How To Update Keychain Password Mac

Similar the Chrome password director on Android, Apple's iCloud Keychain is a default service that saves and syncs your account credentials, Wi-Fi passwords, and more across all your Apple devices. Although Keychain's password is tied with your local account password on Mac, you lot can change it to a more circuitous combination for better security.

But before I prove you how to change it on Mac, let's learn more about iCloud Keychain.

How does iCloud Keychain work on Mac and other Apple devices?
How to change your Keychain password if you know the former countersign
- Using Organization Preferences
- Using Keychain Access
How to reset Keychain password on Mac if you forgot the old password
What to do if you lot tin't change the Keychain Password?
What are other alternatives to Keychain Password?

How does iCloud Keychain work on Mac and other Apple devices?

iCloud Keychain is tightly integrated with iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. When you salvage a Wi-Fi password or sign in using a login ID and password, the organization will automatically create an entry in the Keychain app. All the data get synced beyond Apple devices using the iCloud platform.

With the Keychain Access app on the Mac, Apple is focusing on convenience over features. Sometimes, users won't find the app/service running in the background and getting the job washed.

To meliorate secure your iCloud Keychain, read forth.

How to alter your Keychain password if you know the old password

In that location are a couple of means to alter the Keychain countersign on the Mac. First, you tin can change the Mac login password on the device which will reflect in the Keychain app also.

I. Using Organisation Preferences

Click the Apple icon at the upper left corner and select System Preferences.
Open the Users & Groups menu.
Click the lock icon at the bottom left corner.
Authenticate yourself. Click Change Password.
Next, enter the new and erstwhile password, and add a password hint.

Hit ok, and that'due south it! Y'all accept successfully changed both the device password and Keychain Access password on the Mac.

However, someone with access to your Mac password can view and edit the login info from the Keychain Access app. Thus, it's always advisable to keep both different. Motion on to the side by side step to change it.

Two. Using Keychain Access

Open Keychain Access.
Get to Launchpad and locate information technology or use the Spotlight Search by pressing command+Space and type Keychain Admission.
Click the Edit selection in the Menu bar.
Select Change Password for Keychain "Login" option.
Enter the requested passwords and verify your data.
Hit OK.

Notation: The device login password will remain the same every bit before while creating a different Keychain Access password.

How to reset Keychain password on Mac if yous forgot the old password

There is no style to reset Keychain Access if you lot forget your former countersign. If you endeavor to reset it, the system will continue to ask for a countersign for authentication (which y'all already have forgotten).

If you practice remember your Keychain Access password then there is a fashion to reset the default Login keychain on the Mac. Follow the steps below.

Open Keychain Access.
Click Keychain Access in the Menu bar.
Select Preferences from the post-obit menu.
Click the Reset Default Keychains.
Authenticate the activeness with the keychain password and the macOS will create a new Login keychain from scratch.

The move will create a new Login keychain. You volition lose all items currently stored in these keychains.

What to do if you lot can't change the Keychain Password?

There can exist times when the arrangement will greyness out the 'Change Countersign for Keychain Login' option in the Keychain Access menu. Thus, preventing you from changing the Keychain password on the Mac.

If you don't have the admin rights to the Mac account, you won't see the option to alter the Keychain password on the device. All the same, there is a workaround.

Using the Mac Terminal app, one can easily alter the Keychain password with a system command. Become through the steps below.

Open Terminal via Launchpad or Spotlight Search.
Type security prepare-keychain-countersign and hit the render push.
Enter the requested passwords and verify.

The system has inverse the Keychain Access password using the Final command. Become ahead and use it to access login info on the Mac.

What are other alternatives to Keychain Password?

The default iCloud Keychain works perfectly fine for the majority out in that location. However, as is the case with Apple's apps and services, yous should non settle with a basic password managing director offering.

The Mac ecosystem has several third-party password managers like 1Password, LastPass, Enpass, Dashlane, and Bitwarden. They offer:

Cross-platform compatibility. Meaning, if you move from Mac to Windows or iPhone to Android in the future, you don't have to worry almost leaving precious passwords behind.
Features similar Watchtower (1Password) and Audit written report (Dashlane) to warn you well-nigh the potential information breach on the spider web.
Extension support for popular browsers.
Tags support for better organization.
TOTP (Time-based One Time Password) support.

Although they require a paid subscription, they are worth information technology if y'all have crucial data or passwords saved on your Mac.

I promise the above guide helped you modify the Keychain countersign on Mac. If yous have whatsoever queries regarding Keychain or alternative password managers, shoot them in the comments below.

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Parth previously worked at EOTO.tech covering tech news. He is currently freelancing at iGeeksBlog, Guiding Tech, iPhonehacks, and TechWiser writing about apps comparisons, tutorials, software tips and tricks, and diving deep into iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows platforms.