Credential settings

Open Settings → Git → Credential to choose how Git obtains and stores HTTPS credentials. This page configures Git's helpers and matching rules. It does not edit saved passwords; use Keychain Access for credentials stored by the macOS Keychain helper. SSH keys use the separate SSH workflow.

Choose a helper mode

The simple selector offers available helpers, None and Advanced. A simple choice replaces the displayed credential configuration with the selected default helper, or clears it for None, after confirmation. Review that confirmation when several URLs or configuration files are listed. Choose Advanced to keep separate rules.

The Helpers list groups rules by configuration file, scope and URL. Select a row to edit its Config type, URL, Helper, Username and Use HTTP path component fields. Config type selects the destination file; included files and other origins remain visible as distinct entries. URL spelling and entered helper/username text are preserved exactly; visually identical Unicode spellings can be separate Git rules. Select the intended row before applying or removing it. System files require write access. The app does not start a privileged helper to bypass file permissions.

Apply edits or save a new rule

For a selected rule, Apply writes only the fields you edited in the same file and URL. Changing a username leaves its helper chain and HTTP-path entries intact. Existing rules that contain only a username or HTTP-path setting can be edited without adding a helper. Changing URL or Config type with Apply writes the helper and only optional fields you edited. Untouched username and HTTP-path values already at the destination remain intact. Untouched repeated values, empty helper resets and values from other configuration files remain intact.

Add New/Save saves the complete draft immediately. It requires a helper and asks before replacing a matching destination. Changing the URL or Config type prepares a rule at that destination; it does not remove the original rule. To remove the original, select it and use Remove. Remove clears that rule's configuration fields after confirmation, including fields not shown in the form. It does not delete passwords retained by the helper.

When you change the selected row with unsaved edits, choose Save to apply those edits before switching, Discard to leave those edits unsaved before switching, or Cancel to keep editing. Closing Settings with Cancel discards pending edits; changes already saved with Add New/Save or Apply remain saved.

Empty fields and inherited settings

Clearing an edited Username removes that key from the selected file. Clearing an edited helper removes that file's helper entries. An untouched empty helper inside an existing chain remains Git's inheritance reset and is preserved.

Unchecking an edited Use HTTP path component removes the selected file's setting, matching TortoiseGit. Another matching Git configuration rule may still enable HTTP-path matching. Unrelated edits do not create an explicit false value or rewrite this setting. Use the effective Git configuration to inspect inherited values when a broader rule supplies one.

External configuration changes cause a stale save to be refused. Reload and review the current rule before saving again. Multi-key writes follow source order and use Git's file locks; a later failure can leave earlier accepted writes in place, so review the reported result before retrying.

Credential-helper availability, live server authentication and signed sandbox acceptance still need separate verification. See the credential source audit and authentication prompts for scope and remaining limits.