Written 5 Sep 2026. This is a how-to, not a product card.

Forget the saved house-share login

Windows, Mac, or a phone still uses the old Samba password after you changed it. Clear the saved login, then open the house folder again. You don't need a NAS.

You changed the share password on the old PC (or removed someone's login), but Finder, File Explorer, or the phone keeps failing with the old one. The laptop remembered a bad password. This note clears that memory. Haven't made the share yet? Start with a file share. Need to set a new Samba password on the computer first? Set or change the house-share password.

Skip until the share password is already right on the computer

If Samba still has the wrong password on the old PC, clearing the laptop will not help. Fix the computer side first: set or change the house-share password. If the folder won't open for any reason (path, awake, disk full), start with when the house share won't open. Don't buy a NAS for a remembered bad login. Don't open SMB to the internet.

What this is

Phones and laptops save the username and password you typed for \\lab-address\photos (or smb://…). After you change Samba with smbpasswd, that saved copy is stale. Windows keeps it in Credential Manager. Mac keeps it in Keychain. Phones keep it in the Files / SMB bookmark. You delete the stale entry, then open the share again and type the new password once.

Step 1: confirm the computer side

Power light. Fan. Same house Wi-Fi or ethernet, not guest Wi-Fi. If it looks asleep: is the computer still on?. If you just changed the password, you already ran smbpasswd. If you are not sure the new password works from a different device that never saved the old one, reset it once more on the computer: set or change the house-share password. Then clear the device that keeps failing.

Step 2: Windows Credential Manager

On the Windows laptop or desktop that fails:

1. Open Credential Manager (Start menu search is enough). Pick Windows Credentials.
2. Find an entry that matches the old PC's address, hostname, or share name (often something like 192.168.… or photos under a network or Samba line).
3. Expand it. Click Remove. Confirm.
4. If you mapped a drive letter, you can leave the letter. Or disconnect it (This PC → right-click the letter → Disconnect) and map again after the new login works: map the house share as a drive.

Open File Explorer. Address bar: \\lab-address\photos (swap the address and share name you actually use). When Windows asks, type the Samba username and the new share password. Check Remember my credentials only if you want it saved again. Longer first-open walk: open the house share from a laptop. File History still failing after a password change: clear Credential Manager, then see when File History won't back up to the house share.

Step 3: Mac Keychain

On the Mac that fails:

1. Open Keychain Access (Spotlight is fine).
2. Search for the computer's address, hostname, or share name (photos, timemachine, whatever you used).
3. Delete the stale internet password / network-password rows for that server. Confirm.
4. If Finder still shows the share under Locations, eject it, then connect again.

Finder → Go → Connect to Server. Type smb://lab-address/photos. Connect with the Samba username and the new share password. Check Remember password in my keychain only if you want it saved again. Same laptop walk: open the house share from a laptop. Time Machine disk also stuck after a password change: clear the keychain rows, then see when Time Machine won't back up to the house share.

Step 4: iPhone or Android

iPhone / iPad (Files). Open Files. Under Shared (or Browse → the server bookmark), touch and hold the house share / server, then Remove / Delete Bookmark (wording varies by iOS version). Open the share again from scratch the way open the house share from a phone describes, and type the new Samba password. If iOS still fails silently, toggle Wi-Fi off and on, stay on house Wi-Fi, and try once more.

Android (Files, Solid Explorer, CX, or similar). Open the app's network / SMB / LAN bookmarks. Delete the saved connection for the old PC. Add it again with the address, share name, username, and new password. Don't use guest Wi-Fi. Same longer walk: open the house share from a phone.

Step 5: still failing after a clear

You cleared the device, typed the new password, and it still says login failed. Then the problem is probably still on the computer, not the cache. Reset Samba again: set or change the house-share password. Confirm you are not on guest Wi-Fi. Confirm the address and share name. Full cheap checklist: when the house share won't open. Second person should be gone entirely: remove someone from the house share.

What this is not

This is not changing the Samba password on the old PC. That is set or change the house-share password. It is not wiping the house folder. It is not a reason to buy a NAS. It is not opening SMB to the internet. It is not the SSH login password unless you chose the same string on purpose.

What next

Open the folder once with the new password and leave it. Need a drive letter or Finder Locations entry again: map the house share as a drive. Partner needs their own login: add another person to the house share. Password on the computer still wrong: set or change the house-share password. Broader open failures: when the house share won't open. Still building the first share: a file share.

Skip

• Skip until the Samba password on the computer is the one you want. That is set or change the house-share password.
• Skip buying a NAS for a remembered bad login.
• Skip opening SMB to the internet.
• Skip wiping the house folder to fix a password prompt.
• Skip third-party "network drive cleaner" apps that stuff ads.
• Skip changing the router password here.