How-To Erase a Web Site Password in Safari or Firefox

2010-12-14 updated 2012-04-17 • SEND FEEDBACK •
Related: Apple Safari web browser, How-To, passphrase, security

A password might be remembered differently, depending on how the web site works. For most sites, use the Remove saved names and passwords checkbox as shown in How to Reset Safari.

Apple Safari

Some web sites use passwords in a way that allows the password to be stored in your Mac’s keychain, a useful convenience. To do so, select (check) the Remember this password in my keychain when prompted for the password as shown below.

One possible login you might encounter

Clearing the password

Keychain Access, in /Applications/Utilities

While it’s easy enough to check a box, clearing the password is another matter. You might want to clear the password when your login information has changed for the web site, for example.

To clear the password, open Keychain Access, located in the Utilities folder on your startup drive (inside the Applications folder).

1. Click on Passwords at left.

2. Locate the web site name in the Name column at right

3. Select the username you wish to remove and press the Delete key.

As shown below, the user diglloyd on web site diglloyd.com is selected. You will have to re-enter the username and password when visiting that web site the next time.

Select the web site name, then press the Delete key

Mozilla Firefox

The Firefox Preferences contain the dialog shown below (File => Preferences).

I don’t like having web sites remember my password, but in Firefox, this is controlled by Remember passwords for sites.

Use the Saved Passwords… button to erase saved password.

Mozilla Firefox Saved Passwords options