# Use a Credential store

> The credential store allows you to use passwords without showing the actual password. The credential store works for passwords in the **Server Settings** and in connection strings.

## Introduction

The credential store allows you to use passwords without showing the actual password. The credential store works for passwords in the **Server Settings** and in connection strings.

## Using the Credential store in Server Settings

In the **Server Settings**, a password from the credential store can be referred to by replacing a password by `{"credential": [Identifier]}`.

### Example

Below is an example of how to replace a password in the Server Setting `MailSettings` with a password from the credential store. The following `MailSettings` structure is used in this example:

```
"MailSettings":{
    "SMTP":"my.mailserver.com",
    "port": "25",
    "username": "user1",
    "password": "s3cr3tp4ssw0rd",
}
```

It is also assumed that there is a password in the credential store with identifier `PasswordIdentifier` with value `"s3cr3tp4ssw0rd"`.

Follow these steps to use the credential store in the **Server Settings**.

| Step | Action |
| --- | --- |
| 1 | Replace the password line of your password with the following:  `"password": {"credential":"PasswordIdentifier"},` |
| 2 | Save (Control + S) and refresh. |

The `MailSettings` will now use the password retrieved from a credential store and developers can no longer see the actual password being used.

## Using the Credential store in Connection Strings

In the connection strings, a password from the credential store can be referred to by using the `mv-credential-Pass` keyword instead of the `Pass` keyword.

### Example

Below is an example of how to replace a password in the connection string with a password from the credential store. This assumes there is a connection string with the following expression:

`'DSN=MyDSN; User=MyUser; Pass=MyPass;'`

It is also assumed that there is a password in the credential store with identifier `PasswordIdentifier` and value `"s3cr3tp4ssw0rd"`.

Follow these steps to replace a password in the connection string with a password from the credential store.

| Step | Action |
| --- | --- |
| 1 | Replace the connection string with the following:  `'DSN=MyDSN; User=MyUser; mv-credential-Pass=PasswordIdentifier;'` |
| 2 | Save (`Control + S`) the application and refresh. |

The password used for executing the connection string will now use the password retrieved from a credential store and developers can no longer see the actual password being used.