PhpStorm Database tool shows generic connection error after stored credentials expire

Direct answer

PhpStorm does not usually convert a driver-level authentication failure into a dedicated password-expired prompt. The Database tool typically shows a generic connection error, and the expired-password cause appears only in the connection failure details or the IDE log.

Confirmed facts

• Expired credentials are reported by the database driver through vendor-specific SQL states, such as PostgreSQL 28P01, Oracle ORA-28001, MySQL access-denied errors, or SQL Server state 18456.
• PhpStorm does not generate its own expiry event; it relays the driver SQLException.
• Storing the password in the JetBrains password safe versus the OS keychain does not change the driver-level authentication result. Both supply the same credential. A locked or missing keychain can produce a distinct pre-connection error before the driver runs.
• Because connections may be pooled or established lazily, the failure can surface only on the next query, data-source refresh, or IDE restart rather than immediately after the external password change.

Where to find the underlying driver exception

1. Open the affected data source and click Test Connection. When it fails, open the error details to view the raw SQLException message and vendor SQL state.
2. Open Help > Show Log in Explorer/Finder and search idea.log around the failure timestamp for the JDBC URL, driver class name, SQLException, and SQL state.
3. If the log is unclear, enable JDBC or Database tool logging in the data source advanced settings and capture the raw server authentication response.

Minimal diagnostic steps

1. Change the database password outside PhpStorm using a SQL client or admin tool.
2. In PhpStorm, open the affected data source and click Test Connection or run a simple query.
3. Record whether the error mentions the password or reports only a generic connection failure.
4. Search idea.log for the JDBC URL and failure time; note the SQL state and driver message.
5. In Data Sources and Drivers, verify whether the password is stored in the IDE password safe or OS keychain, then repeat the test to confirm the behavior is identical.

Assumptions and uncertainty

• Behavior reflects PhpStorm with standard bundled JDBC drivers; exact UI wording and log placement vary by version, driver, and database server.
• Do not infer credential expiry from a generic failure alone. Confirm with the driver SQLException and SQL state in idea.log.
• Idle connection pools may retain stale credentials until the next checkout or restart, delaying the visible failure.

Missing diagnostic detail

Which database vendor and JDBC driver version are you using? SQL states for expired credentials differ by vendor, and some drivers wrap the error in a generic wrapper, so the exact driver determines whether you can match the log SQL state to password expiry with certainty.