Keychain access items won't back up

Question

Level 1

10 points

Keychain access items won't back up

Using Tahoe: I can no longer backup my keychains in the Keychain access app.

I know the new OS want you to move all your passwords to the password app, but most of mine are keychain note items that contain more than just usernames and passwords. My password protected items in each keychain contain credit card numbers with the user name and passwords, or software serial numbers, or bank account info. I have separate keychain for money stuff (bank accounts, IRA accounts etc), for software serial numbers w/ login info, another for information for all my websites, and another for other things.

I went to go back the keychains up today and the "Export" is grey out. When I searched the computer for the individual keychains, I cannot not find them. I found some backups from a year ago, but I cannot find the current ones.

Can anyone help?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 26.0

Posted on Oct 17, 2025 9:44 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 17, 2025 10:21 AM in response to NLFord

NLFord wrote:

Using Tahoe: I can no longer backup my keychains in the Keychain access app.

I know the new OS want you to move all your passwords to the password app, but most of mine are keychain note items that contain more than just usernames and passwords. My password protected items in each keychain contain credit card numbers with the user name and passwords, or software serial numbers, or bank account info. I have separate keychain for money stuff (bank accounts, IRA accounts etc), for software serial numbers w/ login info, another for information for all my websites, and another for other things.

I went to go back the keychains up today and the "Export" is grey out. When I searched the computer for the individual keychains, I cannot not find them. I found some backups from a year ago, but I cannot find the current ones.

Can anyone help?

Does not sound like Keychain Access.app was the most appropriate for "notes" of this sort.

Manually copy and paste you details separate from passwords if that is your issue.

The Passwords.app has replaced the Keychain Access.app going forward

ref: Use the Passwords app to create, manage, and share ...

Call Customer Support (800) MY–APPLE (800–692–7753)

or on line https://getsupport.apple.com/

or call AppleCare Support at 1-800-APLCARE (800-275-2273)

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Answer 2

NLFord Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 17, 2025 11:08 AM in response to leroydouglas

I guess you did not read my post carefully. I have been using the Keychain app since it was first developed in the '90s with no problem. It offered 2 types of items: one was "password" that you could only enter username and password. The other was "notes" which you could put notes in. If it was not conceived to be appropriate for notes they wouldn't have called it notes.

And as I stated, I do fully understand that they have developed the new "Password" app, which only stores usernames and passwords. My question is about backing up the Keychain Access app and finding the current .keychain files.

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Answer 3

NLFord Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 17, 2025 1:27 PM in response to Owl-53

Well that explains a lot. Thanks so much. I have so many the migration sounds like it will be a nice Saturday morning project. Fingers crossed it goes well. (Just an FYI, I searched all over the internet for that info and found nothing. I am impressed you were able to find that!)

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