Little dots automatically fill the password field

Just guessing here, but aren't the dots in the login password field SUPPOSED to cover over the actual password from prying eyes???

I always had those dots cover the login password field and it's even part of the login on ASC.

I don't think this is a bug.

It's part of the OS

The dots cover over the password as you type.

I am not understanding this whole entire post, at all?

Those dots in the Login Password field HIDE that actual password being typed.

Am I missing something here?

Hi:

I am experiencing the same issue, Late 2012 iMac, MacOS 10.12.3. Here is my work-around, I have no fix, I think this is a bluetooth keyboard firmware bug.

Whenever I experience this (every couple of months), I make sure to delete all the garbage "dots" and then remove the batteries from the keyboard. After a minute or so, I put them back and make the keyboard re-connect to the iMac. That fixed the issue every time.

I never turn the keyboard (or mouse) off except to install fresh batteries and I rarely re-boot the iMac (it's UNIX, after all). So, there is likely a buffer or cache somewhere in the bluetooth code that is not correctly respecting its memory bounds, so that when it overflows, it "leaks" into an area of memory that holds characters typed into the password field, thus adding the garbage. Just a guess.

Cheers!!

Joseph Bacanskas, iOS Developer

I start having exact same problem last two months. On latest OSx Like others thoughtnit is a keyboard and had brand new one to swap too. Same problem persists. Seems no long term soslution. :(. Just wonder why didnt happen to me year or two ago. Original post was from 2011. But why i didnt have the problem until now i wonder. I have imac late 2013.

Yes. The point is the dots started filling in automatically keeping me from completing my actual password. It was as if someone else was filling in my password. My only solution was to turn off my iMac and after a few seconds of waiting, turn it back on again. The keyboard issue seems to make sense although one should not have keep trying new keyboards. Taking out the batteries and trying to reconnect via bluetooth makes the most sense.

Hi. I have also experienced this issue on a late 2012 27" iMac running macOS Sierra 10.12.5. What I found, by switching to the guest account (no password) and launching Safari was that whenever I typed a special character e.g. ;:/ or a space it would be automatically repeated around 17 times. The only way I have been able to overcome this has been, like other users, to switch the Mac off and back on again. It only ever happens after a period of inactivity when the Mac has gone to sleep and requires a password on wake-up. Next time it happens I will try Joseph's solution of reconnecting the wireless keyboard and will update this post with the outcome.

Regards,

Tony Craig

No, it's as if the computer kept typing itself a bunch of characters. You're not even touching the keyboard. When you do, some keys will respond, others won't and automatic typing will continue in both normal and safe mode. I was able to log on in safe mode after many attempts counting and deleting the right characters of my password. I'm wondering if I should select automatic log in to avoid this issue. It's happening on an old Mac running Snow Leopard (can't be upgraded) that I haven't used for almost a year. I'm not sure it's a keyboard issue, since I'm typing normally inside the notes app. It's probably a permissions problem, which I'm repairing right now. Very annoying, this ghost typing!

This is happening to me on a Macbook, with bluetooth off during log in.

BTW I just read it happens in Windows too:

https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/27448114/Password-field-populates-wit h-characters-automatically-at-logon.html

Hi,

I started having a very similar issue with a MacBook Air 11 running High Sierra but it only happens when I enable FileVault. So, as soon as I get to the password screen the dots appear on their own. If I hit any key on the keyboard the dots stops and then I can do a CMD+A to select all, delete and then put my password. To tell you the truth I haven't noticed it being related to a specific application. It only started happening after having FileVault enabled.

Also another this that is puzzling me is that if I hit to specific keys in sequence and fast then it captures three instead of two characters. If I type slowly then it captures two.

I hope what I mention here with FileVault makes a difference to solve this issue because it is becoming rather annoying to say the least.

Thank you

You're fixating on the wrong thing. Malware (not a virus) can't be running at login, because there is no access to system resources until somebody logs in. Just because something doens't seem to work right does not mean you should leap to the thought that you have malware or a virus. There are no viruses for Mac OS X.

However, there are some questions to be posed here:

1. Who is the "administrator" of this Mac?

2. When did this issue start happening, and what software was installed just before it started happening?

3. Have you tried restoring from a working backup where this problem didn't happen?

4. If the answer t 3 is 'Yes', and it's still happening, have you tried Repair Permissions, or any other type of disk utility, such as DiskWarrior, TechTool Pro, etc.?

Malware (not a virus) can't be running at login, because there is no access to system resources until somebody logs in.

Hi Kurt, I can't say why this is happening, though I agree it's extremely unlikely to be malware. But I disagree; the system is up and running well before login. A rootkit, or backdoor from a Trojan, for example, (not that I'm saying this is what is happening) would have access to system resources before login.

Seems related to the wife's user account. Only happens after his wife has logged in. I think it is very unlikely to be a Permissons issue. And, if it is related to his or his wife's user, Permissions repair wouldn't even touch that.

Just a guess, but perhaps this is coming from a corrupted cache. Might try running Applejack.

Download:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/applejack/

Article on using:

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10334620-263.html?tag=mfiredir

It runs in single user mode. After installing (you won't see it in the Applications Folder) hold CMD-S at startup. You will get a black screen with MS-DOS like text. Just follow the prompts: type in "applejack AUTO" and it will run through the following:

Correct any Disk problems.

Repair Permissions.

Clear out Cache Files.

Repair/check several plist files.

Dump the VM files for a fresh start.

Trash old Log files.

You can also run tasks selectively and for specific users by typing in "applejack." After running in "AUTO," you can go back and run it again as "applejack," steps 3 & 4 only, for your user.

The first reboot will take much longer than usual, as it rebuilds caches. It may take several restarts to see the benefits. Because of the deep cache cleaning in AUTO mode some applications may tell you they are being opened for the first time.

NOT YET UPDATED FOR LION

(Adapted from post by BDAqua)

Back on my 10.6. Might try moving this file, possibly corrupt, to the Trash (don't empty yet) located in the HD Library/Preferences. This is the middle library folder (not your Home Folder Library, not System Library) inside the main "Macintosh HD" Folder. You will be asked for your admin password for the move. This file should be recreated "clean" at next login, so log out and back in. If this doesn't help, just move it back from the Trash using File>Put Back.

/Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow.plist

Did you find a solution to this issue? I have the same issue since updating to El Capitan.

Your problem, hardware or software, may not be exactly the same as that of the original poster of this older thread, and it can be very confusing for everybody if we try to answer more than one question in each thread, which can also result in you applying the wrong advice to your particular problem.

In order for us to give your problem our proper attention to try to solve it, would you kindly start your own thread, describing the trouble you are having in the fullest detail, including completing your details to show what Mac or iDevice you are using, what operating system, and what version of the application in question. Please remember to post in the forum relevant to your hardware or version of OS X. A full list of all the support forums is here:

http://discussions.apple.com/index.jspa

I have the same issue with my iMac (OS X 10.11.1) 27" late '13. This issue has happened quite a bit lately, prior to and after software upgrade. I just want to clarify I'm having the same issue, so I can follow topic, hoping for solution. When coming out of sleep mode, when prompt for password box appears if you push anything (key) it's almost as if a key is stuck, auto types countless dots (discrete password dots), and repeatedly does it until you power off, and restart. ****(I've tried "switch user", "cancel"), but continues to do the same thing, as those are only options on that page.****