Where to find autofill settings in macOS

Autofill on a Mac lives in System Settings, not in individual apps. Open System Settings from your Apple menu, then go to the Passwords section (or Autofill, depending on your macOS version). From there you can turn autofill on or off entirely, choose which types of information autofill will use, and delete saved information you no longer want.

The exact path varies slightly by macOS version. On Sonoma and newer, look for Settings > Passwords. On older versions, it may be under Safari > Autofill or iCloud > Passwords. The core controls are the same: toggle switches to enable or disable each autofill category, and a list of saved data you can edit or remove.

Key Takeaways

  • Autofill settings are in System Settings under Passwords or Autofill, not in Safari or individual apps.
  • You can turn autofill on or off for passwords, credit cards, contact information, and usernames separately.
  • Deleting a saved password, card, or contact from autofill does not delete it from iCloud — it only removes it from the autofill list.
  • Safari autofill and app autofill use the same saved data, so changing one affects both.
  • If autofill is not working, check that it is toggled on and that you have saved the information you want to autofill.

Turning autofill categories on and off

Each autofill category has its own toggle. Open System Settings, go to Passwords, and you will see switches for Passwords, Credit Cards, Contact Information, and (on newer versions) Passkeys. Toggle any of these off to stop autofill from offering that type of information. Toggle it back on to re-enable it.

Turning off a category does not delete the saved data — it only stops autofill from suggesting it. If you turn passwords off but later turn them back on, your saved passwords will still be there. This is useful if you want to keep your passwords stored but do not want them offered automatically in certain situations.

Removing individual saved passwords, cards, or contacts

To delete a single saved password, credit card, or contact from autofill, open System Settings > Passwords. Find the item you want to remove in the list, click it, and look for a delete or remove button (usually a minus sign or trash icon). Confirm the deletion.

Removing an item from autofill only removes it from the autofill list. If that password or card is also stored in iCloud Keychain, it will remain there — you are just telling your Mac not to offer it during autofill. To fully delete a password from iCloud Keychain, you must delete it from the Keychain app instead.

Using iCloud Keychain with autofill

Autofill on your Mac pulls from iCloud Keychain, which syncs your passwords and payment information across all your Apple devices. If you sign in to iCloud on your Mac, autofill will use whatever passwords and cards you have saved there. If you turn off iCloud Keychain, autofill will still work but only with information stored locally on that Mac.

To check whether iCloud Keychain is on, go to System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and look for Keychain. If it is toggled on, your autofill data is synced across your devices. If it is off, autofill will only use data saved on that specific Mac.

Controlling autofill in Safari specifically

Safari uses the same autofill settings as the rest of your Mac, but you can also adjust Safari-specific behavior. Open Safari, go to Safari > Settings > Autofill, and you will see checkboxes for Using Saved Passwords, Credit Cards, Contacts, and Recent Searches. These toggle Safari's use of autofill independently from the system-wide settings.

If autofill is on in System Settings but off in Safari Settings, Safari will not autofill. If it is on in both places, Safari will offer autofill suggestions. This dual-control setup lets you keep autofill on system-wide but disable it just in Safari if you prefer.

Stopping autofill from working on specific websites

Some websites ask your browser not to autofill certain fields — for example, security questions or sensitive account recovery fields. Safari respects these requests and will not offer autofill on those fields even if autofill is turned on. You cannot override this at the system level; it is a choice made by the website itself.

If a website is blocking autofill on a field where you want it to work, you can still type the information manually or copy and paste it. If you believe the website is blocking autofill incorrectly, you can report the issue to the website's support team.

What to do if autofill is not working

First, check that autofill is actually turned on. Go to System Settings > Passwords and confirm the toggle for the category you need (Passwords, Credit Cards, or Contact Information) is switched on. Also check Safari > Settings > Autofill if you are using Safari specifically.

Second, make sure you have actually saved the information you want to autofill. If you have never saved a password for a website, autofill cannot offer it. To save a password, enter it once and click "Save Password" when your browser asks. For credit cards and contact information, you must add them manually in System Settings > Passwords.

If autofill is on and you have saved the information but it still is not appearing, try signing out of iCloud and back in, or restart your Mac. If the problem persists, the website itself may be blocking autofill, or your saved data may be corrupted — in that case, delete the saved item and re-enter it fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use autofill with passwords I did not save in iCloud Keychain?

No. Autofill on a Mac only works with information stored in iCloud Keychain or saved locally on that Mac. If you use a third-party password manager like 1Password or Bitwarden, you will need to use that app's autofill feature instead, which usually works through a browser extension or app integration.

Does turning off autofill delete my saved passwords?

No. Turning off autofill only stops your Mac from offering saved information automatically. Your passwords, cards, and contacts remain stored in iCloud Keychain. Turn autofill back on and they will be offered again.

Why is autofill offering old information I deleted?

You may have deleted it from autofill but not from iCloud Keychain itself. Open System Settings > Passwords, find the old item in the full list, and delete it there. Or check whether you have multiple Macs or devices synced to the same iCloud account — one of them may still have the old data saved.

Can I autofill different information on different websites?

No. Autofill offers the same saved passwords and contact information across all websites and apps. If you want to use different email addresses or payment methods on different sites, you will need to enter them manually or use a password manager that supports multiple profiles.

What happens to my autofill data if I sell my Mac?

If you sign out of iCloud before selling your Mac, your autofill data will not transfer to the new owner. If you do not sign out, your iCloud data will remain accessible to whoever signs in with your Apple ID. Always sign out of iCloud and erase your Mac before passing it on.