How to Use macOS Keychain Access to Manage Passwords

The Forgotten Password Vault

Every Mac user has experienced this scenario: a friend visits your house and asks for your Wi-Fi password. You connected to the network three years ago, and you have absolutely no idea what the password is. The router is mounted high on a wall, and the sticker with the default password has faded beyond legibility.

What most Mac users do not realise is that their computer has been silently saving every single Wi-Fi password, website login, and application credential they have ever entered. This secret vault is called Keychain Access. It is a built-in, Apple-managed password manager that has existed on macOS for decades, quietly storing every credential in an encrypted database on your hard drive.

Launching Keychain Access

1. Press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight Search.
2. Type Keychain Access and press Enter.

A window will open showing a massive list of saved credentials. Each entry represents a stored password for a website, application, or network. Do not be alarmed by the sheer volume; your Mac has been collecting these for years.

Finding Your Wi-Fi Password

Let’s solve the original problem: finding your home Wi-Fi password.

1. In the Keychain Access window, look at the top-right corner. There is a Search bar.
2. Type the name of your Wi-Fi network (e.g., HomeNetwork_5G).
3. The list will filter down. Look for an entry with the “Kind” column showing “AirPort network password” (this is what macOS calls Wi-Fi passwords).
4. Double-click that entry.

A new detail window will pop up showing the account name and other metadata. At the bottom, you will see a checkbox labeled “Show password.”

5. Check the “Show password” box.
6. macOS will immediately ask you to authenticate by typing your Mac login password (or using Touch ID). This is the security gate ensuring that only you can reveal stored credentials.
7. Once authenticated, the Wi-Fi password will appear in plain text in the password field.

Finding Website Passwords

Keychain Access also stores passwords that Safari has saved for websites. If you cannot remember your login for a specific site:

1. In the Search bar, type the domain name of the website (e.g., amazon.com).
2. Look for an entry with the “Kind” column showing “Web form password” or “Internet password.”
3. Double-click it and check “Show password” to reveal the stored credential.

Note: On modern versions of macOS (Ventura and later), Apple has moved the Safari-specific password management into System Settings > Passwords, which provides a cleaner interface. However, Keychain Access remains the master tool for accessing all types of stored credentials, including Wi-Fi, application certificates, and secure notes.

Adding a Secure Note

Keychain Access is not just for passwords. You can also store sensitive text notes (like software licence keys or PIN codes) inside the encrypted vault.

1. In Keychain Access, go to File > New Secure Note Item…
2. Give it a name (e.g., “Adobe Licence Key”).
3. Type the sensitive information in the note field.
4. Click Add.

The note is now encrypted and stored alongside your passwords. You can retrieve it at any time by searching for it and authenticating with your Mac password.

Conclusion

Before you reset your router or click “Forgot Password” on a website, check your Mac’s Keychain Access first. Your computer has likely been silently saving the exact credential you need for years, securely locked behind your login password and ready to be revealed in seconds.