Mac keeps asking for password keychain

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Mac keeps asking for password keychain. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Your Mac uses a Keychain to store passwords for websites, applications, and network services. After a macOS update or if you change your local account password, your Mac may repeatedly ask you to enter your Keychain password. This happens because the Keychain password no longer matches your account login password. Follow the steps below to reset your default Keychain and stop the repeated prompts.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Restart your Mac.
2. Log in with your usual account password.
3. If the Keychain prompt appears, select Create New Keychain.
4. Enter your account password when prompted.
5. Continue using your Mac and check if the prompts return.

Detailed Instructions

Reset the Default Keychain

1. Open Finder and select Go from the top menu bar.
2. Hold down the Option key and click Library.
3. Open the Keychains folder.
4. Locate the file named login.keychain-db.
5. Drag this file to the Trash. You may need to enter your administrator password to confirm.
6. Empty the Trash.
7. Restart your Mac.

When you log back in, macOS will create a new default Keychain using your current account password.

Update Your Keychain Password Manually

1. Open Keychain Access (search for it using Spotlight or find it in Applications > Utilities).
2. In the top-left of the window, right-click (or Control-click) on login under the Keychains list.
3. Select Change Password for Keychain “login”.
4. Enter your current Mac account password in the Current Password field.
5. Enter your new password in the New Password and Verify fields.
6. Click OK.
7. Close Keychain Access and restart your Mac.

Troubleshooting

Prompts Continue After Reset

• Ensure you are using the correct password for your local Mac user account, not your Apple ID or email password.
• Check for pending macOS updates by opening System Settings, selecting General, then clicking Software Update.
• If you recently changed your account password, log out and log back in to synchronise your credentials.
• If you use iCloud Keychain, ensure it is enabled and syncing correctly in System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Passwords & Keychain.

Specific Application Keeps Prompting

• Open Keychain Access.
• Use the search bar in the top-right to find the application name.
• Double-click the relevant entry.
• Select the Access Control tab.
• Ensure Allow all applications to access this item is selected, or add the specific application to the allowed list.
• Click Save Changes and enter your Keychain password when prompted.

Resetting your Keychain will remove saved website passwords and Wi-Fi network credentials. You will need to re-enter these the next time you visit a site or connect to a network.

Do not delete Keychain files if you are unsure of your account password. You may lose access to stored credentials permanently.

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