How to Reveal Passwords Hidden Behind Asterisks or Dots

You've autofilled a password and now need to know what it actually is — but the field just shows dots. Whether it's a browser login form, an email client, or a desktop application, there are several ways to unmask that hidden password. This guide covers all of them.

The methods vary depending on where the password is masked. Browser password fields are the easiest to reveal. Windows application fields require a different approach. We'll cover both.

Method 1: Browser Show Password Button (Easiest)

All major browsers now include a built-in toggle to show or hide password field contents. Look for an eye icon (👁️) on the right side of any password input field.

• Chrome, Edge, Opera: A small eye icon appears inside the password field when you click on it. Click the icon to toggle between dots and plain text.
• Firefox: Similar eye icon appears on the right side of password fields when the field is active.
• Login pages: Many websites also include their own "Show password" checkbox or eye icon below or beside the field.

This method only works for fields you're actively typing in or that have autofilled content. It does not work for passwords that were autofilled but then the page was navigated away from.

Method 2: Browser DevTools (F12 Inspector)

If the password field doesn't have a show/hide button, you can reveal the value directly using your browser's developer tools. This works in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera.

Step-by-Step

1. Make sure the password is autofilled in the field (so the value is actually there).
2. Press F12 to open Developer Tools.
3. Click the Inspector / Elements tab.
4. Click the cursor/picker icon (top left of DevTools) and then click the password field on the page. The relevant HTML element will be highlighted in the inspector.
5. Find the type="password" attribute in the highlighted element.
6. Double-click the word password and change it to text. Press Enter.
7. The dots in the password field immediately change to the actual password text.

Method 3: SterJo Password Unmask (Windows Applications)

The DevTools method only works in browsers. For desktop applications — email clients, FTP programs, VPN software, remote desktop tools, and anything else with a password field — you need a different approach. SterJo Password Unmask reveals asterisk-masked passwords in any Windows application.

How to Use SterJo Password Unmask

1. Open the application containing the masked password field (e.g. Outlook, FileZilla, a VPN client).
2. Make sure the password is filled in (visible as asterisks).
3. Download and run SterJo Password Unmask — no installation needed.
4. Drag the target crosshair icon from SterJo Password Unmask onto the masked password field in the other application.
5. The hidden password appears instantly in the SterJo Password Unmask window.

Method 4: View Saved Passwords in Browser Settings

If the password is autofilled by your browser, it's also stored in the browser's password manager — and you can view it there without any tools.

• Chrome: Go to chrome://password-manager/passwords, find the site, click the eye icon next to the password.
• Edge: Go to edge://password-manager/passwords, same process.
• Firefox: Menu (☰) → Passwords, select the entry, click the eye icon.

You'll be prompted to enter your Windows account password or PIN to confirm before the password is shown — this is a security feature.

When These Methods Don't Work

Some applications use additional protections that prevent standard password unmasking:

• Custom-drawn password fields — some applications draw their own UI instead of using standard Windows controls. SterJo Password Unmask works with standard Win32 controls.
• Fields that don't autofill — if a password was never saved and you don't remember it, unmasking shows an empty field.
• Protected/enterprise applications — some corporate apps use additional access controls that block password field inspection.

In these cases, the better approach is to recover the password from where it's stored — use SterJo Browser Passwords for browser credentials, or SterJo Windows Credentials for Windows Vault entries.

Method Comparison

📚 Related Guides

See Your Password in Seconds

For browser password fields, the eye icon or F12 DevTools method takes under 30 seconds. For Windows application fields, SterJo Password Unmask is the most reliable tool — free, portable, and requires no installation. Download it, drag the crosshair to the masked field, and you have your password immediately.

Download SterJo Password Unmask Free →