The Amnesiac Keyring
Ubuntu utilizes a system called the “GNOME Keyring” to securely store your passwords, including credentials for Wi-Fi networks, SSH keys, and application logins. Normally, when you log into your Ubuntu user account, the keyring is automatically unlocked, providing seamless access to your saved networks. However, users occasionally encounter a frustrating bug where Ubuntu seems to automatically forget Wi-Fi passwords upon every reboot. Instead of connecting automatically, the system prompts you to enter your Wi-Fi password manually, or worse, asks for a “Default Keyring Password” before it will allow the network manager to access the stored Wi-Fi credentials.
Synchronizing the Login and Keyring Passwords
To stop Ubuntu from automatically “forgetting” or locking away your Wi-Fi passwords, you need to ensure that your user account login password and your GNOME Keyring password are perfectly synchronized.
This issue almost always occurs because you changed your user login password via the terminal (`passwd`) or a third-party tool, but the GNOME Keyring did not update to match it. Because the passwords differ, logging into Ubuntu no longer automatically unlocks the keyring. To fix this, open your application launcher and search for Passwords and Keys (also known as Seahorse). Open the application. In the left sidebar, under “Passwords”, right-click on the folder named Login and select Change Password. You will be prompted to enter your old password (the password the keyring is currently locked with). Once authenticated, leave the “New Password” and “Confirm New Password” fields completely blank and click Continue. A warning will appear stating that passwords will be stored unencrypted; confirm this. (Alternatively, enter your current user login password to re-sync them securely). Upon your next reboot, Ubuntu will automatically unlock the keyring, and your Wi-Fi networks will connect seamlessly.