One of Apple's unique and not as well known built-in utilities, Keychain Access, does not receive the credit it is due. This can be attributed to the sometimes poor reputation that Keychain has gained amongst Mac Users as more of a nuisance, than of value. This can also be credited more to lack of user understanding and ignorance of the features and benefits of Keychain Access.
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--Here are some of the great benefits of Keychain Access---
* It stores all of your most common passwords for logins, applications, websites, web forms, wireless servers, FTP servers and a wide variety of other services.
* It allows the you to also keep track of more advanced secure features such as manage secure root certificates, keys and secure notes.
* Keychain Access also has an easy to follow graphical user interface which allows you to view, edit, modify and delete any passwords.
* Keychain also has a good repair feature, the Keychain First Aid utility, which can repair damaged or issues with current keychains.
With Keychain Access, especially in regards to websites you frequently visit and which require login authentication, Keychain works well, remembering your user name and passwords for those particular websites.
Of course this feature may only appeal to a select number of Mac users, but if you are one of those who does not like to put in user name and passwords to the websites you visit most, then this is definitely a benefit
for you.
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--Forgot a Password? Open up Keychain Access and retrieve it!--
One of my favorite features of Keychain Access, is using the password retrieval process. Sometime you will encounter issues where the password you have always been accessing to open your favorite application or website, is somehow mysteriously or even accidentally removed. What makes matters worse, is you forgot the password!
But have no fear, Keychain Access is here!
All you need to do is follow these steps below and you can locate and retrieve your password in no time.
For this example I am using a scenario where I have lost my password to my gmail email account which I now need to reactivate my Google Notifier Service for a specific gmail email account I frequently use.
* I first make sure Finder is showing on the Apple menu bar. You can do this by just clicking on any blank space on your desktop.
* Now from the Finder menu bar, select Go > Utilities. This will open the Utilities folder.
* Once in the Utilities folder, locate the Keychain Access icon and launch it.
Once the application launches, it will open to this main window.
Notice I have already highlighted my desired application, for password retrieval, "Google Service Google Notifier".
* Next, to access this window here, I will have to double click on that line above in main Keychain Access window.
* I will then go to the bottom of this screen and select the check box
for "Show password"
When I do this, a small window like this appears asking for my
permission to reveal confidential information for this service.
Of course I want to, so now the password I would use is
the one for my User Administrator login account for this Mac OS X user account I am currently in.
***This is a very important step, because you do need to remember your User Administrator password, in order to successfully complete a password retrieval process.****
Now if you cannot recall your User Administrator password, you will have to click this link to get that password reset and start this process with the newly reset User Administrator password, all over again.
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For resetting your User Administrator password,
Click here*************************************************************************************
* If you do recall your User Administrator password however, you
would do as I do now and enter it in the open dialog box and click the "Allow"button.
* Within seconds this window will come to the front, now
revealing my password for this Google Notifier Service.
Now I can use the retrieved password to re-activate my Google Notifer service.
It really is that simple.
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--Finally, A Little Workaround ..--
On the troubleshooting side of Keychain, there is one little workaround, that you can take advantage of when you keep getting that same pesky pop-up window which appears when you are attempting to access your email account in Mac OS X Mail application
or if visiting a secure site requiring a password on the Safari web browser for example and there is an issue with the password, you will also see this
same window.
To correct this, you can remove a select file in your User Library which will remove this recurring pop up window. The catch however, is the removal of this file will remove all your keychains currently in the your Keychain Access file. Everything. It is worth it, if you don't mind having to re-enter your user names and passwords, to your most frequented websites, applications or other services.
Here's what you have to do:
Open a new Finder window and select the Library folder.
* Next, locate and open the folder entitled "Keychains"
* Remove from this folder the file entitled "login.keychain"to the Trash.
(-- This is the main file which holds all of your current keychains--)
* Now attempt to access your email account through the Mac OS X Mail application or that secure webpage via Safari,
* You will see that Keychain window pop up once more, but this time, enter your password for your User Administrator account for your Mac OS X system. Make sure to click the "Remember this in my keychain" check box.
Now Keychain Access will remember your access to that application or website without that pesky pop up message appearing on your desktop screen.
There are alot more features within Keychain Access application, but the purpose of this tip, is just to make sure you have the basics down and to now hopefully see that there are true benefits to using Keychains in your Mac OS X environment- you just need a little tip on getting started.
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More intensive information on Keychain Access features and how tos, click the this great link from a really good blog on using Keychain Access:
Effective use of Keychain Access----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for viewing my tip for you on Mac OS X's Keychain Access.
Regards,
-Mactechtrainer
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