If you have backed up your keychain using encryption, you will need the password to access the backup. Here are some tips for recovering a lost or forgotten keychain backup password:
Check Keychain Access for hints
Open the Keychain Access app on your Mac. Click on the keychain that contains the encrypted backup. In the inspector window, check if you had saved any password hints.
Try your account passwords
Often, people use a password they are familiar with when setting a keychain password. Try logging in passwords for accounts like your Mac user account, email, iCloud etc. Reuse of passwords is common, so this is worth a shot.
Use a password manager
If you use a password manager like 1Password or LastPass, check if the keychain backup password is saved in it. You may have stored it along with your other passwords.
Check your old computers or backups
If you had written down or saved the keychain password somewhere previously, you can retrieve it from an old computer or backup. If you had emailed the password to yourself earlier, search through your email inbox.
Try password recovery/cracking tools
There are utilities and services like Davecut that can attempt to recover lost passwords by brute forcing all possible combinations. This works better if the password was weak and easy to guess.
Reset the password
If you had iCloud Keychain enabled, you can reset the password from another Apple device where you are still logged in. This will replace the encryption password with a new one. You can then use the new password to access your backup.
Use password hints from Keychain
The Keychain Access app lets you set optional password hints when creating encrypted backups. If you had set a hint, open the keychain entry and look under Show password hint. This may jog your memory if it’s a subtle clue.
Retrace your steps
Try to recall when and why you had set the password in the first place. What was important to you at the time that might be incorporated into the password. Look for any patterns based on numbers, places, dates, names etc. This may help recreate the password logic.
Was it reused from another account?
People often reuse the same passwords across accounts for convenience. Carefully think if the keychain password matches or has patterns from passwords you use for email, social media, online banking etc. If you figure out what it was reused from, you can access it.
Ask Apple Support to reset
As a last resort, contact Apple Support, provide proof of ownership of your account and ask them to reset the keychain password. This will erase the existing encrypted backup, but you can then make a new backup with a known password.
Prevent this in the future
To avoid losing keychain passwords again, follow best practices like:
- Using a password manager to generate and store complex random passwords.
- Writing down passwords and storing them very securely, like in a physical safe.
- Setting up two factor authentication for important accounts.
- Setting password hints that can help jog your memory later.
Conclusion
Recovering a lost keychain backup password can be challenging, but using the right tips and techniques makes it possible in many cases. Trying account reuse, checking old devices and notes, using password tools, and retracing your steps can often uncover a forgotten password. Enabling iCloud Keychain and setting backup hints also provides options if you lose access. With the right preparation, you can avoid finding yourself locked out of an encrypted keychain backup.
| Method | How it helps |
|---|---|
| Check Keychain Access for hints | Jogs your memory if you had set a subtle hint |
| Try your account passwords | Passwords are often reused across accounts |
| Use a password manager | Managers store all your passwords in one place |
| Check old devices or backups | You may have written the password down somewhere |
| Try password recovery tools | Cracks weak passwords by brute forcing combinations |
| Reset the password | Gets you a new password via iCloud Keychain |
| Retrace your steps | Recall what was important to you when creating it |
| Ask Apple to reset | Last resort if nothing else works |
Losing access to an encrypted password feels awful, but overcoming it is possible. Using smart password practices like not reusing passwords, using a password manager, writing hints and enabling two-factor authentication means you will rarely find yourself locked out. With recovery options like checking password managers, old backups and resetting via iCloud Keychain, you can ultimately regain access even in difficult situations. Stay calm, retrace your steps and use the right tools and techniques, and the encrypted keychain backup password will reveal itself.
The key to finding a lost keychain password is methodically triggering your memory using hints, retracing steps and using any records where it may have been saved. Don’t panic, and don’t give up easily. With persistence and by relating the password to things important to you, there is a good chance you’ll eventually recall the lost password.
Encrypted keychain backups provide an important layer of security and peace of mind, but only if you can actually access them later. Losing a password feels terrible, but in most cases it can be recovered with some effort. Staying calm, methodically retracing steps, using password tools and understanding Apple’s reset options means you can almost always get back into a lost keychain in the end. The most important thing is learning from the experience by improving your password hygiene going forward.
Other solutions
Here are a few other possible ways to recover a lost keychain backup password not mentioned above:
- Look in your web browser password manager like Chrome or Firefox in case you saved it there.
- Check your Notes app or any text files in case you wrote it down.
- If you used a pattern or formula, try reversing it or using variations.
- View Keychain Access on another Apple device if you had iCloud Keychain sync enabled.
- Use Find My Mac to wipe the device and get a new cryptographic key.
The key thing is to not give up after trying a few obvious solutions. Really rack your brain, retrace every step, and utilize every tool, no matter how obscure. More often than not, with enough effort, you can find almost any lost password with the right technique.
How certain solutions work
To better understand the methods for recovering a keychain password, here is some more detail on how some of the specific techniques function:
Password manager lookup
Tools like 1Password securely store all your passwords encrypted in a single place, protected by a master password. If you had saved the keychain password in your manager, unlocking it provides instant access.
iCloud Keychain reset
This removes the encryption password from all your approved devices by replacing it with a new randomly generated one. It will invalidate existing backups.
Password cracking software
Programs like Davecut brute force decryption by trying endless password combinations. This works best on weak passwords under 8 characters.
Reset via Find My Mac
Remotely wiping a lost Mac also resets the cryptographic key protecting Keychain data. However, this also erases all other local files.
Viewing Keychain Access on other devices
If you had iCloud Keychain enabled, the keychain list may sync to another approved device where the password is known. This provides access.
Understanding how these recovery tools function gives you better insight into the options available. The technology behind Apple’s encryption and remote resets empowers you to ultimately regain access, as long as you carefully utilize the right techniques.
Recovery tips and tricks
Here are some clever tips for recovering a lost keychain password that you may not have considered:
- Look at calendar entries from when you may have created it for subtle context clues.
- Think of holidays, birthdays, pets or significant dates that could be related.
- Re-enact your password creation mindset and visual cues.
- Uninstall any apps or updates installed around then, in case they modified system files.
- Call Apple Support and see if Genius Bar staff left any internal notes.
Getting creative and probing your memories from different angles can unexpectedly shake loose a forgotten detail. Don’t discount any subtle potential associations or avenues of exploration. You never know what might lead to the “ah-ha!” moment of rediscovering your lost keychain backup password.
Precautions for the future
Once you have regained access to your encrypted keychain backup, be sure to take measures to avoid repeating this situation by:
- Creating an extremely secure master password for your password manager of choice to store future passwords.
- Writing down backups of critical passwords in extremely secure locations only you can access.
- Making any passwords 14+ characters if possible, avoiding repetition and substitution.
- Enabling two-factor authentication via SMS texts or an authenticator app for important accounts.
- Setting logical password hints that will spur memories later if forgotten again.
The frustration of forgetting a keychain password can be avoided in the future with better password hygiene. Create strong passwords, use a password manager, enable two-factor authentication, and write down backups in secure locations. Follow this advice to prevent future lockouts.
Summary
Here are the key takeaways on how to find a lost keychain backup password:
- Methodically work through account password reuse, old backups, password tools, and context recall.
- Use password hints, iCloud Keychain reset, and contacting Apple Support if needed.
- Think carefully about dates, places, events, favorites that could provide clues.
- Enable two-factor authentication and a password manager for better security.
- Learn from the experience and improve password practices going forward.
With persistence, care, and the right recovery processes, almost any lost keychain password can be recovered. Use this stressful experience to build better password habits and avoidance of future lockouts.