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User profile for user: Brian Lazzara
Brian Lazzara Author
User level: Level 6
10,107 points

iCloud Keychain and Passwords disappeared

My iCloud keychain passwords are not working suddenly, in Safari on macOS. I am running Catalina 10.15.5 on a newer 2019 iMac. The problem: I went to enter one of my work websites in Safari and my password autofill isn’t popping up. So then I went into Safari preferences to check my saved passwords and the list is entirely blank. There should be hundreds of saved passwords in there. System preferences shows that Keychain access is allowed under iCloud settings. But the Keychain Access app is showing the iCloud Passwords keychain as being blank.


In an attempt to troubleshoot, I have tried turning off iCloud Keychain in System Preferences, by un-checking the Keychain selector under iCloud setting. I go through the authorization process by entering my account password for my appleID, but then the system preferences window just reverts to showing it as check-marked. I was hoping I could turn it off and then back on to restart the keychain sharing on this machine. But I guess it won’t let me even get that far in troubleshooting. I don’t want to reset the whole keychain in the Keychain Access app, because I am using this keychain on three other devices, and there is no problem on them. I don’t want to lose nine years of saved passwords and certificates.


Oddly, I still have the 2013 iMac which is the machine I recently migrated from. It is logged in to the same iCloud account, but it is not demonstrating this problem in Safari. The iCloud Keychain is still working properly on that one, running the same macOS install of 10.15.5. And Keychain Access shows my passwords keychain as fully populated.

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on May 30, 2020 6:55 PM

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User profile for user: tygb
tygb
User level: Level 9
64,748 points

Posted on May 30, 2020 8:12 PM

In Mac safari preferences make sure users name and passwords box is checked https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/safari/ibrwa005/13.0/mac/10.15

See the article https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/safari/ibrw1100/mac


See the section - https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT203783 ( you might be using private browsing in which cookies are disabled and passwords are never saved ) .

Read this also https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/safari/ibrwf71ba236/13.0/mac/10.15

If iPhones and Mac are connected with same Apple ID and password on the same network make sure keychain box is checked in iPhone https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/set-up-icloud-keychain-iph82d6721b2/ios

As this article states https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT204085

What happens when I turn off iCloud Keychain on a device?

When you turn off iCloud Keychain for a device, you're asked to keep or delete the passwords and credit card information that you saved. If you choose to keep the information, it isn't deleted or updated when you make changes on other devices. If you don't choose to keep the information on at least one device, your Keychain data will be deleted from your device and the iCloud servers. 

Possibilities are there in Mac safari preferences you have shared password to iPhone ( right click on website / Apple ID address and share with air drop ) https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/safari/ibrw12d5ed41/mac

And then just clicked on website address its highlighted , you removed the complete website address so passwords are gone and it's showing as empty .




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Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: tygb
tygb
User level: Level 9
64,748 points

May 30, 2020 8:12 PM in response to Brian Lazzara

In Mac safari preferences make sure users name and passwords box is checked https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/safari/ibrwa005/13.0/mac/10.15

See the article https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/safari/ibrw1100/mac


See the section - https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT203783 ( you might be using private browsing in which cookies are disabled and passwords are never saved ) .

Read this also https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/safari/ibrwf71ba236/13.0/mac/10.15

If iPhones and Mac are connected with same Apple ID and password on the same network make sure keychain box is checked in iPhone https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/set-up-icloud-keychain-iph82d6721b2/ios

As this article states https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT204085

What happens when I turn off iCloud Keychain on a device?

When you turn off iCloud Keychain for a device, you're asked to keep or delete the passwords and credit card information that you saved. If you choose to keep the information, it isn't deleted or updated when you make changes on other devices. If you don't choose to keep the information on at least one device, your Keychain data will be deleted from your device and the iCloud servers. 

Possibilities are there in Mac safari preferences you have shared password to iPhone ( right click on website / Apple ID address and share with air drop ) https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/safari/ibrw12d5ed41/mac

And then just clicked on website address its highlighted , you removed the complete website address so passwords are gone and it's showing as empty .




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User profile for user: Brian Lazzara
Brian Lazzara Author
User level: Level 6
10,107 points

May 30, 2020 7:13 PM in response to zinacef

Hi Zinacef, I did try unchecking the keychain setting, which makes you authenticate your log-out with the apple I'D account password. But I haven't tried signing out the entire iMac from iCloud. I guess i'm trying to minimize disruption, I just set this baby up, and don't want to ruin anything more.


The keychain sill seems to be working on that 2013 device and also on my new iPhone SE gen2.

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iCloud Keychain and Passwords disappeared

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