Apple Keychain is an essential component in the Apple ecosystem. It works silently in the background to ensure the login credentials, passwords, and other confidential information are safe and accessible across Apple devices. Although this is a common security feature, most Apple users do not completely understand its potential and functionalities. Continue reading to understand what Apple Keychain means, its features, and other essential information.
Understanding Apple Keychain
Keychain is the built-in password manager on Apple devices. It stores all your login credentials, including usernames and passwords of various applications, websites, and services used on your Mac, iPad, or iPhone.
Apple Keychain also stores sensitive information like credit card information, Wi-Fi passwords, and notes.
How to Enable Apple Keychain?
The steps for turning on the Apple Keychain are mentioned below. But before turning it on, ensure your Apple device is updated to the latest OS version.
- On iPad and iPhone
You can turn on iCloud Keychain by going to the Settings app > tapping your name > choosing iCloud > tapping Passwords and Keychain > turning on iCloud Keychain. If prompted, you have to enter your Apple ID password or passcode.
- On your Mac computer
Click the Apple menu > select System Preferences or System Settings > click your name and then iCloud > turn on Passwords & Keychain.
Once you have turned on Keychain, all your passwords and login credentials will be stored in this password manager. You can access your saved passwords by going to Settings > Passwords & Accounts > Website & App Passwords on your iPhone/iPad and opening Keychain Access in Applications > Utilities on your Mac computer.
How Do You See The Wi-Fi Password On Keychain?
You can see your saved macOS Wi-Fi passwords on Keychain. If you don’t know how to see Wi-Fi password on MacBook, follow these steps:
- In the Menu bar of your Mac computer, click the magnifying glass icon
- In the search bar, type Keychain and press Return
- The Keychain Access window will open, and you have to browse until you see the name of your Wi-Fi network
- Click the Wi-Fi network name and click the i icon at the top of the window
- When a new window opens, tick the Show Password option, and you will find your saved Wi-Fi password here.
On your iPhone or iPad, you can find the password of the Wi-Fi you are connected to through the Settings app.
What Are The Benefits Of Using Keychain?
- Security
Keychain makes use of advanced encryption technology to keep your sensitive data and passwords safe. Storing your confidential data in Keychain is much safer than storing them in simple notes and plain text.
- Automatic logins
Since the login credentials are stored in Keychain, you don’t have to enter your username and password. This saves you time, and you are automatically logged in. Moreover, this saves you from remembering your login details.
- Synchronization of data
When it comes to syncing passwords and other sensitive data across your Apple devices, Keychain comes to the rescue. It ensures you can access your sensitive information regardless of the Apple device you are using.
- Generation of strong and unique passwords
As mentioned before, Apple Keychain is a built-in password manager. It helps to generate unique and strong passwords for all your accounts, ensuring hacking attempts are thwarted.
- Password fatigue is reduced
Since you don’t have to remember and manually enter the passwords, it reduces password fatigue. Also, it ensures your accounts are secure.
What are the Advanced Features of Keychain?
- Passkeys: With the latest macOS update, Apple is transitioning toward passkeys instead of passwords. Passkeys are a more convenient and secure alternative to passwords. These are stored in Keychain, which offers biometric authentication and stronger security.
- Two-factor authentication: Keychain supports 2FA for improved security. This means you will need an additional step to log into your accounts. In addition to passwords, a one-time verification code will be sent to your phone or email.
- Family Sharing: It is possible to share passwords with your family members through Keychain’s Family Sharing option. This is going to allow your trusted family members to log into applications and websites without requiring you to know your password.
Additional Tips for Using Keychain:
- Use Keychain to generate strong passwords for your accounts. This will ensure you don’t have to wrack your brains to come up with unique passwords for your multiple accounts.
- Remember to enable two-factor authentication for added security.
- You must always keep your Apple devices updated to access the latest software versions and their advanced features.
The Bottom Line
Apple Keychain is an essential tool for managing passwords and other confidential data. The information seamlessly syncs across Apple devices. If you are not using this feature, you are missing out on a lot. Ensure that you use Keychain to its full potential to not just store your passwords but also generate them. You can also use the feature to look up saved Wi-Fi passwords on your Mac computer.
