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I just hit reset network settings on my iPhone (9.2.1) because I was unable to make phone calls.

I then noticed that my OSX (10.11.3) lost its internet connection. I immediately checked the keychain (where all wifi passwords are stored) and noticed that all passwords are missing.

I can only assume that resetting the iPhone "network settings" also affected my mac. I assume this occurred through iCloud.

Question

  • How can I get those Wifi Passwords back?

  • How can I prevent this from happening again?

2
  • I feel your pain :( I lost some of my passwords to a very bad system crash a while ago. Since then I have been keeping a backup of my passwords in a text file on an encrypted drive.
    – Vladimir
    Feb 24, 2016 at 3:46
  • I might have the answer to your second question: apple.stackexchange.com/a/283657/1898 May 15, 2017 at 10:51

2 Answers 2

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Check to seen if your passwords still exist under Safari > Preferences > Passwords on your Mac. Maybe they are still there.

If this doesn't work, try the following: Unplug your router's ethernet cable (so that iCloud cannot sync with the server) and try to restore your from Time Machine. This should revert your Key Chain. I recommend disconnecting your router because if you just turn off your wifi, it will probably turn back on after the restore is done and sync with iCloud again.

1

I don't know how to prevent it from happening, but I fixed it last time by getting a copy of my keychain via TimeMachine and reimporting them.

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