Decode / Recover Dreamweaver Password

Description

Occasionally I have found that I loose my ftp password to gain access to a remote web server, only to have Dreamweaver as the only means available to access the server. Dreamweaver obviously knows the password, but it cannot be cut and paste from the site settings and it is hard to find. If you export the site as a ste file and open it using a text editor, then you can see the password.

Unfortunately the password in the ste file is encrypted as I found after assuming it was literal text and trying it many many times. There is a way the decode it (above) to allow you to use your password elsewhere again.

You need

A text editor, such as notepad

How To Use

Export the site in question as a ste file. Open Dreamweaver, and choose Site > Edit Sites.
Select the website in question and then click Export
Select the backup my settings option, then click OK
Save the ste file to a temporary location, such as your desktop
Open the ste file in a text editor
look for the text along the lines of:
<remoteinfo accesstype="ftp" host="ftp.?????.com" remoteroot="????????.com/" user="??????" pw="***PASSWORD***" checkoutname="" emailaddress="" enablecheckin="FALSE" checkoutwhenopen="TRUE" usefirewall="FALSE" usepasv="TRUE" useSFTP="FALSE" pathNameCharacterSet="Windows-1252"/>
copy the text that appears instead of ***PASSWORD*** and paste the password above on this page, then click Convert to recover it
We recommend you then change the password at the earliest opportunity

Further Uses and Ideas:

Another way to get your coded password is to look under UserPW key in your registry ....

Dreamweaver 3
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 3\Sites
Dreamweaver 4
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 4\Sites
Dreamweaver MX
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Dreamweaver 6\Sites
Dreamweaver MX 2004
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macromedia\Common\2004\Sites
Dreamweaver 8
A different algorithm is used in the registry for Dreamweaver 8. Use the exported site definition to obtain the encrypted password.

Comments For This Page

THANK YOU THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!! So easy, Did I say THANK YOU!!!!!!!
By AllyDogGS on 4th June 2023

Thanks... Managed to retrieve the password from an old computer. For info: I'm using Dreamweaver 2021.3 - the latest build in 2023
By John on 11th April 2023

WOW! NICE JOB!
On 29th March 2023

Clear instructions, simple to use. Thanks.
On 10th February 2023

No such line in the .ste file from my CS5 version :(
By dann on 7th November 2022

Thanks for the suggestion Christian. It has been increased.
By Daft Logic on 13th March 2020

This is a life saver! Thanks a lot.
However, with longer passwords the limitation of the input field to 24 characters prohibits decoding them. Could you please correct that?

As a workaround until then it is possible to launch dev tools, "inspect" the form field and change the maxlength="24" in the input-tag to maxlength="100"
By Christian on 12th March 2020

Hi Paul, please follow the steps listed under "How To Use".
By Daft Logic on 15th February 2020

Can you detail the steps involved in doing the decode please?
By Paul Phillips on 15th February 2020

I attempted to decode a Dreamweaver CC site password and the result was correct EXCEPT that it left off the final character.
On 17th October 2019

hmm ... the number of characters that decoded is fewer than the number of characters that I see in the ipswitch FTP connection screen.
By Juli on 3rd July 2019

Frant, we wish there were thousands of people using this page, but, alas the numbers are not that high! To get access to a site would require username, password and FTP address. It is true to say 1 of those 3 could be obtained if that was the intention, but without the other 2 it would be difficult to do what you suggest.
By Daft Logic on 3rd April 2019

so thousands of ppl are giving you the FTP access to their sites? Seriously?
By Frant on 30th March 2019

Worked a treat in Dreamweaver CS6, thanks for your help.
By Andrew on 10th September 2018

Saved my Insanity - THANK YOU
By Chota on 1st May 2018

Thank you so much for this! Your are a savior :)
By Natasja on 29th December 2017

Thank you! Worked a treat.
By Rob on 12th November 2017

This still works perfectly in Dreamweaver CC2017.5

Saved my Sunday!

Thanks! TonyB 9-17-17 Philadelphia
By Tony Buford on 17th September 2017

Hi Rich, So you only see pw="" in the STE file? Does it have an empty password or did the export include the password settings?
You can make a new FTP login via your web host as this is where it is derived from.
By Daft Logic on 10th April 2017

I tried this but nothing appears in the quotes. All I get is pw="" Is there a way to make a new login and password?
By Rich Reed on 9th April 2017

Thank you SOOOO much!
By Sarah on 8th August 2016

Awesome!!!!! I have some old sites stored away in DW and suddenly needed the password to a site which I didn't have stored anyway but in an STE file. This little script totally saved the day and hours of agony. Thanks!
On 11th July 2016

Gracias
On 13th June 2016

Hi,
Yes, you have a fair point. Unfortunately there is no means to do this offline.
The only comment is you are making available the password. There is no other information to say who you are or what site its for. Once recovered, you can change it as well.
By Daft Logic on 17th January 2016

I find it silly to enter my password on a web site, pardon my logic. Is there a way to decrypt it offline at my PC?
On 17th January 2016

-password.htm
By -password.htm on 20th December 2015

Thanx
By bay moro on 20th November 2015

Thanx
By Nori Alstef on 11th November 2015

Bonjour Monsieur
By nabi on 10th November 2015

Still works after all these years! Thank you yet again.
By fehmann on 7th November 2015

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