If you’re setting up a new Mac, you can use the Setup Assistant. This will automatically transfer all of your iCloud Keychain passwords for you. But if you don’t use the assistant and want to copy over your passwords, here’s how to export your iCloud Keychain passwords on Mac.
Export iCloud Keychain passwords
Keep in mind that not all passwords will be available for export. So as you go through this process, if the Export feature is grayed out, then one or more of your selected items cannot be exported.
1) Open Keychain Access on your Mac. You can launch the tool from your Applications > Utilities folder or by popping “Keychain Access” into Spotlight.
2) Select the items on the left that you want to export by choosing one of the Keychains at the top and a Category at the bottom. For example, you can pick iCloud at the top and Passwords at the bottom.
3) Click File > Export Items from the menu bar.
4) Select a location for the export, give it a name, and click Save.
5) If prompted, enter a password. This is the password you’ll use when importing the items on your other computer.
Import iCloud Keychain passwords
Importing the iCloud Keychain passwords that you exported is easy.
1) Open Keychain Access as described above.
2) Click File > Import Items from the menu bar.
3) Locate the file containing the passwords.
4) Select the Keychain you want to import to and click Open.
5) If prompted, enter the password you set during the export.
Related tutorials
For additional how-tos on iCloud Keychain and passwords, take a look at our related tutorials.
- How to view iCloud Keychain passwords on iPhone, iPad and Mac
- How to fix iCloud Keychain problems in Safari on iOS and Mac
- How to use AutoFill Passwords with third-party password managers
- How to see Wi-Fi network passwords you have connected to on iPhone and iPad
Wrapping it up
While the export feature in the Keychain Access tool is handy, you may find that a lot of your passwords cannot be exported, which is unfortunate. So do your best to use the Setup Assistant if you just bought a new Mac because it will save you some time.
Do you use iCloud Keychain for your passwords or do you prefer a third-party app instead? Let us know below or ping us on Twitter!
