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I want to activate some options in Google Chrome that my system administrator forgot to enable, namely autocomplete forms and remembering passwords. I need root permissions to change them via GUI, but I can modify the configuration files by old-school typing. Which file and what lines should I look for?

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  • Although if the sysadmin requires that you need root perms to manage the settings via the GUI then it would be reasonable to assume that you would also need root perms to write to the underlying config files?
    – MrWhite
    Feb 19, 2013 at 13:35
  • @w3d That's what I thought too, but apparently it's not the case
    – Variax
    Feb 19, 2013 at 13:57

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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There is a file called "Preferences" within the "User Data/<Profile>" folder that appears to contain these settings. The location of this file varies according to OS. For the "Default" profile this is located at:

WinXP:

C:\Documents and Settings\<User Name>\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Preferences

WinVista:

C:\Users\<User Name>\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Preferences

You then need to search for the appropriate setting in that file. I would close Chrome (and backup) first as this file appears to be updated automatically as you navigate tabs.

"Enable Auto-fill to fill in web forms in a single click." appears to be stored here:

   "autofill": {
      "enabled": true,

"Offer to save passwords I enter on the web."

      "password_manager_enabled": true,
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  • In Chrome Version 73.0.3683.103, the relevant values in the preferences file are: "credentials_enable_autosignin":true,"credentials_enable_service":true
    – lightwing
    Apr 5, 2019 at 18:52
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The policies are most likely pushed by GPO. These are located in the registry under HKCU\Software\Policies\Google. You can try to modify them all you want, they'll just get put back in at the next GPO refresh.

Saving passwords is not something your administrator "forgot" to turn on - it's on by default. Your administrator deliberately disabled it - because it's an incredibly lame feature that is insecure and allows users to forget their passwords. It really has no place in an organization.

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