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Windows Credential Manager lets you inspect, edit when supported, and delete credentials saved for Windows networks, applications, and some web sign-ins. In Windows 10 and Windows 11, search the taskbar for Credential Manager, open Credential Manager Control Panel, then choose Web Credentials or Windows Credentials. It does not provide a supported way to reveal a forgotten saved password as readable text.
The instructions apply to the feature on both Windows versions; however, Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025.
What Windows Credential Manager does
Credential Manager is a Control Panel interface over Windows credential-storage and authentication mechanisms. Supported applications and Windows services can save authentication information locally in protected storage and reuse it when you connect to a network resource or service.
Typical uses include remembering logins for shared folders, NAS devices, other Windows PCs, servers, printers, domain resources, and applications that use Windows authentication. It is not a universal password manager: browser password stores, passkey providers, and applications that use their own vaults may not appear here.
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How to open Credential Manager
- Select the Windows taskbar search box.
- Type Credential Manager.
- Select Credential Manager Control Panel.
- Choose Web Credentials or Windows Credentials.
If search does not show the result, open Control Panel, select User Accounts, and then select Credential Manager.
Web Credentials and Windows Credentials
| Section | Typical use | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Web Credentials | Supported website and web-application sign-ins | Not every password saved by Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or another browser appears here. |
| Windows Credentials | Network shares, Windows computers, servers, applications, and other Windows-authenticated resources | It remembers authentication data but does not grant access permissions or reveal forgotten passwords. |
Modern browsers generally manage passwords in their own settings. Passkeys are also separate: use the passkey provider, such as Windows Settings for passkeys saved locally on the device. See Microsoft’s passkey management guidance.
How to inspect a saved credential
- Open Credential Manager.
- Select Web Credentials or Windows Credentials.
- Expand the entry that matches the website, computer, server, or application.
- Review its target and username, and note the available actions.
- Select Edit only if that action is offered; otherwise use Remove when the entry is obsolete or incorrect.
The password is normally masked. Windows does not provide a supported “show password” command in this interface. If you do not know the password, reset it through the relevant website, account administrator, domain administrator, server administrator, or service provider.
How to edit a saved credential
Editing is useful when the target is correct but the account password or username has changed.
- Expand the credential and select Edit.
- Enter the replacement username and password.
- Save the change and retry the connection.
Edit does not recover the old password; you must already know the new one or obtain it through an authorized password reset. For a network resource, the identity may need a context prefix such as COMPUTERNAMEusername, DOMAINusername, or, where accepted, [email protected]. The correct form depends on whether the target uses a local, domain, Microsoft, or organizational account.
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How to remove a saved credential
- Open Credential Manager.
- Select Windows Credentials or Web Credentials.
- Expand the obsolete entry.
- Select Remove and confirm.
- Reconnect to the target, enter the correct identity and password, and save it only if persistent storage is appropriate for that device.
Deleting an entry removes remembered authentication data; it does not delete the underlying Windows, Microsoft, domain, website, or server account.
How to add or replace credentials with cmdkey
The built-in cmdkey command can list, create, and delete stored credentials. Run these commands in Command Prompt under the Windows profile whose credentials you are managing:
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cmdkey /list:TARGETNAME
cmdkey /add:server01 /user:DOMAINusername
cmdkey /generic:targetname /user:username
cmdkey /delete:server01
cmdkey /delete /rasWhen you omit /pass:<password>, Windows prompts for the password instead of placing it in the command line. Do not put a real password directly in a command: command history, scripts, recordings, logs, or monitoring tools may expose it. Microsoft’s syntax is documented in cmdkey.
Fix repeated “Enter network credentials” prompts
- Check the target: verify the computer or server name and confirm it is reachable.
- Verify the account: test the password through an independent, authorized sign-in method.
- Use the right identity format: distinguish local accounts from domain or organizational accounts.
- Remove stale entries: delete the matching Credential Manager record, then reconnect.
- Use one target name: troubleshoot with the actual hostname rather than switching among an alias, IP address, and fully qualified name. Credentials saved for one target name may not behave the same way for another.
- Check authorization: confirm the account has share, folder, printer, or application permissions.
- Check connectivity and policy: investigate firewall rules, sharing configuration, account lockouts, server availability, and organization-managed restrictions.
Credential Manager addresses credential caching only. Authentication proves identity; authorization determines what that identity can access; connectivity determines whether the target can be reached.
Remote Desktop credentials
For a stale Remote Desktop login, remove or update the entry associated with the remote computer, then reconnect with the correct computer name and account format. RDP behavior varies with Windows version, authentication method, configuration, and policy, so not every RDP credential is managed identically through the ordinary list.
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In managed environments, Remote Credential Guard is a separate security feature. In supported configurations it redirects Kerberos requests to the connecting device so reusable credentials and credential derivatives are not passed to the remote host. It requires appropriate Windows editions, domain configuration, and policy; it is not a normal home-user Credential Manager switch.
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Can Credential Manager show a saved password?
Usually no—not as readable plain text. You may see a masked value or an edit form, but the normal Windows interface does not expose the existing Windows or network password. Reset the password with the relevant service or administrator, then replace the stored entry.
Is it safe to save credentials?
Saving credentials is convenient on a personal, protected computer, but it increases what applications running under that Windows profile may access. Avoid persistent storage on shared, public, or unmanaged PCs. Malware, a compromised profile, or an attacker with control of the device can change the risk; Credential Manager’s protected storage is not a substitute for endpoint security or least-privilege access.
Does Credential Manager sync between PCs?
Ordinary Windows Credential Manager entries are stored locally in protected storage associated with the user profile; do not assume they synchronize to another computer. After replacing a PC, you will generally need to recreate them. Browser passwords and passkeys can have different provider-specific backup or synchronization rules.
Should you back up Credential Manager?
Do not copy credential files manually, export registry keys as a portable vault, or edit the registry to repair passwords. Credential backup and restore involve protected Windows security mechanisms and the Access Credential Manager as a trusted caller policy; changing that privilege from its default can weaken security. Unless your organization has a documented migration process, recreate credentials on the replacement computer. Use a reputable password manager for credentials that must be intentionally backed up and synchronized. Microsoft’s policy background is documented here.
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When Credential Manager is not the right tool
- Recovering a forgotten password in readable form
- Managing every password saved by a browser
- Managing passkeys
- Resetting a Microsoft, domain, or local account password
- Fixing file-sharing permissions, firewall problems, or network connectivity
- Configuring enterprise identity policy
- Maintaining a synchronized password collection across devices
Frequently asked questions
How do I open Credential Manager?
Search the taskbar for Credential Manager and select Credential Manager Control Panel, or use Control Panel > User Accounts > Credential Manager.
Why does deleting a credential make Windows ask again?
Removal clears the remembered authentication data, so the next connection requires a fresh sign-in. Enter the intended account and save it only when appropriate.
Where are browser passwords stored?
Usually in the browser’s own password settings, not necessarily in Credential Manager. Check the specific browser or account provider.
Where are passkeys managed?
Use the passkey provider. Passkeys saved locally on Windows are managed through the relevant Windows Settings experience, as described in Microsoft’s passkey guidance.
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Why does the correct password still fail?
The target may be unreachable, the username context may be wrong, the account may lack permissions, or the server may reject the connection because of policy or configuration. Credential Manager cannot correct those separate problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does deleting a credential delete the account itself?
No. It deletes only the saved authentication entry from the current Windows profile; the underlying account remains.
Will Credential Manager reveal my forgotten password?
No. The normal interface masks saved passwords. Reset the password through the relevant account or administrator, then update the entry.
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The Bottom Line
Use Credential Manager to identify and remove or update stale saved credentials, then reconnect with the correct identity. If access still fails, troubleshoot permissions, connectivity, and account policy separately.
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