how to recover a previous web site password in Keychain?

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how to recover a previous web site password in Keychain?

A web site requested I change my password. In the process, Keychain suggested a new password that did not fit the requirements of the site. But I did not notice this until I had Hit accept.

So now the only Keychain password listed for that site is the one that will not work. The original password is still active for that web site but I no longer have it, because it was one generated earlier by Keychain.

If I can access the previous password for this web site that was stored in Keychain, it will allow me to change the password on the site.

So how do I access a previous password for a web site in Keychain? I am not asking about a password for Keychain, I am asking for previous passwords stored in Keychain.

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Jun 29, 2023 8:44 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

MrHoffman

Community+ 2024

Level 10

127,161 points

Jun 30, 2023 12:14 AM in response to jamesfromnewhaven

Keychain doesn’t save old passwords.

Your options are a website password reset, or restoring the keychain file from a backup, assuming the password is stored local (~/Library/Keychains) and not using iCloud Keychain. (Here are more details.)

If iCloud Keychain, I don’t know of a way to revert that. A password reset is your option.

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Answer 2

Ronasara

Level 6

15,115 points

Jun 29, 2023 10:08 AM in response to jamesfromnewhaven

I don't know for sure because I am not a keychain expert but I think I've seen older passwords still stored i Keychain and then deleted them. I suggest you open Keychain and look to see if it's there.

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Answer 3

Jun 29, 2023 11:57 PM in response to Ronasara

Thanks for your reply. When I go inside Keychain I do not see any way to access previous passwords. I only see one password for each web site.

If there is a way to access previous passwords that would solve my problem. But I don’t see them……

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Answer 4

Jun 30, 2023 2:28 AM in response to MrHoffman

Thanks, this is helpful. Reviewing the suggestions at the link do make it clear that recovering a lost password is possible. I appreciate the advice.

But my take on it is, that it is a reason not to use keychain to generate passwords. It is too easy to get new and old passwords mixed up especially since keychain does not recognize the specifics of what makes for an acceptable new password on each web site. That is how I got into trouble. In future I will use 1 Password to generate new passwords since it invites you to tailor your password rather than suggest a generically good password. And finding previous passwords in keychain requires way too much of a workaround ....it should store them and allow access to them easily (as 1Password does).

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Answer 5

Jun 30, 2023 6:10 AM in response to jamesfromnewhaven

I’d grumble at the people managing the website involved, as they’re not following best practices for passwords, password composition, and password changes (US NIST Special Publication 800-63-3 Digital Identity Guidelines), but whatever works for you here.

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how to recover a previous web site password in Keychain?

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