Where are passwords stored and how to view them on an Android device?

In today's digital environment, it is easy to lose confidential information. Various malware are used to steal it. The situation gets worse when attackers gain direct access to the device itself. Therefore, developments are constantly working to increase device protection. An example is Android OS. The operating system is popular all over the world also because of its high security. Sometimes the question arises, how to view saved passwords on Android. Applicable security standards dictate that this information is hidden from the device owner once it is entered.

How data on smartphones is protected

There are a variety of ways to protect personal information. They are created for a specific stage of using a mobile device. There are several protection thresholds:

1. Screen lock. The first protection that any device user faces is partial blocking. It allows you to use only basic functions, for example, quickly answer a call or take a photo. However, in order to take advantage of others? you need to unlock the screen. Finding the lock screen password is difficult. Often you have to reinstall the operating system.
2. Application passwords. Many application developers create additional lock screens. An example is Internet banking; after opening the program, the user gains access to accounts and can operate with available funds. Logins and passwords for third-party applications are set in different ways. Often this information is stored on a third-party server; access can only be obtained after an official request with confirmation of copyright ownership.
3. Protecting accounts through browsers. On almost every site you can create a personal account. The first time you log in using your browser, this information is saved. In this case, browsers are synchronized with the operating system of the mobile device. Therefore, data can be copied for recovery purposes if the appropriate function has been selected.
4. Antivirus programs. Such special applications reduce the likelihood of spyware installation. If they are embedded in the operating system, passwords may not be useful. Spyware reads actions from the screen, for example, at the time of logging into an electronic wallet account.

If attackers have gained access to the device, but do not know the password for the lock screen or individual applications, they will not be able to use personal data. All information is encrypted. If they resorted to a complete reinstallation of the operating system, all data will be erased.

Vyacheslav

For several years he worked in mobile phone stores of two large operators. I understand tariffs well and see all the pitfalls. I love gadgets, especially Android ones.

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Question to the expert

What should I use: a password or other blocking methods?

Numeric passwords are considered to be the most secure lock. They have been used for several decades. Advances in technology have led to the emergence of fingerprint scanners and Face ID. These technologies also provide high protection, but are still considered less reliable.

If the device was accessed?

Despite the large number of different protection methods, if due to the lack of a password or its simplicity, access to the operating system was gained, there is a possibility of a large part of the information leaking. For example, attackers can install the appropriate software and scan the device to obtain all login data. In the case of browsers, you can even find them through the standard settings. Therefore, you cannot use your phone without locking the screen.

Is it possible to recover lost passwords?

It all depends on the user's actions and what information is required. Browsers save data to their own database. If the function of deleting all information and clearing the cache was selected, problems will arise with recovery. After reinstalling the application, the password is set in a new way. If the memory has not been cleared, access can be restored.

Do you need antivirus programs?

Viruses and spyware can determine where the passwords are in Android and transfer this information to strangers. They also determine where data is entered by intercepting actions. If the device is actively used and has access to important accounts, it is better to take care of additional protection. When using only official applications downloaded from Google Play, rarely connecting to other devices to download a file, the likelihood of getting a virus is low.

How Android devices are protected

Mobile device protection can be divided into three levels. The first level is the unlock password, which can be graphic, digital or biometric (fingerprint). It protects your smartphone from being used by anyone in your absence.

Across various apps and websites, 99% of users use automatic login.

The second level is authorization directly in each service, which is convenient to set as automatic access, but is not recommended for security reasons. Regardless of your settings, all account passwords are stored in the device database, so theoretically, with access to an unlocked device, you can find out all logins and passwords.

In this case, there is a third level of security, which is installed by the system. Even if it is your smartphone, but you do not have administrator rights, without them it is impossible to open the system database and extract passwords from there.

Where are Android application passwords stored?

Passwords for many applications are stored in the device's memory. You won’t be able to access them using standard tools, since by default system folders are hidden in Explorer. In order to understand where passwords are stored on Android, you will need two additional programs.

You can open system folders using Root Manager or an equivalent. To work with databases you will need SQLite Editor. Both applications will interact. By launching SQLite Editor you can scan memory and identify databases.

When figuring out where passwords are stored on your phone, you need to be careful. If the database is damaged, you can lose important information or access to your accounts. Some applications work on a serverless principle, that is, all data is stored on the phone.

What to do?

When you log in to mail, a window pops up with fields in which you need to enter a login - email address and password - a set of characters invented by the owner of the mail during registration.

By phone

When registering a mailbox, a mobile phone number was attached to it. One of the methods for restoring access to mail is to receive a new password via SMS to the specified mobile phone. No funds will be withdrawn from the user's mobile account.

Sequence of actions during recovery:

Without a phone

If for any reason, at the time of restoration there is no access to the registered mobile phone, the email provides the user with a chance to restore the forgotten by filling out a specialized form.

Upon completion of filling it out, the data will be sent for verification to administrators, who will send their response to the mailbox specified in the form.

An important point is that you need to have a mailbox that is accessible so that you can read letters from operators and further restore them.

If the specified data is not enough, the letter from the operator will contain a link to go to an already known form with a request to fill it out in more detail.

Where are passwords stored in the browser?

Finding passwords in the browser makes things much simpler. They themselves allow you to view them if necessary. In order to eliminate the possibility of information leakage when opening the corresponding menu, you will need to confirm your action with a fingerprint or lock screen code.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is considered one of the most popular browsers. Many popular services are integrated into it, and the application works stably. After the first time, it saves passwords from websites or email. This is done so that when you log in again you do not have to fill in this data. You can display such information as follows:

1. Settings opens.
2. The password item is selected.

At the bottom of the screen there will be a list of sites for which your personal account login information has been saved. After opening this menu, all users will be able to figure out how to view passwords on Android - click on the name of the site and opposite the field, click on the image of an “open eye”.

Yandex Browser

Searching in this browser is much easier. To display passwords, just click on the three dots in the search bar. Please note that the application does not allow you to take a screenshot after this. This is another protection against the spread of personal data.

After opening the password manager, just select the desired resource. In the window that opens, click the icon for displaying the hidden code.

Firefox

This browser saves passwords in a similar way. On the main screen, press the image of three dots.

In the menu there is a Privacy section, and in it there is a Login Management item. In the window that opens, you can view all available data for each site. If there are many of them, you can find the resource you need using the search bar.

Opera

This browser also stores sensitive information. To open the menu, you need to click the logo image and go to the settings section.

In the additional window, select the Passwords section and the Saved Passwords subsection. Next, a list of sites on which you have logged in will be available, saving your login data. You can also check them by clicking on the name of the resource and the icon showing hidden data. For ease of use, there is a quick copy to clipboard icon.

Passwords and logins will only be saved if the appropriate function is selected. If you clear the cache and data through application settings, this information will be lost forever. An exception applies to the case of choosing the function of synchronizing Google Chrome data with a personal Google account.

Method 4: Password recovery

If the encrypted information was not saved in the browser and none of the listed methods are suitable for resolving the issue, try recovering your password.

1. Open the main page of the mail service. Enter your login and click the “Login” button.
2. On the next page, click “Forgot my password.”
3. Next, enter the characters from the picture and click on the “Continue” button.
4. In the next window you will be asked to enter the e-mail that is associated with this e-mail. Specify it and click “Continue”.
5. Log in to the email you specified earlier. Find the password recovery email and open it.
6. To activate the procedure, either click the link or manually enter the specified code.
7. Copy the code and paste it into the special field, then click “Continue”.
8. In the next window, create a new password and enter it twice in the specified fields. If you click in the "Create a new password" field, the browser may prompt you to generate a new one and automatically paste it into both fields.
9. If your web browser has the option to generate passwords enabled, select "Use a suggested password" and click "Continue."
10. You will be directed to the page for linking your phone to your account (however, if the number is already linked, you may not receive a second offer). Enter your number and click "Continue". If you don't want to link your phone, click Skip.
11. You will be sent an SMS code. Enter it in the provided field and click “Continue”.
12. After completing these steps, you will be logged into your mail in the settings section.

Remember that linking your phone to your account will save you from unauthorized access by strangers.

How to view saved passwords on your phone using apps

If application passwords are saved on your phone, you can view them. Certain utilities are used for this, since Android passwords form a specific database. You should download third-party software only from official stores.

Intercepter-NG

The application is a cookie interception utility. From the information received, it builds its own database, which can be viewed through the built-in interface.

You can view saved passwords through Passwor Mode. It is represented by a table that displays the name of the resource and data on its use.

SQLite Editor

A program that makes it easy to find and find out the necessary passwords. A file manager is required to obtain access rights.

After launching the application, just press the start button. It begins to search for generated databases. The found files just need to be opened with a file manager that supports the format.

This method does not allow you to obtain passwords from social networks.

Root Browser

This special file manager allows you to view system folders. It is worth considering that without certain auxiliary software, difficulties may arise in finding the necessary information.

The number and names of folders may vary. This depends on the version of the operating system and the shell used.

LastPass Password Manager

Such programs have a built-in data saving function. It was originally presented as a browser extension. The manager saves any entered data for copying and quick access if necessary. Initial settings:

1. After installation, the “Sing UP” function is selected.
2. Email is entered. The email address must be real, as a verification code will be sent to it.
3. A secure login code is generated.
4. If necessary, additional protection is assigned by fingerprint blocking.

Adding data is done inside the application. To do this, click the “+” image, select the data type and fill in all the fields. How to view saved passwords on your phone when using this utility - just go into it and select the appropriate section.

Set up root access

To obtain administrator rights, download a special application or flash your mobile device using a PC connection. Please note that this is unsafe, as it can lead to the loss of all saved data or even the failure of the smartphone. In addition, the mobile will become more vulnerable to remote hacking. However, the success of the procedure largely depends on the OS version and the brand of the gadget.

If you approach this issue with the utmost caution and do not download dubious software, it is possible to change the user status to administrator.

How to View Saved Wi-Fi Passwords on Android

There is often a situation where the entered password for a Wi-Fi network is required. The standard operating system settings do not have a function for displaying this information. At the same time, they are stored in different folders, so searching may be difficult.

We find these codes using Wi-Fi IP and password Explorer. The program is designed to retrieve information about the network to which the device is connected. To do this, download it from the official store, launch it and press the “Show password” button. At this moment you need to be connected to the desired network.

Step-by-step instructions for Xiaomi smartphones

Xiaomi devices somehow creep into almost every review of mine. This time, too, they distinguished themselves with a rootless password transfer method. To do this, go to the wireless network settings, then select Home WiFi and receive a QR code to connect:

The code can either be directly transferred to a friend or decrypted with the built-in scanner - the password will be there.

Bonus: Applications for saving passwords for Android

4.3/5 — (7 votes)

Conditions for viewing data

Yandex browser, like any other Internet browser, stores a secret code. In order for him to carry out the actions, the user, upon first entering the site, must agree to the collection and storage of information. If the conditions are met, in the future, when opening the desired page, the surfer will not have to manually enter login information.

It is worth noting that when clearing the browser history, the user can delete the password, which will clear the autofill. If cloud synchronization was activated at the time of deletion, the data can be restored.

additional information

You cannot find out your login if the account has certain restrictions. If there is a security code on it, you will have to enter it to receive information.

In most cases, users can see passwords in a folder located on the computer, but, unfortunately, there is no such function in the Yandex browser. They are stored on the PC, but in encrypted form. You should not use special programs to achieve your goal, since in this situation they are useless.

Third-party password storage software

Password Manager is a popular option that is not only developed by Google. Other programming studios have their own managers. Next, let's look at the best examples that you can install on your phone.

KeepPassDroid

Not the simplest from the point of view of the average user, but an advanced Password Manager. After installing the launcher, KeePassDroid prompts you to specify the location of the file where input data from sites and other resources is saved. If they do not exist, the program will offer to create it yourself. The user will only need to indicate the source for which the password is saved.

This process of interaction through a file allows you to synchronize passwords on your smartphone and computer, because KeePassDroid has a version for PC. Also, all the necessary information can be saved on external storage, which is a MicroSD card. There are several options in the settings that allow you, among other things, to create a group of passwords.

B-Folders

Another application whose design has not changed since its release in 2010. This may seem like a shortcoming of the program, but it copes with its tasks. The application works on a similar principle to KeePassDroid. The user can specify the path to an existing database or create a new one.

It is possible to create groups, as well as the function of automatically hiding input data after a specified period of time. This allows you to not worry that an attacker will be able to make a purchase on your phone or gain access to other personal information. The disadvantages of the program include its instability. For unknown reasons, it hides the database after clicking the “Back” button, forcing the user to re-open B-Folders in order to see the previously saved password during authorization.

Handy Safe Pro

Also, data is safely saved via Handy Safe Pro. By the name of the application you can understand that it is paid. In this case, the user is given 14 days to familiarize himself with the product. Externally, Handy Safe Pro has no advantages compared to the applications we talked about earlier. However, the differences lie in a higher level of convenience.

The program not only creates a group of passwords, but also accompanies it with a card. The result is visual information that can be used as a source for auto-filling forms. However, there is no particular point in paying for Handy Safe Pro, since Password Manager is already available on every Android smartphone in the form of Google autofill.