When you need to fill in a form on a website — your address, payment details, a registration form — your browser can often fill it in for you automatically. This is called autofill, and understanding how it works (and how to keep it safe) is worth a few minutes of your time.
What autofill stores
Most browsers — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge — can remember several types of information:
- Your name and address
- Your email address and phone number
- Credit or debit card numbers and expiry dates
- Usernames and passwords for websites
When you visit a form, the browser recognises the type of field and offers to fill it in for you. You usually see a small dropdown appear in the field, and you click the suggestion to accept it.
How to set up autofill
In Chrome, click the three dots in the top right corner, choose Settings, then Autofill and passwords. You will find separate sections for addresses, payment methods, and passwords. In Safari on a Mac, go to Safari in the menu bar, then Settings, then Autofill. On an iPhone using Safari, go to Settings, then Safari, then Autofill.
Is it safe?
Autofill is generally safe on a device that only you use. The bigger risk is on a shared computer — if your nephew uses your laptop and goes to a shopping website, your saved card details might appear. On a shared device, either do not save card details in the browser, or use a guest browsing session when others are using the machine.
There is also a known trick where dishonest websites add hidden form fields that autofill fills in without you seeing — potentially capturing your address or name without asking. Reputable browsers work to detect and block this, but it is worth knowing about. If a website asks for information that seems unnecessary, think twice before using autofill.
Removing saved information
If you want to remove a saved address or card, go back to the same settings menu where you added it. In Chrome, look for the small three-dot menu next to each saved item — click it and choose Remove. In Safari, select the item and press the Delete key. Passwords are managed separately in the Passwords section.
When autofill gets it wrong
Sometimes autofill fills in the wrong field or puts your name where it should put your company name. If this happens, click into the field and type over it. Your correction will not affect what is stored in settings — you would need to go back to settings to update the saved information there.