How can I delete a saved password?

Managing passwords can be a hassle, especially when you have passwords saved in your web browser that you no longer need or want. Over time, saved passwords can build up, slowing down your browsing experience and potentially posing a security risk if any of those accounts are compromised. Thankfully, deleting saved passwords is a straightforward process in most modern web browsers.

Why Should I Delete Saved Passwords?

Here are some of the top reasons you may want to delete saved passwords from your browser:

• You no longer use the account – If you have passwords saved for websites or accounts you no longer use, there’s no reason to keep them around. Deleting them cleans up your browser and ensures you don’t accidentally log into something you didn’t mean to.
• The account was compromised – If one of your saved password accounts suffered a security breach or you reused the password on multiple sites, deleting the saved password helps protect you from further exposure.
• You want to improve browser performance – The more saved passwords you accumulate, the more memory your browser has to dedicate to storing and encrypting them. Deleting unused passwords can help speed things up.
• You’re using a shared or public device – If other people are able to access the same browser profile as you, you likely don’t want your personal passwords saved for convenience. Deleting them improves privacy and security.
• You use a password manager now – If you’ve switched to using a dedicated password manager app or service, there’s no need to keep a duplicate list of passwords stored in your browser.

Getting into the habit of periodically clearing out old, unused saved passwords can save you headaches down the road. Make it part of your routine security maintenance.

How to Delete Saved Passwords in Chrome

Google Chrome offers a couple different ways to view and delete your saved passwords. Here’s how:

From Settings

1. Click the three vertical dots in the top right corner to open Chrome’s settings menu.
2. Select Settings from the menu.
3. Click Passwords on the left side.
4. You’ll see a list of all your saved passwords. Find the entry you want to delete and click the three dots to the right of it.
5. Select Delete to remove that password.

From the Password Manager

1. Click the key icon in the top right corner to open the Chrome password manager.
2. Find the entry you want to delete and right click on it.
3. Choose Delete from the context menu.

The changes are saved automatically – there’s no confirmation dialog. Just be careful to only delete passwords you truly want to remove.

How to Delete Saved Passwords in Firefox

Firefox also provides a couple options for finding and deleting saved passwords:

From the Main Menu

1. Click the three lines in the top right to open the Firefox menu.
2. Select Settings.
3. Go to Privacy & Security on the left side.
4. Click Saved Logins under the Logins and Passwords section.
5. Find the login you want to remove and click Remove.

From the Password Manager

1. Click the key icon in the top right to open the password manager.
2. Find the entry you want to delete and click the three dots next to it.
3. Choose Remove from the menu.

In Firefox, you’ll get a confirmation dialog when deleting saved passwords. This helps prevent accidentally deleting something.

How to Delete Saved Passwords on Other Browsers

Most other browsers also include easy ways to view and delete any saved passwords:

Microsoft Edge

• Click the three dots in the top right corner.
• Go to Settings > Profiles > Saved passwords.
• Select the password entry and choose Delete.

Safari

• Go to Safari > Preferences > Passwords.
• Select the password and click Remove.

Opera

• Click the EasySetup icon in the top left corner.
• Go to Passwords > Manage passwords.
• Find the password and select Delete.

The process is very similar across browsers. The passwords section is usually under Settings or Preferences.

Other Password Cleanup Tips

Here are a few additional tips for managing your saved passwords:

• Check other apps and devices – Don’t forget to remove saved passwords from any other browsers or devices linked to the same accounts.
• Change compromised passwords – If you’re deleting passwords for security reasons, make sure to also change those passwords on the actual sites.
• Enable two-factor authentication – For better account security, turn on two-factor authentication using an authenticator app or YubiKey on important logins.
• Use a password manager – To simplify password management, consider an encrypted password manager like LastPass or 1Password.

Conclusion

Keeping your browser free of old or unnecessary saved passwords improves both security and performance. It only takes a few seconds to delete passwords in Chrome, Firefox, and other popular browsers. Be sure to periodically review your saved passwords and remove any you no longer need access to.