initiates a standard dialog for entering username/password authentication information.
AuthenticationDialog ["type"]
initiates an authentication dialog of the specified standard type.
AuthenticationDialog [{"key1","key2", …}]
initiates an authentication dialog that requests values for the specified keys.
AuthenticationDialog [arg,func]
applies the function func to the dialog's return value.
AuthenticationDialog
initiates a standard dialog for entering username/password authentication information.
AuthenticationDialog ["type"]
initiates an authentication dialog of the specified standard type.
AuthenticationDialog [{"key1","key2", …}]
initiates an authentication dialog that requests values for the specified keys.
AuthenticationDialog [arg,func]
applies the function func to the dialog's return value.
Details and Options
- Possible values for type include:
-
"UsernamePassword" a dialog with fields for username and password"Password" a dialog with a password field"PermissionsKey" a dialog for entering a PermissionsKey"SecuredAuthenticationKey" a dialog for entering a SecuredAuthenticationKey
- AuthenticationDialog [] displays a dialog of type "UsernamePassword".
- AuthenticationDialog [arg] is equivalent to AuthenticationDialog [arg,Identity ].
- Password fields automatically use FieldMasked to mask their contents in the dialog display.
- If the user cancels the dialog, AuthenticationDialog returns $Canceled , even if a function func is specified.
- AuthenticationDialog ["PermissionsKey"] returns a PermissionsKey expression.
- AuthenticationDialog ["SecuredAuthenticationKey"] returns a SecuredAuthenticationKey expression.
- All other dialog types return an Association .
- The Wolfram Language kernel in which AuthenticationDialog is evaluated will block until the dialog is finished.
- When no front end is present, AuthenticationDialog writes to standard output and reads from standard input.
- The forms AuthenticationDialog ["type"->{"key1"->"init1",…}] and AuthenticationDialog [{"key1"->"init1",…}] can be used to specify initial values for any of the fields.
- The option setting SystemCredentialKey "name" allows data to be remembered securely in the current keyring given by $SystemCredentialStore .
- The content of a field specified as "key1"->"init1"->"Masked" will be masked.
- AuthenticationDialog [FormObject […]] is also supported on some platforms, to display an arbitrary form in the dialog.
- AuthenticationDialog accepts notebook options and AppearanceRules .
- AppearanceRules can be used to specify the overall appearance of the dialog, including a title and descriptive text.
- AuthenticationDialog by default puts up a dialog in the middle of the main display screen. Explicit settings for WindowMargins override this.
Examples
open all close allBasic Examples (4)
Request a username and password:
Request just a password:
Request just a password and automatically process the result:
Request secured authentication credentials:
Scope (7)
Provide initial values for some of the dialog fields:
Specify a function to process the resulting Association :
Use custom key names, specifying optional initial values and masking:
Use SystemCredentialKey "name" to securely store the dialog fields between sessions. The data is stored under the provided name:
The data is remembered in secure storage under the given name:
Use FormObject for other control types, optional fields, and so on:
Use AuthenticationDialog in a standalone Wolfram Language kernel:
$ ./WolframKernel
Wolfram 15.0.0 Kernel for Mac OS X x86 (64-bit)
Copyright 1988-2025 Wolfram Research, Inc.
In[1]:= AuthenticationDialog[]
Username: matt
Password: *****
Out[1]= <|Username -> matt, Password -> 12345|>
Use AuthenticationDialog in wolframscript:
$ wolframscript -code "AuthenticationDialog[]"
Username: matt
Password: *****
<|Username -> matt, Password -> 12345|>
$
Generalizations & Extensions (1)
The "UsernamePassword" AuthenticationDialog has an additional feature if used with the SystemCredentialKey option. The fields are stored for each username previously provided:
A new instance of the dialog is automatically filled with the last-used credentials. The password field is automatically filled after selecting an entry from the drop-down menu:
The entries for all usernames are stored in secure storage with names derived from the base name:
Options (7)
AppearanceRules (3)
Include descriptive text in the dialog:
Specify a title and a description:
Change the text on the submit button:
SystemCredentialKey (2)
Use SystemCredentialKey to securely store the dialog fields between sessions:
Recall the stored field values by using the same domain as before:
WindowMargins (1)
Position the dialog at the upper-left corner of the main display:
WindowTitle (1)
Use WindowTitle and other notebook options to adjust aspects of the dialog's notebook window:
Properties & Relations (2)
Use AuthenticationDialog as a setting for Authentication , to prompt for credentials when needed:
Use AuthenticationDialog to request a password for other functions, like Encrypt and Decrypt :
Possible Issues (5)
Preemptive controls cannot block the kernel's evaluation queue:
Always call AuthenticationDialog from a queued evaluation:
AuthenticationDialog blocks the kernel's evaluation queue, preventing asynchronous dynamics from rendering:
Only synchronous dynamics will render while the kernel's evaluation queue is blocked:
AuthenticationDialog will use any stored credentials that match the dialog's keys for the given domain:
If another unrelated authentication dialog uses the same SystemCredentialKey , its old values will be overwritten:
SystemCredentialKey is ignored for any AuthenticationDialog that uses a FormObject :
SystemCredentialKey is ignored for any AuthenticationDialog in a standalone Wolfram Language kernel:
> wolfram
Wolfram 15.0.0 Kernel for Microsoft Windows (64-bit)
Copyright 1988-2025 Wolfram Research, Inc.
In[1]:= AuthenticationDialog["Password", SystemCredentialKey->"Domain"] Password: *** Out[1]= <|Password -> 123|>
Related Guides
Text
Wolfram Research (2018), AuthenticationDialog, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AuthenticationDialog.html (updated 2020).
CMS
Wolfram Language. 2018. "AuthenticationDialog." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2020. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AuthenticationDialog.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (2018). AuthenticationDialog. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AuthenticationDialog.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_authenticationdialog, author="Wolfram Research", title="{AuthenticationDialog}", year="2020", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AuthenticationDialog.html}", note=[Accessed: 05-December-2025]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_authenticationdialog, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={AuthenticationDialog}, year={2020}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/AuthenticationDialog.html}, note=[Accessed: 05-December-2025]}