To ensure that nobody can just view and steal your passwords,
browsers always hide passwords behind dots (...) or asterisks (***). However,
there are times when it is more convenient if the password is visible to you.
Maybe you have made a mistake while writing the password and now you want to
see the mistake to correct it instead of entering the whole password. You may
also depend more on a browser's built-in password manager to autofill password
fields, that's why there's a good chance you might have forgotten your
password.
If you want to reveal a password without any need of third-party
utilities, then you will have to make a tiny edit in the script of the page.
When you find a password field, right-click on it and select Inspect
element. The Inspect element developer tool will open, and you
will see some complex text strings. Here you need to look for a line starting
with <input type="password." Once found, double-click on
type="password" to edit it and replace "password" with
"text." It should look like this now: <input
type="text."
Now close the Inspect element window, and the password will be
revealed. You can then easily copy or edit the password until the page is
reloaded again.
The above method is great for revealing any password field, but
you don't have to go through this complex process if you just want to view
saved passwords to memorize them. You can go to your browser's password
management setting if you just want to view your saved passwords.
The instructions apply for Google Chrome browsers, but other
browsers should have similar instructions as well. You just need to head to Security or Privacy Settings and then look for an option similar to Manage
Passwords.
In Chrome, click on the main menu then select Settings.
Now click on Show advanced settings,
and then click on the Manage passwords link under Passwords
and forms.
There you will see all your saved login credentials along with
the domain name, user name, and its corresponding password, which is currently
hidden by dots. Click or double-click on the password field, and then click on
the Showbutton next to it.
You will be then prompted to enter your PC login password. Enter
it in the corresponding field, then click OK, and your actual
password will be revealed. If your PC is not password-protected, then all your
passwords will be revealed without asking for any PC login password. This is
another good reason why you should set a password for your PC.
There a lots of third-party extensions that are available right
now, which will help you reveal passwords automatically or with just a click of
a button. If you need to reveal passwords often, then using an extension is a
better solution with faster results. Below are some of the extensions you may
consider trying:
ShowPassword for Chrome: Shows
you the actual password by hovering your mouse cursor over the password field.
Revealing your password may be a risky thing to do, but it can
be very handy at the same time. The first two methods are the best way to go if
you simply want to view your password for reference. Using a third-party
extension, however, is highly recommended if you need to reveal passwords often
or just want to remove this protection from the browser to make it easier.
