Creative Tech Support

Whenever a Macintosh offers to save a password it’s stored in a secure, encrypted file called a keychain. The keychain has a master password, normally the same as the login password you use to access your desktop. If you forget a password, you can look it up in the keychain as long as you know your keychain password. You can even add passwords to the keychain manually. Avoid writing down your passwords or typing them in a document on your computer. That’s a security risk. Apple’s Safari web browser can safely store passwords and (optionally) credit cards in an encrypted file on your computer that no one can access them without your computer’s login password. And when you need them, Safari automatically types them for you.

Looking up passwords in the keychain

1. Open Launchpad. Or click the Finder, then click the Go menu at the top of the screen and choose Utilities. Open the Keychain Access utility.
2. Look for a web site, email account or other password you need. You can also type in the search box in the top.
3. Double-click an item to see account user name and details.
4. Click Show Password in the lower left corner.
5. Type your computer’s login password to view password for the item you selected. If you change it here, be sure to change it on the web site or server to match.
6. Add items to the list by clicking the + button at the bottom, then fill out the form. Delete items by selecting them and typing the delete key. If your Mac needs the password in the future it will ask for it.

Tips

• You can also look up web site passwords in Safari. Learn how.
• Not sure what you’re looking for? Click the Kind column header. Web pages, servers and w-ifi networks are listed together.
• Looking for an email password? Type your email address in the search box. Then look for an item with IMAP or POP in the name - they will pertain to your incoming email. SMTP is for outgoing messages. Incoming and outgoing passwords will usually (but not always) use the same password.
• Duplicate entries? Perhaps you had several passwords or different accounts on the same site. Look at the user name and be sure you’re getting the right one. Also look at the date – the most recent entry is probably (but not always) correct.
• On personal Macs and devices, enable iCloud Keychain. This keeps your passwords and credit cards in sync. So whether you visit a site on your Mac, iPhone or iPad, Safari will always know the password. The data is encrypted and transmitted securely so you know you’re safe.

Manually adding items to the Keychain and using the password assistant

The Keychain is actually a great place to store sensitive information, such as bank accounts, PIN codes and other sensitve data. Secure notes are encrypted and no one can access them without your login password.

The Mac also has a built-in password assistant to help you create secure passwords. You may see this when you create a password the first time but you can use it anytime in Keychain Access.

1. Open Launchpad. Or click the Finder, then click the Go menu at the top of the screen and choose Utilities. Open the Keychain Access utility.
2. To add a secure note, click the File menu and choose New Secure Note Item.
3. Give the note a name and type (or paste) the note below. Then click Add.
4. To add a password, click the File menu and choose New Password Item.
5. Type a name or URL web address.
6. Enter your account name (or user name).
7. Type the password.
8. Or click the key icon to generate a secure password.
9. Choose a type of password. Memorable and Letters & Numbers are good choices. You can also customize the length and password. 
10. Copy the password you’ve created, paste it in the Password field and click Add. Be sure to change it on the web site or server to match.

Remember: Keychain Access only controls passwords stored on your computer and iCloud Keychain. A password only works if it matches the web site or server. You still need to go to the actual site or server to make changes.

Troubleshooting

If your computer constantly asks you for the Keychain password you may need to repair it.

1. Open Launchpad. Or click the Finder, then click the Go menu at the top of the screen and choose Utilities. Open the Keychain Access utility.
2. From the Keychain Access menu, choose Keychain First Aid.
3. Type your login password.
4. Click Repair and Start.
5. If repair fails, try again with any other passwords you may have used for login or keychain.

Learn more about security & troubleshooting.