General question on copy and paste of passwords.

Minor issue but really annoying. This is not specific to any operating system...

Is there any reason why I can not paste a password into Microsoft forms. For example outlook.com webmail or when accessing the store. I know it only needs to be done once but my passwords are sometimes up to 20 or more totally random characters and so it is a real pain having to input them correctly by manual means. Some sites can be worked around by entering any character as the first and then pasting after that. You then just go back and delete that first character. MS don't let you do that.

Mooly said:

Minor issue but really annoying. This is not specific to any operating system...

Is there any reason why I can not paste a password into Microsoft forms. For example outlook.com webmail or when accessing the store. I know it only needs to be done once but my passwords are sometimes up to 20 or more totally random characters and so it is a real pain having to input them correctly by manual means. Some sites can be worked around by entering any character as the first and then pasting after that. You then just go back and delete that first character. MS don't let you do that.

Click to expand...

Google will not let you either, I have that issue when I have to sign into a service attached to my Google account, and others. Some sites do not allow it to ward off robots entering your PW, especially if you've had an account hacked. KB input only, no auto-fill. Security. It can be a PITA, but more are going that route.

Thanks, a pity there isn't a workaround for that one. Hmmm Google, now that did let me paste into GMail OK.

Mooly said:

Thanks, a pity there isn't a workaround for that one. Hmmm Google, now that did let me paste into GMail OK.

Click to expand...

It's here, on Google sign in Firefox they make me type. Might be something in my setup or may be FF, but been that way for as long as I can remember.

Sometimes Ctrl + V will work when paste doesn’t.

So far, my password manager is allowed to paste.

f14tomcat said:

It's here, on Google sign in Firefox they make me type. Might be something in my setup or may be FF, but been that way for as long as I can remember.

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This is the sign in screen I see for Google (using Edge). Paste works fine for all the options on this one.

f14tomcat said:

It's here, on Google sign in Firefox they make me type. Might be something in my setup or may be FF, but been that way for as long as I can remember.

View attachment 1913

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I've never had to type my password into my Google account, I'm automatically signed in .
I do use RoboForm thou ...have been using it for years now.

I use BitWarden and like OldMike65 dont type, copy or paste passwords.

OldMike65 said:

I've never had to type my password into my Google account, I'm automatically signed in .
I do use RoboForm thou ...have been using it for years now.

RoboForm Password Manager | Best Password Manager for 2026

RoboForm Password Manager. Stay secure, productive, and efficient with our seamless free password manager and form filling solution.

www.roboform.com

Click to expand...

OldMike65 said:

I've never had to type my password into my Google account, I'm automatically signed in .
I do use RoboForm thou ...have been using it for years now.

RoboForm Password Manager | Best Password Manager for 2026

RoboForm Password Manager. Stay secure, productive, and efficient with our seamless free password manager and form filling solution.

www.roboform.com

Click to expand...

My conversation with the OP was concerning why some sites will not allow a copy/paste of a password. I was using a Google sign in option of mine as an example. There are others. Roboform or any Password manager is irrelevent. We were discussing manual operations. But thanks..................................

It's the problem with increased security. Lose your key, forget your Pin, keycode, or fry your eyebrows, eyeballs and fingertips in a flash fire, and you are lost, shut out of all your devices. if only you could see to click on "forgotten my password" with your delectable pain finger mouse...

RolandJS said:

So far, my password manager is allowed to paste.

Click to expand...

I want to clarify this earlier comment of mine. I was not indicating "works for me". Across several forums on The 'Net. an internet friend of mine indicated he was and is displeased with comments like "works for me". If somebody is posting about his/her situation - it, whatever it is, is not working. While "works for me" posts did not happen in this thread, across The 'Net -- I'm trying to remember to post possible solutions or at least post questions that may lead to a solution. In hindsight, I should have asked: Does your present password manager still paste? -- in an attempt to zero in on the problem.

Getting back on topic:

Microsoft is especially bad about not allowing pasting passwords, mainly for security. I've long since been using a physical Security key along with a PW manager, and they usually have no issue - but a couple of Microsoft apps come immediately to mind when it comes to PW entry that will simply not allow me to paste a password - regardless of source. Not my pw mgr, not manually copying and trying to paste (neither right click, which is blocked, nor through CTRL-V, either), not any other method - only allows for individual character entry.

One thing that has made it a lot easier for me to sign in to Microsoft apps and sites, though, is to put the Microsoft Authenticator app on my (Android) phone and put all my accounts there, and set my accounts to use the authenticator app to validate logins. Then, when I try to log in to Microsoft sites, I get an option to use the authenticator app, with a small link underneath that says Use my password instead. It works, and it works well. I cannot comment on the iOS version, as I don't have any iDevices, so YMMV on iOS.

I have much the same thing with Google accounts, except that I also have a Titan security key as well as using my phone as the verification. Typically, though, Google will require a password before verification, unlike the Microsoft method, and every once in a while it gets tricky - thankfully, I've got my long password for my main account almost memorized because of the number of times I've had to enter it. But I've also enforced that either the physical security key or phone verification has to be used before allowing access to anything attached to it.

Unfortunately, neither Windows nor Microsoft sites / apps recognize the Google Titan Security keys as valid keys for their stuff (They want FIDO2, Titan only does FIDO (og), so I'm left with only the authenticator app. But, I've pre-ordered the Solo V2 (which have just gotten delayed, a bit, - should have shipped out about a week ago now), which should help me start using physical keys for all my accounts.

I think the main reason for the security is that malware could copy your password when you enter it (through key logging) and then attempt to use it again later on to access stuff, and by disallowing pasting, Microsoft sets a slightly higher security bar for malware purveyors to overcome to hack accounts. And by slightly, I mean really slightly.

John, thanks for that post - it made clearer the topic!