Can't delete keychain items with UI, but command line works fine

Question

When using the Keychain Access app, I am often unable to delete an Web form password item. I have tried hitting the delete key and going to Edit > Delete. In both cases, nothing happens, there is no error message.

I can delete the item if I use the command line version of the tool:

$ security find-internet-password -a "foo@example.com"
keychain: "/Users/simon/Library/Keychains/woodside-mbp.keychain"
version: 256
class: "inet"
attributes:
    0x00000007 <blob>="daw.apple.com (foo@example.com)"
    0x00000008 <blob>=<NULL>
    "acct"<blob>="foo@example.com"
    "atyp"<blob>="form"
    ...
$ security delete-internet-password -a "foo@example.com"
keychain: "/Users/simon/Library/Keychains/woodside-mbp.keychain"
version: 256
class: "inet"
attributes:
    0x00000007 <blob>="daw.apple.com (foo@example.com)"
    0x00000008 <blob>=<NULL>
    "acct"<blob>="foo@example.com"
    "atyp"<blob>="form"
    ...
password has been deleted.

If I now redo the search in Keychain Access, the item is gone.

I am running El Capitan 10.11.4 (15E65), Keychain Access Version 9.0 (55171.20.2), and

In the Keychain Access application, does the keychain you are trying to delete from (e.g., login, Local Items, or System) show a locked padlock icon next to it? If so, try clicking the padlock icon in the upper-left corner, entering your password, then trying to delete it again. — PseudoSu, May 26 '16 at 20:45

score 137 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 30 '18 at 20:54

137

I notice you say, "If I now redo the search in Keychain Access…" implying that you began by searching when you weren't able to delete the item. Find it in the list without searching and then delete. It's just a dumb bug. I have found I sometimes can delete a single item after searching, but not multiple, and sometimes there's no problem at all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

answered Nov 30 '18 at 20:54

Greg Perham

1,495

31

I cannot believe this crap. Unbelievable. It just works, they say. THANKS! – Duck Jan 08 '20 at 17:22
This should be the accepted answer. – Olivier Payen May 09 '21 at 19:53
oh my god, i was getting ready to call IT helpdesk – ksav Jun 22 '21 at 00:50
3

This answer still holds true on Big Sur 11.4! – Jason Oct 08 '21 at 17:11
2

Once I delete an item using this method (selecting without a search), it seems like I can afterwards delete while searching. – Simon Woodside Nov 15 '21 at 04:25
7

the dumbest bug indeed. come on it's 2021! – Laser Hawk Nov 16 '21 at 01:55
5

I've found that @karmstr7 is right in a different answer: You can delete an item in the search results, but only if you have the correct keychain selected in the left sidebar (the keychain the item actually is stored it, which is listed in a column in the search results). – Tom Loredo Mar 04 '22 at 22:23
Also still true in Monterey 12.5 – Carmageddon Aug 25 '22 at 18:38
1

One of the richest tech companies in the world should not have a bug persist for years that I would not have as a newbie messing around with Windows programming and Borland C++ builder in 2002. – Andrei Taranchenko Oct 27 '22 at 19:44
This bug is still in macOS 13.0.1. – Ortomala Lokni Dec 14 '22 at 13:54
@Apple MacOS please fix this. Still valid as of today – George Pligoropoulos Jan 18 '23 at 12:08
3

Ventura 13.3 still exhibits this issue – DPeden Apr 06 '23 at 21:39
Venture 13.4 is still rocking this bug. Deletion of multiple search results across multiple keychains is particularly tedious; the workaround is to delete per-keychain, with the keychain selected in the left hand pane. – Carlos P Aug 21 '23 at 13:59
Have reported the bug to Apple via Feedback Assistant. – Carlos P Aug 21 '23 at 14:08

score 45 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 13 '21 at 21:07

45

Had the same problem, found that I was able to delete keys once I switched from iCloud to login in the Default Keychains section.

answered Aug 13 '21 at 21:07

karmstr7

551

2

yeah, strange Mac UI! – Xin Meng Oct 21 '22 at 15:13
This works for me on Ventura 13.0 – Lacek Nov 23 '22 at 10:51
Thank you. This works for me on Monterey 12.6.2. – Andy Johnson Jan 03 '23 at 11:05

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 27 '17 at 18:52

1

If the password entry was created while using safari, you will need to delete it in the preferences of safari rather then through the keychain. The entry will be found under the password tab in preferences.

answered Nov 27 '17 at 18:52

bob

19

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Dec 31 '22 at 06:02

0

I was able to delete the key from the Keychain Access application from the Default Keychains > iCloud. The full action is:

Open the "Keychain Access" application
Click the iCloud entry in the left panel under Default Keychains
Search for your key through the search bar
Chose your item and right-click, then click the Delete option

edited Dec 31 '22 at 06:02

agarza

2,274

answered Dec 31 '22 at 04:07

xiaojueguan

101

Thank you. This works for me on Monterey 12.6.2. – Andy Johnson Jan 03 '23 at 11:05

Can't delete keychain items with UI, but command line works fine

4 Answers4