May 27, 2025, 1:11 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Apple’s Keychain is the company’s integrated password manager. It helps store the numerous passwords and logins for various frequently used applications, such as email accounts, websites, and apps, so users don’t have to remember them. This makes it all the more important not to forget the password for the Keychain itself. However, this can still happen. TECHBOOK explains what to do in such a case.
Apple’s password manager can not only store passwords and login credentials but also automatically fill in information on websites and apps on the device where it’s integrated. This includes usernames, passkeys, credit card details, security codes, or Wi-Fi passwords. If the keychain is linked with iCloud, these data can also be synchronized across devices. Additionally, users can share passwords and passkeys with others. More details are explained on Apple’s support page. So far, so practical–and all the more frustrating, of course, if you forget the password for this central tool.
Overview
Forgot the Password for the Apple Keychain–What to Do?
Since the introduction of macOS Sierra in 2016, the password for the keychain matches the user password used to log into the computer. So if you fear you’ve forgotten your keychain password, it might be a false alarm. However, if you can’t remember your Mac password either, things get a bit more uncomfortable.
Update Keychain Password
If the keychain password is forgotten or was never known–for instance, because you took over a Mac from someone else or a new user was created–the keychain must be reset. A detailed guide can be found in Apple’s digital user manual for Keychain Access.
To reset an inaccessible keychain, first open the “Keychain Access” application. The easiest way to get there is via Spotlight search (keyboard shortcut “Cmd + Space”). Then, in the “Keychain Access” menu, select “Preferences” and choose the option “Reset Default Keychains.” You can now replace the previous, unusable keychain with a new one. Afterward, you should log out and back in once to ensure the new user password is stored in the keychain.
You Need the User Password
Important: You need the current user password for this process. If this is no longer known, for example, after a reset via recovery mode, the old keychain cannot be decrypted. Access to stored data, such as passwords, Wi-Fi access, or certificates, is permanently lost in this case. The system automatically creates a new, empty keychain linked to the new user password.
Apple ID Recovery Key
Access to the keychain can also be related to the Apple ID, especially when using the iCloud keychain. If you forget the Apple ID password, Apple offers the option to use a so-called recovery key. This is a 28-digit code that can be used along with a trusted phone number and an Apple device to restore the Apple ID. This also makes access to linked iCloud services–such as the keychain–possible again. How to set up this recovery key is explained by Apple Support here. The function can be found on the iPhone or Mac under the menu item “Sign-In & Security.”