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Why am I asked for my Keychain password when the keychain is already unlocked?

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This behavior started suddenly after migrating to a new machine.

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3 Answers 3

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This happened to me after changing my login password. I fixed it thanks to article on Apple support: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6724601

Simply I had to change password for my "login" keychain.

But I was asked to input password to open "Local items" keychain. I solved that issue exactly according this post: http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203897 You need to open folder ~/Library/Keychains/, find and delete folder with name similar to "A8F5E7B8-CEC1-4479-A7DF-F23CB076C8B8" and restart your Mac immediately.

I had to fixed both "login" and "Local items" prompt to solve it. Only changing password for "login" keychain seemed not to work although it should according Apple support. But I haven't test it heavily.

Hope it helps.

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  • Second link is dead
    – ShadSterling
    Mar 15, 2017 at 13:34
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Not sure, but it's a protection of private data against other people in your house who use the same computer. When I open my mailboxes the system asks for it so my wife can't read my mail since she does not know this password.

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    The question is about what is causing the request, especially given that the keychain is unlocked.
    – orome
    Nov 26, 2013 at 3:21
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The problem is often caused by the migration to a new mac I do not know exactly why but I know how to fix it. you have to reset your login keychain :

  1. In Keychain Access, choose Preferences from the Keychain Access menu

  2. click the Reset My Default Keychain button. This will remove the login keychain and create a new one with the password provided.

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  • What happens to the contents of the Keychain?
    – orome
    Nov 26, 2013 at 13:27
  • It will be deleted in the process and a new keychain will be created , at the beginning you will be promted the enter password for website , app etc. to repopulate the login the keychain .If you still remember the password you had on the other computer you can try to update the login keychain password be choosing change password for keychain 'login' in the edit menu of the keychain utility . you can also run the Keychain First Aid from the Keychain access menu to see exactly what is going on and maybe fix the Keychain .from my experiance these two methods are less radical but less effective.
    – starsky_70
    Nov 26, 2013 at 23:24
  • I'm not sure I follow. Is it: Kill the patient to heal him?
    – orome
    Nov 26, 2013 at 23:35
  • It is if you do not have important informations like a licence key that you dont have in your possesion to re-enter it in your Keychain , its a fresh start with your new OS X. The downside is that you will promted more offten at the beginning for adding data to the keychain (password , certificates,licence key, ect.). If you have super important information that you can't recover otherwise then use the Keychain First Aid but is much more time consuming and it can be realy tricky to get a good result
    – starsky_70
    Nov 27, 2013 at 3:02
  • p.s. Keychain reset could be a problem if you're using a FileVault encrypted hard drive.
    – starsky_70
    Nov 27, 2013 at 3:11

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