MacOS 26.1 Password Sync Issues

VelcroJP wrote:

Thank you for the advice and reference -- it appears I will have to suffer with the new version. Between this (passwords) problem with Mac OS and the problem I had with Excel being unable to accurately compare twi (identical!) numbers, my confidence in my primary (desktop) computer has suffered a major blow -- for the first time since 1987. (All previous problems -- iTunes and iPhoto -- were "annoyances"; these problems have caused me continuing grief!0

Disturbing to read about your trials and tribulations with the new MacOS.

Owl-53 has convinced me in earlier posts about the uncertainties and concerns for "downgrading" the OS. There is another option you could try, it takes some time but might return you to normalcy.

The process would be

(1) Verify that you have two solid backups (test with some random restores). These could be backups from Sequoia days or a recent one with Tahoe, but best would be a backup from when you were on Sequoia and things worked as expected.

(2) What to do before you sell, give away, trade in, or recycle your Mac - Apple Support Use these steps to restore your Mac to factory new configuration with Tahoe installed. Alternatively, you can boot into Recovery and erase and reinstall a new version of Tahoe but the above link is a cleaner install. Again, this puts Tahoe on a basically clean and empty Mac.

(3) On first boot you can use Setup Assistant to migrate (from your Sequoia backup) only user accounts and files but no apps or settings. Since you are migrating from the Sequoia backup set, this should result in a properly working system (that is the goal at least).

(4) Now try some logins, and if passwords seem to work as expected, reinstall all your software and apps. I have done this myself, it is a little work but not that bad and while it takes some time (maybe a few hours), it is straightforward and not difficult.

Shouldn’t you be contacting Apple’s business support team?

We here are just fellow users, not Apple employees or Apple support techs. Is the Mac in question managed by your IT department or is it the user's private computer that is allowed to access the company network?

Hi Ikrupp, you seem to know something about this issue? I recently ugraded to 26.1 (and now think I was stupid to do so!)

SOME of my e-mail passwords seem to have arbitrarily changed! I tried to log in direct to the mail server but the "keychain" passwords did not automatically appear. I opened "Passwords" and copied the password and pasted it into the field on the log-in -- it was deemed incorrect. I went through the "Forgot password" process and updated the password. To ensure my other devices (iPhone running iOS 26.1 and iPad running iOS 18.72) would also log-in, I opened "Passwords" (on the Mac) and edited the password -- which had not been automatically updated -- and completed what I had been doing.

I restarted my Mac this morning and password was again deemed incorrect, so I changed it again.

I then TRIED to log in to my favourite radio station -- which I can access only through the Internet -- and, again, the keychain password was deemed incorrect. I opened "Passwords" and copied the (plaintext) password, pasted it into the log-in and that was deemed incorrect.

Is it possible to revert to the previous version of Mac OS? (I was already using iOS 26.1 on my iPhone -- for about 10 days -- with no apparent problems.)

H E L P , please.

VelcroJP wrote:

Hi Ikrupp, you seem to know something about this issue? I recently ugraded to 26.1 (and now think I was stupid to do so!)

SOME of my e-mail passwords seem to have arbitrarily changed! I tried to log in direct to the mail server but the "keychain" passwords did not automatically appear. I opened "Passwords" and copied the password and pasted it into the field on the log-in -- it was deemed incorrect. I went through the "Forgot password" process and updated the password. To ensure my other devices (iPhone running iOS 26.1 and iPad running iOS 18.72) would also log-in, I opened "Passwords" (on the Mac) and edited the password -- which had not been automatically updated -- and completed what I had been doing.

I restarted my Mac this morning and password was again deemed incorrect, so I changed it again.

I then TRIED to log in to my favourite radio station -- which I can access only through the Internet -- and, again, the keychain password was deemed incorrect. I opened "Passwords" and copied the (plaintext) password, pasted it into the log-in and that was deemed incorrect.

Is it possible to revert to the previous version of Mac OS? (I was already using iOS 26.1 on my iPhone -- for about 10 days -- with no apparent problems.)

H E L P , please.

I will only speak to the Apple Computers issue in regarding Downgrading to a Previous version

As for iOS devices and downgrading

Once the newer version of iOS is released. Normally, Apple will Cease Signing Older Versions of iOS making it impossible to downgrade

macOS ?

User Risk Assessment: macOS Downgrade Procedure

Before initiating any downgrade from macOS 26 (Tahoe) to an earlier version such as macOS Sequoia, assess the user’s tolerance for potential risks. The following checklist must be completed before proceeding.

Primary System Dependency

Determine whether the affected Mac is the user’s primary or only computer.

If the user cannot function without this system for several days in the event of a failed downgrade, the risk level is high.

The downgrade should be postponed or avoided until proper contingency measures are established.

Availability of a Secondary macOS System

Confirm that the user has access to another Apple computer currently running macOS 15 or macOS 26 (Tahoe).

This secondary system must be capable of performing a Revive or Restore operation on the target Mac’s firmware if required.

Lack of a secondary Mac significantly reduces the ability to recover from firmware corruption or boot failures.

Firmware Compatibility and Secure Enclave Risks

Be aware that upgrading to macOS 26 (Tahoe) likely includes a firmware update affecting the logic board and Secure Enclave Processor (SEP).

Downgrading to an earlier version (e.g., Sequoia) may introduce firmware mismatch issues, leading to instability or loss of functionality.

There have been at least three documented cases where downgrading from Tahoe to Sequoia resulted in Secure Enclave malfunctions, requiring full system restoration or hardware servicing.

Backup Integrity and Recovery Preparedness

Verify that the user has at least three complete backups created before the macOS 26 (Tahoe) upgrade.

Implement the 3-2-1 Backup Strategy:

3 total copies of essential data

2 different backup methods or storage media

1 copy stored offsite (for protection against natural or human-caused disasters)

Each backup should reside on a dedicated, single-purpose external drive.

For enhanced backup and cloning capabilities beyond Time Machine, refer to:

🔗 https://bombich.com

Recommendation Summary

If the user answers NO to any of the above questions:

Downgrading the Mac is not recommended.

Proceeding without proper contingency plans, verified backups, and recovery tools may result in:

Data loss

Firmware corruption

Secure Enclave failure

Complete system inoperability

_______________________________

Thank you for the advice and reference -- it appears I will have to suffer with the new version. Between this (passwords) problem with Mac OS and the problem I had with Excel being unable to accurately compare twi (identical!) numbers, my confidence in my primary (desktop) computer has suffered a major blow -- for the first time since 1987. (All previous problems -- iTunes and iPhoto -- were "annoyances"; these problems have caused me continuing grief!0

But thank you for the information and the wisdom.

You are welcome

👍

🦉-53