What actually does iCloud keychain store?

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Level 1

8 points

What actually does iCloud keychain store?

The FAQ says: "iCloud Keychain stores credit card numbers and expiration dates—without storing or autofilling the security code—and passwords and usernames, Wi-Fi passwords, Internet accounts, and more. " But WHAT more does it store?

I have encrypted file vaults/disk images for almost all of my data. The passwords are stored in my local keychain. This is good because once I have unlocked my keychain I can mount the disk image easily. BUT, are these passwords also stored in iCloud?

All the so-called information says that keychain is a "password manager". Sometimes they say "it's more than a password manager". But what, exactly, does it store, what goes onto iCloud, and why, oh why, can nobody tell me this?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.5

Posted on Aug 20, 2021 1:32 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

destiny241

Community Specialist

Aug 21, 2021 5:27 AM in response to pingle99

Hello Pingle99,

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities. Based on your post, you'd like to know what Keychain Access and iCloud Keychain store.

We'd recommend reviewing: What is Keychain Access on Mac? and Learn how passwords are used on Mac

Keychain Access: "Securely stores your account names and passwords for your Mac, apps, servers, and websites, and confidential information, such as credit card numbers or bank account PIN numbers."

Resource: Manage passwords using keychains on Mac

iCloud Keychain: "It auto-fills your information—like your Safari usernames and passwords, credit cards, and Wi-Fi passwords on any device that you approve."

Resource: Set up iCloud Keychain

When you open the Keychain Access Utility on your Mac, you'll have two 'Default Keychains' on the sidebar the login and iCloud. The login keychain, allows you access to locally saved usernames and passwords. While iCloud Keychain shows you what's stored in iCloud. No one would be able to tell you what your Mac currently has stored, since we haven't stored them ourselves in the past. This is something you'd want to search using the search bar on the top right. You can also save your own usernames and passwords, titling it as you please. Meaning, you can manually enter in information you wish to save in the File menu > New Password Item, etc.

Hoping this helps out, take care.

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Answer 2

destiny241

Community Specialist

Aug 24, 2021 5:15 AM in response to pingle99

Hey Pingle99,

Security is important.

These might be helpful for you:

To secure the Mac - Set up your Mac to be secure

To secure your Apple ID - Security and your Apple ID

Even if your Mac was lost or stolen, anyone else would need access to your username and password for the Mac, plus the password for your Apple ID; in order to access saved passwords through iCloud Keychain.

Hopefully that puts your mind at easy, cheers.

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Answer 3

pingle99 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 22, 2021 4:43 AM in response to destiny241

Thanks!

I don't normally use Safari because I use Firefox which has its own "Lockwise" password management system, but I can see that iCloud is useful. On the one hand, I was concerned to not have things stored in the cloud which are very sensitive, such as passwords to access my encrypted file vaults, but on the other hand if anything happens to my Macbook I don't want to lose everything in Keychain - that was the motive for my question, but now having signed onto iCloud I can clearly see the local login and iCloud keychains.

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What actually does iCloud keychain store?

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