How to See Your Facebook Password on iPhone or Android Without Having to Reset It

Have you ever needed to quickly log into Facebook on a friend‘s device or a new phone, only to realize you couldn‘t remember your password? Or maybe you got logged out of the Facebook app on your phone and had no idea what your login details were to get back in.

If you‘re in one of these frustrating situations, being able to view your existing Facebook password could save you the hassle of resetting it completely. But how do you actually see your current Facebook login details on an iPhone or Android device?

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll explain multiple methods for viewing your saved Facebook password on mobile, as well as tips for keeping your account secure.

Why You Might Need to View Your Facebook Password

There are a few common reasons people want to see their existing Facebook password rather than reset it:

Setting up Facebook on a new phone – When you get a new mobile device, you have to re-enter passwords for all your apps. Being able to view your Facebook password makes setup quick and easy.
Logging into Facebook on a friend‘s device – If you want to quickly check Facebook on a friend‘s phone or computer, it‘s very convenient to access your password.
Got logged out of the Facebook app – Sometimes the Facebook app inexplicably logs you out. Without your password handy, you‘d have to go through a reset.
Changed password forgotten after update – If you recently changed your Facebook password but don‘t quite remember the new one, you may want to double check it.
Recovering account access – If you can‘t log into Facebook, such as due to a temporarily locked account, having your password speeds up regaining access.

In all of the above cases, the ability to quickly view your existing Facebook password on your iPhone or Android device is extremely helpful for both convenience and faster access to your account.

The Limitations of Viewing Your Password on Facebook Itself

Now you might be wondering – can you view your current Facebook password directly within the Facebook app or website?

The short answer is no. Facebook intentionally does not allow users to view their account password when logged in. Their help pages clearly state:

"For security reasons, we don‘t show your password on Facebook. If you‘ve forgotten your password, you can reset it."

This strict security policy makes good sense. Allowing users to view their actual current login password while in Facebook would essentially expose it to potential misuse.

For example, if anyone else was already logged into your Facebook account on a shared device, they could go into your profile settings and view your real password. They could then maliciously change your password and lock you out of your own account.

Therefore, for necessary security protections, Facebook does not reveal your actual password while you‘re logged into their services on any device.

Saved Passwords on iPhone and Android

Since Facebook itself doesn‘t display your password, is there another way to view that information on your mobile device?

Fortunately, yes – through your iPhone or Android‘s saved password manager.

Most modern smartphones include built-in functionality to securely save website and app passwords:

iPhone – Saved passwords are accessed through Settings > Passwords. They can only be viewed after using Touch ID or passcode.
Android – Saved passwords are accessed through the owner‘s Google Account profile under Password Manager. They require unlocking with a passcode or fingerprint.

These are not plain text password lists. The passwords are encrypted and stored securely on the device. The phone essentially acts as a local password manager.

However, this only works if you previously chose to save your Facebook login credentials on your mobile device. The phone cannot show you a password it doesn‘t already have stored.

Let‘s look at how to view saved passwords on both major mobile platforms.

Step-by-Step Guide to Viewing Facebook Password on iPhone

Seeing a saved Facebook password on an iPhone is a simple process using the Passwords menu built into iOS.

Here are the exact steps to follow on an iPhone:

Launch the Settings app
- Tap the gear icon or search "Settings"
Scroll down and tap on "Passwords"
- It‘s found under the "Wallet & Apple Pay" menu
Authenticate with Touch ID or passcode
- This unlocks viewing your saved passwords
Locate and tap the "facebook.com" entry
- May need to search for it or scroll through alphabetically
Tap the Password field and select "Copy"
- This copies the password to your clipboard

Once unlocked, you‘ll see a list of website and app logins you‘ve previously saved on this device. Look for the "facebook.com" entry, then tap the password field itself and choose "Copy" to copy it to your clipboard.

Now you can paste this into the Facebook login screen to log into your account!

The key things to note are:

You must have previously chosen to save your Facebook password on this iPhone. It won‘t show passwords you never saved.
Full access to view requires biometric Touch ID or passcode entry first.
Copy the password to clipboard for easy pasting into Facebook. Don‘t screengrab or share it.
Never save passwords on unsecured public or shared devices.

Saving some typing by viewing a stored password on your personal iPhone is fine. Just be sure not to overshare further.

Next, let‘s look at the process for Android devices.

Step-by-Step Guide to Viewing Facebook Password on Android

Android also includes a built-in Password Manager as part of a Google Account. Here are the steps to follow:

Launch your Android device‘s Settings app
Tap on "Google" and "Manage your Google Account"
Select the "Security" tab
Scroll down and tap "Password Manager"
Unlock with fingerprint, face, or passcode
Tap on the "Facebook" entry
Tap the "Show" icon to view the password

Facebook password in Android Password Manager

Once again, this requires having previously saved your Facebook login when prompted on Android.

The Password Manager will contain any websites and apps you configured to save credentials for on this device.

Tap the eye "Show" icon to view or copy your Facebook password. Just be sure your phone remains securely locked when not in use.

What If No Facebook Password Appears?

Despite closely following the steps above, you may open your iPhone Passwords or Android Password Manager and find no Facebook login listed.

This indicates that you likely never chose to save your Facebook password on that particular device before. Therefore, there is no way for those mobile platforms to display a password they don‘t already have.

Some common reasons your Facebook password might not be saved include:

Getting a brand new phone and never entering the password
Recently resetting your Facebook password
Choosing not to save passwords on certain devices
Using alternative password managers that don‘t integrate with the OS
Your Facebook account was hacked and the password was changed
You remained logged into Facebook so never had to enter credentials

In any of these cases, since there is no Facebook password saved, you have no way to view the current one through your mobile device.

So what should you do if your Facebook password isn‘t appearing?

Unfortunately, you will have to fully reset your Facebook password in order to log back in. Here are the steps for that:

Open Facebook.com and click "Forgot Password?"
Enter the email or phone number on your Facebook account
Facebook will email/text you a password reset link
Click the emailed link and choose a new password
Use your new password to log back into Facebook

While inconvenient, resetting your password is necessary to regain access to your account if you don‘t have a saved password already on your device.

Going forward, I recommend making sure to save your new Facebook password on your phone if prompted after resetting. This will prevent hassles down the line should you need to view it again.

Best Practices for Password Security

Being able to easily view saved passwords is very convenient. However, it also creates security risks if your phone falls into the wrong hands. Here are my top tips for managing saved passwords safely:

Use encrypted password managers – Rather than relying on default OS options, use a dedicated app like 1Password or LastPass for enhanced encryption.
Enable two-factor authentication – Add an extra verification step like SMS codes to prevent unauthorized logins.
Create strong, unique passwords – Don‘t use weak, reused passwords that would be easy to crack. Generate complex ones for each account.
Only save on personal, controlled devices – Never save passwords on public computers or borrowed devices.
Use biometric unlocking – Fingerprint or facial recognition are more secure ways to unlock a password manager rather than passcodes.
Delete unused saved passwords – If you no longer use an app or site, remove saved logins for it.
Change passwords periodically – Update your passwords every 60-90 days on critical accounts like email and financial services.

Following these tips will allow you to safely store and view passwords when needed, while keeping your accounts locked down.

Storing Some Logins Can Be Helpful

As a tech enthusiast myself, I understand the need for watertight online security. However, I do think saving some passwords on your personal, encrypted devices can be useful provided you take the right precautions.

Having frequently used passwords like Facebook available reduces hassles when you need to log in across multiple devices or get inexplicably logged out of apps. And viewing saved logins is often faster than resetting passwords or using external password manager apps.

As long as you protect access to your phone and use strong unique passwords, the convenience benefit can outweigh the small security trade-off. You just have to be smart about which passwords you do save versus keeping purely in your memory or in a encrypted password vault.

Key Takeaways on Viewing Your Facebook Password

Here are the core things to remember about accessing your existing Facebook password:

Facebook itself does not display your password while logged in for security reasons.
You can only view a previously saved Facebook password through your iPhone Passwords or Android Password Manager.
Your password must have been previously saved on the device – otherwise it cannot be shown.
If no password appears, you will have to fully reset your Facebook password to log back in.
Enabling biometric unlock and using encrypted managers is wise for securely storing passwords long-term.
Consider the pros and cons of saving some passwords vs. keeping them purely in your memory or a vault.

Conclusion

I hope this detailed guide gives you a full overview of how to view your stored Facebook password on both iPhone and Android devices. While Facebook itself doesn‘t reveal your password, accessing your saved mobile logins provides a quick way to log into Facebook if needed on multiple devices – as long as you took the step to save your password initially.

Just be cautious by only saving passwords on personal, secured devices and using strong unique passwords for each account. Following some basic security best practices allows you to safely store your credentials and view them when needed.

Now you know exactly how to see and use your Facebook password if you ever get the dreaded "incorrect password" notice. Never let a forgotten login slow you down again!