Why isn't iCloud backing up my Keychain?

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Level 2

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Why isn't iCloud backing up my Keychain?

I just created a username & password for a site on my Macbook. Two hours later, I needed to sign in, while on my iMac. I search for it on my Keychain, and it's not there! I look in my iCloud storage, and while Keychain is checked, to be backed up, there isn't anything in my iCloud, as far as data in my Keychain! What's going on, isn't the whole point of the keychain being backed up on iCloud, so we can access our passwords no matter what device we're on?

Am I missing something?

iMac 27″ 5K, macOS 11.7

Posted on Jan 31, 2023 9:55 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

tygb

Level 9

64,720 points

Jan 31, 2023 10:18 PM in response to Saxman

If password for a website was autofilled it will be found in safari preferences > password section Change Passwords preferences in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

You have to autofill the passwords Change AutoFill settings in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

tygb

Level 9

64,720 points

Feb 2, 2023 12:43 AM in response to Saxman

Regarding safari bookmarks don't sync , from Mac system preferences > click on Apple ID > iCloud if you uncheck the box of safari a pop up appears , click on ok the safai bookmarks will merge and uploaded to iCloud , never uncheck the box of safari .

About keychain password , the user name password for a web site is browsed from Mac A it will sync when autofill feature is enabled from safari preferences , open keychain access using spotlight , in the side bar select passwords , now in keychain access type password , the web site password will be visible or you can type the complete web site mail address in its spotlight search , double click on web site address , check mark the box of show password , the complete password is shown when admin password is prompted in a pop up window just enter it .

In safari preferences > in passwords section enter admin password , select the website just hover the cursor over password section ( over dotted line ) it will show password .

This password will sync with second Mac " B " in which iCloud Keychain is set up ( turned as on ) with latest update being done see some articles .

Set up iCloud Keychain - Apple Support

If iCloud Keychain won't turn on or sync - Apple Support Official Apple Support › en-us

make sure that iCloud Keychain is available in your country or region

set up iCloud Keychain and iCloud Passwords

From this article Automatically fill in strong passwords on iPhone - Apple Support

Make sure you have not turned off autofill feature .

Prevent iPhone from automatically filling in passwords

Go to Settings > Passwords > Password Options, then turn off AutoFill Passwords.

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Answer 3

tygb

Level 9

64,720 points

Feb 6, 2023 11:53 PM in response to Saxman

In Mac system preferences > the safari box , keychain box is always checked by default , there is no need to change the settings , you are using latest version of Mac , the screen shot I posted is from Mac OS catalina 10.15.7 , the concept is same see the article If your iCloud or Safari bookmarks aren’t syncing - Apple Support

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Answer 4

Saxman Author

Level 2

325 points

Feb 1, 2023 10:33 AM in response to tygb

Thanks, but I don't understand how, or why, that's related to iCloud syncing my keychain to all my Apple devices. Why should I have to open Safari, & all the windows accompanying it's being opened, just to find a password, that should be in my Keychain? Also, iCloud has yet to even sync Safari properly, to itself. Thus, my Safari bookmarks on my iMac, aren't found in Safari on my Macbook. But again, why is the functionality of Keychain on my devices contingent upon having to open Safari? And how does this explain that while I have Keychain selected to be backed-up by iCloud, when I click on Manage my storage, there's nothing showing for Keychain?

iCloud has always been quite confusing to me, and so when it doesn't function as it should, I never know if it's buggy, or I'm just not understanding it's functionality. Plus, I'm afraid to deselect and reselect any of the settings, due to having read something about deselecting having the effect of erasing everything in that folder on all devices! So that what's supposed to serve in keeping data synced on them all, could end up deleting everything instead...

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Answer 5

Saxman Author

Level 2

325 points

Feb 6, 2023 11:08 PM in response to tygb

I don't know what's going on, I followed your directions about Safari Bookmarks, but it was a little confusing, (telling me to uncheck the Safari box, then saying never to uncheck the Safari box), and acted weird. I unchecked Safari, but no pop-up window happened. However, when I re-checked it, THEN, the pop-up happened, I checked OK, and then it unchecked the Safari box!! Huh??

Why do you think it did that? And I'm now not sure what to do, so I guess I'll just re-check the Safari box, and see what happens.... I told you this is a confusing mess, and the second part of your response didn't make much sense to me, not that's it wrong, but I just don't understand it all...

OK, so when I rechecked the Safari box, I did get the popup window, again, clicked OK, and it closed, leaving Safari still checked, so maybe it now did what it should, just a little differently than you had said.... I'll see if now is syncing them, and get back..

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Answer 6

Saxman Author

Level 2

325 points

Feb 23, 2023 7:27 PM in response to tygb

The problem isn't that Safari & Keychain aren't selected in both devices, just that they don't appear to be syncing.

As for passwords, what if I created some passwords, while using a different browser, shouldn't Keychain still sync the password on my devices?

It may not be syncing Safari on both, due to a user ID issue, as some apps/folders on my Macbook may still have an old ID, which I haven't as yet been able to figure out how to fix...

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Answer 7

tygb

Level 9

64,720 points

Feb 23, 2023 9:23 PM in response to Saxman

The Mac should be updated and upgraded with latest version , same with iPhone / iPad , regarding only apple inbuilt apps , the older Apple ID is is still being used , sign out Apple ID from Mac system preferences and again sign in with same Apple ID and password , you must knew iCloud Keychain verification code .

Note : when keychain box is not checked there is some issue with it .

If iCloud Keychain is corrupted in Mac .

( a ) Use an iPhone and sign in with same Apple ID and password in your Mac .

( b ) In iPhone go to settings , iCloud open keychain and click on advanced two options will be shown reset code and reset iCloud Keychain , click on reset iCloud Keychain .

( c ) A verification code will appear on your iphone through sms and it will prompt to generate a code , think of code and fill up in the field so keychain will be set up in iPhone , write down this code .

( d ) Come to Mac , in system preferences > click on iCloud the box of keychain is unchecked , so tap the keychain box , it will show waiting for approval click on option button , enter the passcode that is generated in iPhone , click on confirm .

( e ) Again in iPhone a pop up will appear showing approve or deny for name of Mac to approve for keychain , click on allow .

( f ) In Mac click on option button enter trusted number an sms will come having a verification code , enter it the trusted number will be saved and visible and finally keychain is set in Mac .

Note : ( a ) clarify are you trying to sign in with same Apple ID and password on iPhone / Mac .

( b ) is there any iCloud Keychain issues .

( c ) when secondary authentication is used and you enable 2FA and before 14 days you click on the link recieved in IMAP account , then also waiting for approval from other device error is shown .

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Answer 8

Saxman Author

Level 2

325 points

Apr 2, 2023 9:54 PM in response to tygb

OK, and if I don't have an iPhone, then what? I don't understand why getting iCloud to work the way it's supposed to, requires me to have to use Safari, or an iPhone. Why doesn't it do, what it says it does, save passwords that I create & use, so that when I'm on my laptop or iPad, my passwords will be there with me. As for Safari, it's been some years now, and it still has never synced its bookmarks, or browsing history, or passwords.

I sure wish, hoping against hope, that Apple would one day focus on ensuring that all their cool features actually work, and all the time, before rushing out the next latest & greatest OS, with even more tweaks and changes in features that already are working fine, so that they then don't anymore. Can't Apple just put out a new OS every other year, instead of every year, which has ALWAYS created problems, sometimes small, sometimes huge, for users who've been doing just fine up to that point.

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Answer 9

tygb

Level 9

64,720 points

Apr 2, 2023 10:14 PM in response to Saxman

As you mentioned - . As for Safari, it's been some years now, and it still has never synced its bookmarks, or browsing history, or passwords.

Browsing is confined to an individual device , say if you browse from Mac , the history is saved ( in form of cookies ) , for private browsing mode history is not saved , however browsing history will never sync with other devices like iPhone / iPad that are signed in with same Apple ID and password on the same network .

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Why isn't iCloud backing up my Keychain?

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