# URLCredentialStorage The manager of a shared credentials cache. ``` class URLCredentialStorage ``` ## Overview The shared cache stores and retrieves instances of [`URLCredential`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredential). You can store password-based credentials permanently, based on the [`URLCredential.Persistence`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredential/Persistence-swift.enum) they were created with. Certificate-based credentials are never stored permanently. ### Subclassing notes The [`URLCredentialStorage`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage) class is meant to be used as-is, but you can subclass it if you have specific needs, such as screening which credentials are stored. When overriding methods of this class, be aware that methods that take a `task` parameter are preferred to equivalent methods that do not. Therefore, you should override the task-based methods when subclassing, as follows: - Setting credentials — Override [`set(_:for:task:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/set(_:for:task:)) instead of or in addition to [`set(_:for:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/set(_:for:)). - Getting credentials — Override [`getCredentials(for:task:completionHandler:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/getCredentials(for:task:completionHandler:)) instead of or in addition to [`credentials(for:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/credentials(for:)). - Removing credentials — Override [`remove(_:for:options:task:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/remove(_:for:options:task:)) instead of or in addition to [`remove(_:for:options:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/remove(_:for:options:)) and [`remove(_:for:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/remove(_:for:)). - Setting default credentials — Override [`setDefaultCredential(_:for:task:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/setDefaultCredential(_:for:task:)) instead of or in addition to [`setDefaultCredential(_:for:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/setDefaultCredential(_:for:)). - Getting default credentials — Override [`getDefaultCredential(for:task:completionHandler:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/getDefaultCredential(for:task:completionHandler:)) instead of or in addition to [`defaultCredential(for:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/defaultCredential(for:)). ## Topics ### Getting the credential storage [`shared`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/shared) The shared URL credential storage instance. ### Getting and setting default credentials [`defaultCredential(for:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/defaultCredential(for:)) Returns the default credential for the specified protection space. [`getDefaultCredential(for:task:completionHandler:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/getDefaultCredential(for:task:completionHandler:)) Gets the default credential for the specified protection space, which is being accessed by the given task, and passes it to the provided completion handler. [`setDefaultCredential(_:for:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/setDefaultCredential(_:for:)) Sets the default credential for a specified protection space. [`setDefaultCredential(_:for:task:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/setDefaultCredential(_:for:task:)) Sets the default credential for a given protection space, which is being accessed by the given task. ### Adding and removing credentials [`remove(_:for:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/remove(_:for:)) Removes the specified credential from the credential storage for the specified protection space. [`remove(_:for:options:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/remove(_:for:options:)) Removes the specified credential from the credential storage for the specified protection space using the given options. [`remove(_:for:options:task:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/remove(_:for:options:task:)) Removes the specified credential from the credential storage for the specified protection space, on behalf of the given task and using the given options. [Dictionary key for credential removal options](/documentation/Foundation/dictionary-key-for-credential-removal-options) Key used by the options dictionary passed in [`remove(_:for:options:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/remove(_:for:options:)). [`set(_:for:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/set(_:for:)) Adds a credential to the credential storage for the specified protection space. [`set(_:for:task:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/set(_:for:task:)) Adds a credential to the credential storage for the specified protection space, on behalf of the specified task. ### Retrieving credentials [`allCredentials`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/allCredentials) The credentials for all available protection spaces. [`credentials(for:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/credentials(for:)) Returns a dictionary containing the credentials for the specified protection space. [`getCredentials(for:task:completionHandler:)`](/documentation/Foundation/URLCredentialStorage/getCredentials(for:task:completionHandler:)) Gets a dictionary containing the credentials for the specified protection space, on behalf of the given task, and passes the dictionary to the provided completion handler. ### Tracking credential storage changes [`NSURLCredentialStorageChanged`](/documentation/Foundation/NSNotification/Name-swift.struct/NSURLCredentialStorageChanged) A notification posted when the set of stored credentials changes. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)