How to Clear a Saved Password in FileMaker (Mac and Windows)

"Remember this password in my keychain" clicked accidentally?

Sometimes, whether accidentally or intentionally, users will click the 'Remember this password in my keychain. I usually recommend, especially for laptop users, that they not check this option, because then password control gets moved up a level to control of the computer. Whoever has access to the computer, now has access to the database. If a laptop gets stolen or momentarily borrowed, the database is insecure.

Method 1 (Mac Only): Applications Folder: Utilities Folder: Keychain Access

Inside your Applications folder, is a folder called "Utilities". Within Utilities is a program called "Keychain Access". Launch :"Keychain Access" from there.

Select the database name and right click to delete the entry.

You can Delete the entry for the problem file in three ways:

1) Highlight the row, then from the Edit menu select "Delete..."
2) by using the Delete key with the item selected.
3) Control Click to bring up the popup menu. Select "Delete..."

Method 2 (Mac and Windows): Re-open the database - holding down the Option or Alt key

This technique has the benefit of working on both Mac and Windows. Relaunch the program with the (Option key on a Mac keyboard) (Alt key on a Windows keyboard) held down the key when launching the file. This will bring up the up the regular log in screen.

The regular login screen reappears

You can now log in with a different user and password. Unfortunately, doing this doesn't clear the saved password. Here are the steps necessary to clear a saved password.

Click the 'Remember this password in my keychain' with a blank password

Then click OK.

Error result

This of course will not allow you to log in and you will see an error message. What it has achieved however, is the clearing of the old faulty password.

Now login properly

Log in again, with the correct password, this time, do not click the 'Remember this password..' button. It is never a good idea to use this, because if the computer gets stolen or lost, anyone will be able to log in, which defeats the whole purpose of having passwords on the database.