How to Check Git Credentials on Windows

It starts when nothing works. You’ve been coding for hours, you've made your commits, and now you want to push to your GitHub repository, but something’s wrong. Your terminal prompts you for your Git credentials, but instead of moving forward, you’re stuck in an endless loop of username and password prompts. What happened? Why is it asking again and again? Even worse, you don’t remember your Git credentials. But don't panic – you're about to learn exactly how to check, manage, and reset your Git credentials on Windows, saving yourself from hours of frustration.

Why Git credentials matter
Git credentials are essentially your key to pushing and pulling changes from remote repositories such as GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket. Without proper credentials, your workflow halts. In Windows, Git can be configured to either prompt for credentials every time you push or pull, or to cache them for a certain period. In some setups, credentials can even be stored indefinitely.

So, how do you check your Git credentials? Let's dive deep into the details to find out.

1. Git Credential Manager: Your Best Friend
Most Windows Git installations come with the Git Credential Manager (GCM) pre-configured. This tool allows you to manage your Git credentials without constantly entering them. If you installed Git for Windows using the default settings, chances are you have the Git Credential Manager running already.

To confirm whether Git Credential Manager is enabled, open your command line (you can use PowerShell, Command Prompt, or Git Bash) and type:

bash
git config --global credential.helper

This command will output the credential helper in use. If it’s set to "manager-core" or "manager," the Git Credential Manager is already active. This means that Git will cache your credentials securely in the Windows Credential Manager or in the case of "manager-core," it will utilize the Windows Vault.

2. Using Windows Credential Manager to Check Stored Credentials
Git stores credentials in the Windows Credential Manager, allowing you to access them without re-entering your credentials every time. Here’s how to access them:

• Open the Start Menu and type Credential Manager.
• In the Credential Manager, select Windows Credentials.
• Scroll down to find your Git credentials under the section labeled Generic Credentials. They’ll be listed as either git: or github.com:

From here, you can view the credentials you’re using or update them if necessary.

3. Checking Credentials Using Git Commands
If you prefer working directly from the command line, you can check if your credentials are working by using:

bash
git credential fill

You’ll be prompted to enter your credentials, and Git will display them back to you. This is useful if you’re not sure which username or token Git is using.

4. Caching Credentials for Future Use
If you’re constantly re-entering your credentials, you might want to use Git’s credential caching feature. By enabling credential caching, Git will store your credentials for a configurable amount of time (or indefinitely). Here’s how you can do it:

bash
git config --global credential.helper cache

By default, this caches your credentials for 15 minutes. To cache them for a longer time, you can specify the timeout in seconds. For example, to cache for one hour:

bash
git config --global credential.helper 'cache --timeout=3600'

Alternatively, you can store them permanently by using the following command:

bash
git config --global credential.helper store

With this, Git will store your credentials in plain text on your local machine. While this method is less secure, it’s convenient for personal machines where you don't need to worry about unauthorized access.

5. Managing SSH Keys for Git Authentication
Another secure and efficient way to authenticate with Git on Windows is by using SSH keys. Instead of entering your username and password, you can set up a public/private key pair. Once configured, Git will use your SSH key for authentication, allowing you to bypass the need for username and password altogether.

Here’s how you can check if you already have an SSH key set up:

• Open Git Bash or PowerShell.
• Run:

bash
ls -al ~/.ssh

If you see files such as id_rsa and id_rsa.pub, you already have SSH keys generated. If not, you can generate one by typing:

bash
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "[email protected]"

Follow the prompts to save the key, then add the SSH key to your Git account by copying the public key (the content of id_rsa.pub) and pasting it into the SSH key section of your GitHub or GitLab settings.

6. Using Personal Access Tokens (PAT) Instead of Passwords
GitHub, and many other Git hosting services, are moving away from password authentication and encouraging users to use Personal Access Tokens (PATs). PATs act like passwords but offer more security and control.

To check if you’re using a Personal Access Token:

• Go to the GitHub website, and under your profile, click Settings.
• In the Developer Settings section, click Personal Access Tokens.

If you haven’t generated a token yet, click on Generate New Token and follow the instructions. Once you have your token, you can use it in place of your password when prompted by Git.

7. Common Issues and Fixes
Sometimes, even after configuring everything correctly, you might still encounter issues with Git authentication. Here are a few common problems and their fixes:

• Issue: Git Keeps Prompting for Credentials

  • Fix: Check your credential helper by typing:

  bash
  git config --global credential.helper
  

  Ensure that the Git Credential Manager is configured properly.

• Issue: SSH Keys Not Working

  • Fix: Make sure that your SSH key is added to the SSH agent by running:

  bash
  ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa
  

• Issue: Credentials Are Cached Incorrectly

  • Fix: You can clear Git's cached credentials by running:

  bash
  git credential-cache exit
  

8. Conclusion: Keep Your Workflow Smooth
Managing your Git credentials properly ensures that you can push, pull, and clone repositories without hassle. Whether you're using the Git Credential Manager, SSH keys, or Personal Access Tokens, ensuring your credentials are correctly stored and managed will save you time and frustration in the long run.

By leveraging these tools, you’ll eliminate unnecessary roadblocks, so you can focus on what truly matters: writing great code.