How to reset the macOS Keychain password when your login keychain is locked
Summary
This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to reset the macOS Keychain password when your login keychain is locked. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.
Common Causes
If your Mac is repeatedly prompting you for a Keychain password after a login password change, your default login keychain is likely out of sync. Resetting the keychain creates a fresh one that matches your current macOS login password, stopping the persistent prompts and restoring normal operation.
Quick Fix Steps
- Open the Keychain Access app from
/Applications/Utilities/ - Go to Keychain Access › Settings (or Preferences on older macOS versions)
- Select your login keychain in the left sidebar
- Click Reset My Default Keychain
- Enter your current Mac login password
- Restart your Mac
Detailed Instructions
Step 1: Open Keychain Access
Open Finder, navigate to /Applications/Utilities/, and double-click Keychain Access. Alternatively, press Command + Space to open Spotlight, type Keychain Access, and press Return.
Step 2: Access the Reset Option
From the menu bar at the top of the screen, click Keychain Access › Settings (on macOS Ventura or later) or Keychain Access › Preferences (on macOS Monterey or earlier). A settings window will appear.
Step 3: Reset the Default Keychain
In the settings window, look for the option labelled Reset My Default Keychain. Click it. You will be prompted to enter your current Mac login password — this is the password you use to log into your computer each day.
Resetting your default keychain deletes the old login.keychain file. Any saved passwords, Wi-Fi credentials, and certificates stored in that keychain will be lost. You will need to re-enter passwords for email accounts, websites, and network drives as you use them.
Step 4: Confirm and Restart
Click OK to confirm the reset. A new login keychain is created using your current Mac login password. Quit Keychain Access and restart your Mac by clicking the Apple menu › Restart.
Troubleshooting
The "Reset My Default Keychain" button is greyed out
Ensure your login keychain is selected in the left sidebar of the Keychain Access window. If it is already selected and the button remains greyed out, try locking the keychain first by right-clicking it and choosing Lock "login", then attempt the reset again.
You don't know your current Mac login password
The reset process requires your current macOS login password. If you have forgotten it, you will need to reset your Mac login password first using your Apple ID or a recovery key. Once you can log in again, return to these steps to reset the keychain.
Keychain prompts return after restarting
If the prompts persist after a restart, verify that your user account has the correct keychain selected as the default:
- Open Keychain Access
- Right-click the login keychain in the sidebar
- Select Make "login" Default if it is not already set
If you use multiple keychains for different purposes, only the default login keychain syncs automatically with your Mac login password. Other keychains must be unlocked manually with their original passwords.
Old keychain file still visible in Finder
The reset process moves the old keychain to the Trash. Empty your Trash to remove it permanently. The new keychain is located at ~/Library/Keychains/login.keychain-db.
To access the ~/Library folder, open Finder, hold down Option, and click Go › Library in the menu bar.
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