Keychain Access: If you have a problem with your keychain password

If you have a problem with your keychain password

By default, your keychain password is the same as your login password (the password you use to log in to the computer). If you change the login password in Users & Groups preferences, the keychain password is automatically updated to match it. If your login password is reset by an administrator, your keychain password is not reset automatically, and you’re asked to reset the keychain password the next time you log in. You can also update the keychain password to match your new login password. To unlock your keychain and change the password, you must know the current keychain password (which is usually the same as the previous computer login password).

Change your keychain password to mach your login password

  1. Choose Edit > Change Password for Keychain “login.”

  2. If the keychain is locked, enter the previous login password for the computer, then click OK.

  3. If you entered the correct password, a new window appears. Enter the previous login password again in the Current Password field.

  4. Enter the current login password in the New Password field.

  5. Reenter the current login password in the Verify field, then click OK.

If your login password was reset because you forgot your password, and you can’t provide the old password for the keychain, you won’t be able to access the information in the old keychain, and a new blank keychain is created.

Last Modified: May 4, 2016
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