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Fetch Icon Fetch Help > FAQ > Passwords FAQ

Here are answers to commonly asked questions about passwords in Fetch.

  1. I don't remember my password, can you tell me what it is?
  2. Why is Fetch rejecting my password when I know I entered it correctly?
  3. How do I get the password out of a shortcut?
  4. Can I change my password with Fetch?
  5. Is my password being sent securely?
  6. Why is Fetch asking me to enter my password?
  7. Why is Fetch asking me to enter a passphrase?
1. I don't remember my password, can you tell me what it is?
Please see I don't know or I've forgotten my hostname, username, or password in the Solving Problems with Connecting help topic.
2. Why is Fetch rejecting my password when I know I entered it correctly?
Please see I received an error saying "login incorrect" or "rejected password" in the Solving Problems with Connecting help topic.
3. How do I get the password out of a shortcut?

You can use the Keychain Access application to look at the password saved for a shortcut. When you create a shortcut and enter a password for it, the password is automatically saved in your keychain.

To find your shortcut's password in the Keychain Access application:

  • Open the Keychain Access application, which is in the Utilities folder inside your Applications folder.
  • Look for an entry whose Name is the name of the server specified in the shortcut, and whose Kind is "Fetch password" (or possibly "Internet password").
  • Display the entry's details by double-clicking on the entry.
  • Click the "Show password" checkbox.
  • When prompted, enter your keychain passphrase (usually the same as your Macintosh login or administrator password) to display the shortcut's password.
4. Can I change my password with Fetch?
No, that is not a feature of Fetch. Contact your service provider or network administrator for help changing your password.
5. Is my password being sent securely?
You can tell if your password is being sent securely by the padlock icon in the password prompt dialog. A locked padlock icon indicates your password will be protected by encryption. An unlocked padlock icon means your password will be sent insecurely, without encryption. There will also be a warning in the password dialog if your password will be sent insecurely.
Your password will be secure if you are using SFTP or FTP with TLS/SSL. If you are using plain FTP, your password is sent insecurely.
6. Why is Fetch asking me to enter my password?

Sometimes Fetch will ask for your password outside of the New Connection dialog. This can happen:

  • Any time you open a connection without using the New Connection dialog (such as when you choose a shortcut or recent connection from the main menu, or use an Automator workflow to transfer files) and the password for that connection is not saved in your keychain. If you check the Add password to keychain box after typing in your password to save it to your keychain, you will not be asked for the password again in the future.
7. Why is Fetch asking me to enter a passphrase?
Fetch may ask you to enter a passphrase for an SSH key instead of, or in addition to, a password when you've set up public key authentication for an SFTP connection and your key is protected by a passphrase.