Delete Cached Windows Network Share Passwords

When a user connects to a Windows network share, their system will cache the username and password used to connect. This information is stored in the Windows Credential Manager and can be used for future connections to the same share. In some scenarios, it is necessary to delete the cached credentials for a network share to ensure the user is prompted for fresh credentials the next time they connect.

The Windows Credential Manager stores credentials for a variety of services, including network shares. It stores the credentials used in the form of a username and password, as well as a domain name if applicable. If the same username and password is used to connect to multiple network shares on the same domain, the credentials are used to connect to all of them.

To delete the cached credentials for a network share, open the Credential Manager. This can be done by typing “credential manager” in the Windows search bar or by opening the Control Panel and finding the Credential Manager. Once opened, click on “Windows Credentials”. This will bring up a list of the stored credentials, including those for network shares. Find the network share credential you wish to delete and click on the drop-down arrow to the right of it. Click “Remove from Vault” and the credential will be deleted.

If you wish to delete all the stored credentials for a particular domain, click on the “Manage your credentials” link at the top of the Credential Manager. This will open a dialog box with a list of the stored credentials for the domain. Select the credentials you wish to delete and click “Remove” at the bottom of the dialog box.

It is important to note that deleting the cached credentials for a network share does not remove the user’s access to the share. It simply removes the cached username and password, forcing the user to enter fresh credentials when they reconnect. This is useful in scenarios where the username or password has been changed, or the user is no longer authorized to access the share.

In conclusion, deleting cached credentials for a Windows network share can be done by opening the Credential Manager, selecting the credential and clicking “Remove from Vault”. This will remove the stored credential, and the user will be required to enter fresh credentials when they reconnect. This is useful in scenarios where the username or password has been changed, or the user is no longer authorized to access the share.