Introduction
Saved passwords are important for users who frequently access various websites and services. However, users may accidentally delete saved passwords or lose access to them due to various reasons. In this article, we will explore how to recover deleted saved passwords on Chrome.
How Chrome stores saved passwords
Chrome stores saved passwords in an encrypted format in a profile folder on the user’s computer. This ensures that passwords are protected against unauthorized access. Chrome also uses a master password to encrypt and decrypt saved passwords.
Why saved passwords get deleted in Chrome
There are several reasons why saved passwords may get deleted in Chrome. Some common reasons include updating or reinstalling Chrome, clearing browsing data, or using a third-party utility to clean up files on the computer. Users may also accidentally delete saved passwords themselves by mistakenly clearing browsing data or deleting passwords manually.
How to recover deleted saved passwords on Chrome
There are three different methods to recover deleted saved passwords on Chrome:
Method 1: Using the Password Checkup extension The Password Checkup extension is a built-in feature in Chrome that allows users to check if any of their saved passwords have been compromised in data breaches. This feature can also be used to recover deleted saved passwords. Here are the steps to use this method:
- Install the Password Checkup extension from the Chrome Web Store.
- Click on the extension icon in the toolbar and select “Check passwords”.
- If any passwords have been compromised, follow the instructions to change them.
- Click on “Export passwords” and enter your master password when prompted.
- Save the exported file to your computer.
- Go to chrome://settings/passwords and click on the three dots next to “Saved passwords”.
- Select “Import” and choose the file that you saved earlier.
- Enter your master password when prompted.
Method 2: Using a password manager A password manager can be used to recover deleted saved passwords on Chrome. Here are the steps to use this method:
- Install a password manager such as LastPass or Dashlane.
- Import your saved passwords from Chrome to the password manager.
- If you have a backup file of your saved passwords, import it to the password manager.
- Use the password manager to retrieve your deleted saved passwords.
Method 3: Using a backup file Chrome creates backup files of saved passwords, which can be used to recover deleted passwords. Here are the steps to use this method:
- Close Chrome.
- Go to the Chrome profile folder on your computer. The default location is C:\Users<username>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default.
- Look for the file “Login Data.bak”.
- Rename the file to “Login Data”.
- Open Chrome and go to chrome://settings/passwords.
- Your saved passwords should now be restored.
Conclusion
In this article, we explored how to recover deleted saved passwords on Chrome. We discussed the importance of saved passwords, how Chrome stores them, why saved passwords get deleted, and three different methods to recover deleted saved passwords.
By following the steps outlined in this article, you can retrieve your lost or accidentally deleted saved passwords and avoid losing them in the future by taking necessary precautions.