Fetch Softworks

My Mac Died how do I retrieve passwords? (6 posts)

• Started 6 years ago by Martin
• Latest reply 6 years ago from Jim Matthews

• Martin Member

  My old Mac died, but I have backups in Time Machine. How can I retrieve my old passwords?

  Thank you.

  Posted 6 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  Hi,

  You'll want to restore files from the Library/Keychains folder in your user folder. Here's some information on the topic:

  https://superuser.com/questions/487880/restore-os-x-keychain

  Thanks,

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 6 years ago #

• Martin Member

  Thanks Jim.

  However, the new Mac uses Sierra OS, and the instructions on that page I think may go with the previous operating system, El Capitan. Not, sure but I'm not locating the things it tells me to select that should be there. Like there is no First Aid button. But even on my backup, I'm not seeing a file called com.apple.keychainaccess.plist.

  Hmmm.

  Martin

  Posted 6 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  Hi,

  I’m sorry that I haven’t seen updated instructions on this. You should still see your keychain file in ~/Library/Keychains in the backup, and you should be able to open that file in Keychain Access.

  Thanks,

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 6 years ago #

• Martin Member

  So, I just upgraded Fetch to the latest version and all the passwords appeared! Problem solved for $10.

  Jim, is there a way to see what the passwords are as they are incripted. I would like to write them down to avoid any future problems.

  Thanks for your help.

  Posted 6 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  Hi,

  You can use the Keychain Access application to look at the password saved for a shortcut.

  To find your shortcut's password in the Keychain Access application:

  * Open the Keychain Access application, which is in the Utilities folder inside your Applications folder.
  * Look for an entry whose Name is the name of the server specified in the shortcut, and whose Kind is "Fetch password" (or possibly "Internet password").
  * Display the entry's details by double-clicking on the entry.
  * Click the "Show password" checkbox.
  * When prompted, enter your keychain passphrase (usually the same as your Macintosh login or administrator password) to display the shortcut's password.

  Thanks,

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 6 years ago #