Privacy & Security (from the left pane).
4. Scroll to Logins & Passwords.
5. Click Saved Logins.
6. Click Show Passwords
7. Enjoy your passwords.

The only caveat to the steps in Firefox is if a Master Password is in use. Should that be the case, you’ll be prompted for that password after clicking Show Passwords. Without the Master Password, you cannot view stored credentials.

Safari

1. Open Safari.
2. Click the Safari menu in the top bar and select Preferences.
3. Click the Passwords tab.
4. When prompted either type your password, or use the fingerprint sensor (if available).
5. Click on the website you want to view
6. Enjoy that password.

Clearly, Safari has the edge here, only because it requires the use of a password to view stored credentials. If Firefox stored credentials are locked by a Master Password, then it puts the Mozilla browser on similar ground. As far as Chrome is concerned, your saved passwords are there for all to see, unfettered and unprotected. In place of having your web browser store your passwords, make use of a password manager.