Revealing the password hidden behind the asterisks is very useful not only for remembering it, but also for detecting typing errors when we enter it. Most online services no longer allow passwords to be entered in plain text for security reasons, but users have a couple of tricks in their favor. The first relies on the developer tools that come with browsers, and the second on simple extensions that automate the process.
The most effective way to control (and in many cases eliminate) any incident related to passwords is to adopting a password manager. Personally, I use KeePass, since it is an offline tool (no clouds for my passwords, thanks), open source (with a solid presence on other platforms beyond Windows), and audited by the European Commission. However, I understand that many users do not want to install another program when they already have problems dealing with passwords on their own, but by using a manager we only have to remember one. The alternative is to let the browser save them. More convenience for the user with a greater associated risk, and if we forget them, all we will see in the fields are asterisks, unless... we follow some shortcuts.
Browser developer tools
- Right-click on the asterisks, and choose the option to inspect the element.
- Then look in the corresponding code section for the label 'input type' or simply 'type'. The value of that field will be 'password', and it is responsible for the asterisks.
- To remove them and reveal the password, all we have to do is double-click on the word 'password' and replace it with 'text'. Some online services may present greater resistance to this basic inspection, but it usually works well.
ShowPassword (Chrome)
If the manual method seems tedious, then we need to seek help through extensions. One that I recommend at the moment for Google Chrome is ShowPassword. The extension allows us to reveal passwords by hovering the mouse over the asterisks (with a small delay that can be configured), double-clicking, focusing on them, or pressing the Ctrl key.
Show/Hide Passwords (Firefox)
In the case of Firefox, the situation is a bit more complicated due to the launch of Quantum, which broke compatibility with several previous extensions. One that is working without too many issues and has good feedback is Show/Hide Passwords by Didier Lafleur. We hope the weather improves in the future and developers catch up with their Firefox extensions.
In summary, the ideal is to not have to reach this point and maintain firm control over our passwords using a manager, but in an emergency, removing the asterisks can be very useful, and with this brief guide you already know what to do. Good luck!
