Assistantd Wants to Use the Login Keychain – Best Fixes

The mac keychain access makes it easy and seamless for users to use applications without signing in every time by providing the login information on their behalf. Now, we know what keychain is but how about assistantd?

When the dialog box ‘assistantd wants to use the login keychain’ pops up on one’s Mac, the first reaction would be confusion and then even more confusion because you don’t know what this assistantd is and why it wants to access your information.

We’ve got you covered if this is an issue you’re facing. This article explains what ‘assistantd wants to use the login keychain’ means and how to fix it. If you’ve ever been concerned about the safety of Apple’s keychain, there’s something in here for you too.

What Is Assistantd on Mac?

Assistantd on a MacBook is a background service associated with Siri. It is related to the dictation functionality that can be activated by tapping the ‘fn’ key twice. It converts users’ speech into text. You can use it with any text editor, so you won’t have to type.

This dictation feature uses contacts and other sensitive information to improve accuracy and user experience, so it needs authorization from the login keychain to access the information it needs.

Assistantd Wants to Use the Login Keychain – What It Means

The ‘assistantd wants to use the login keychain’ dialog box pops up when ‘assistantd’ cannot automatically access the information it needs to run. Therefore, it requires the keychain to authorize it. Assistantd is related to the Siri agent, and it uses contacts and other personal information to improve accuracy. So an app might need to use Siri or the dictation functionality on your Mac and therefore requires authorization to do so.

Assistantd would be unable to automatically access the keychain if there is a problem with the keychain or you have recently changed your login password without updating your keychain password. Note that your keychain password is your login password.

Assistantd Wants to Use the Login Keychain – Best Fixes

To fix the ‘assistantd wants to use the login keychain’ issue, you can try changing or updating your keychain password on your Mac. The keychain password is the same as your login password. If the password has been changed, you would need to update it. To do this:

1. On your Mac, go to Applications >> Utilities
2. Launch the Keychain Access app
3. Click on Edit >> Change password from keychain login
4. Type in your current password and then the new one and click OK
5. You can also make the keychain password the same as your login password

Fix 1: Repair the Keychain

If there is a keychain corruption, repairing the keychain access could solve the problem. To repair the keychain access:

1. On your Mac, go to Applications >> Utilities >> Keychain Access >> Keychain First Aid
2. Enter your username and password
3. Tap Repair and then Start to begin the repair

Fix 2: Check the Messages App

Since the ‘assistantd wants to use the login keychain’ issue comes from a part of your Mac’s Siri agent, it is worth trying the old ‘OFF and ON’ fix. You can disable the Siri agent on your Mac and enable it again. To do this:

1. Go to the Apple menu and tap Preferences >> Siri
2. Uncheck Enable Siri
3. Once disabled, close System Preferences, wait a few seconds and reopen it with step 1
4. Check Enable Siri to turn the app on again

Fix 3: Set A Time Limit

When your Mac has been inactive for a while, your keychain automatically locks. This could be the reason for the ‘assistantd wants to use the login keychain’ issue. To fix this, you can follow the steps below to set a period of inactivity that the keychain access has to wait for until it requests the password again.

1. On your Mac, go to Applications >> Utilities
2. Launch the Keychain Access app and select Login
3. Click on Edit >> Change Settings for keychain ‘ Login’
4. Click the Lock after checkbox
5. Enter any number of minutes to set the time limit
6. You can also click the Lock when sleeping checkbox to allow the keychain access request the password when the laptop sleeps
7. Tap Save to apply your changes

Fix 4: Reset the Keychain

If none of the fixes above work, the problem could be from the keychain itself. Resetting it would rename your current keychain (login keychain) and create a new keychain for you, fixing the issue. It is important to note that resetting the keychain would erase all saved passwords and login information, so it would be good to note them down before trying this fix. To reset:

1. On your Mac, go to Applications >> Utilities >> Keychain Access
2. Select Preferences from the menu and Reset My Default Keychain Button from the General tab
3. Enter your administrator’s password when prompted

If you could not note down your passwords and login information before resetting the keychain, you can try the steps below to copy information from the old keychain to the new one.

1. Go to your user folder >> Library >> Keychains
2. Find and double-click the ‘login_renamed_1.keychain‘ file
3. You will now see items from the file open in the keychain list
4. Select and copy items from this keychain and copy them into the new one

Can Apple Keychain Be Hacked?

Apple keychain cannot be hacked if the device is updated to the latest iOS. It can only be hacked when the device runs on outdated software, has unauthorized or malicious apps intentionally installed on it, or is jailbroken. It can also be hacked via phishing websites or when you use your iCloud on compromised computers or make your iCloud vulnerable by connecting to unencrypted public WiFi hotspots.

Malicious apps like ‘KeySteal’ could access your passwords and other sensitive information from your Mac’s keychain. However, this app cannot access your data until installed on your Mac.

You can enable 2FA on your Apple ID or manually lock your keychain to prevent getting hacked. This would stop apps from automatically accessing it, and you would need to manually unlock it whenever you want any app to access it. To lock your keychain:

1. Go to Applications >> Utilities >> Keychain Access
2. Tap Login in the top right corner of the following screen
3. Click Lock Keychain Login from the dropdown

Note that this step is only advised if you believe you are at risk of being hacked.

To check if 2FA is enabled on your Apple ID, go to Settings >>Your name >> Password & Security, then check Two-Factor Authentication. This would send a verification code to your trusted device every time you need to Login to your Apple ID.

Should You Use Apple Keychain?

Yes, you should use the Apple keychain on your Apple devices. It is expertly encrypted with end-to-end encryption and biometric authentication. It is one of the safest ways to protect and share your passwords across your Apple devices.

Your keychain can only be hacked if you somehow give out your password, install malicious apps on your Mac that can access it, or jailbreak your device. It can also be hacked via phishing websites or when you use your iCloud on compromised computers or make your iCloud vulnerable by connecting to unencrypted public WiFi hotspots.

Read also: Commcenter Wants to Use the Login Keychain – Best Fixes

Is Apple’s Password Keychain Safe?

Yes, Apple’s password keychain is safe. It is expertly encrypted with end-to-end encryption and biometric authentication. As a result, it is one of the safest ways to protect and share your passwords across your Apple devices.

Your keychain can only be hacked if you somehow give out your password, install malicious apps on your Mac that can access it, or jailbreak your device. It can also be hacked via phishing websites or when you use your iCloud on compromised computers or make your iCloud vulnerable by connecting to unencrypted public WiFi hotspots.

Conclusion

Instead of getting scared and confused after seeing the ‘assistantd wants to use the login keychain’ dialog box, you should read this article to understand its meaning, why it pops up, and how to fix it.

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