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Keychain Access Control Panel

Keychain Access is an application that enables the user to view and manage items in a keychain. Specifically, it allows the user to

  • create a default keychain
  • modify the preference file of the default keychain
  • unlock a keychain
  • view the items stored in a keychain
  • Figure 2-1 shows the dialog box that is displayed when the user first opens Keychain Access. The dialog box prompts the user to create a new keychain or unlock an existing one.

    Figure 2-1 Query User dialog box

    If the user selects the Create button, Keychain Access displays the Create Keychain dialog box shown in Figure 2-2 prompting them to create a keychain. If the user selects the Unlock Other button, Keychain Access prompts them to select the keychain that they wish to unlock. Figure 2-3 shows the dialog box that is displayed in this case.

    Figure 2-2 Create Keychain dialog box
    Figure 2-3 Keychain Navigation dialog box

    If a keychain already exists when the user first opens Keychain Access, the dialog box shown in Figure 2-4 is displayed. The Unlock Keychain dialog box prompts the user for their password.

    Figure 2-4 Unlock Keychain dialog box

    If the user previously marked the keychain as read-only in the Keychain Access application, the alert box shown in Figure 2-5 is displayed.

    Figure 2-5 Read-only Keychain alert box

    When the system or an application needs to access a password in the keychain, Keychain Access presents the Allow Access dialog box shown in Figure 2-6

    Figure 2-6 Allow Access dialog box

    If the user selects the Unlock button, Keychain Access displays the Allow Unrestricted Access dialog box shown in Figure 2-7. This dialog box prompts the user to indicate whether they wish to give an application unrestricted access to the contents of their keychain.

    Figure 2-7 Allow Unrestricted Access dialog box

    If the user selects the Allow button, the Turn Off Warnings alert box shown in Figure 2-8 is displayed. This alert box warns the user of the repercussions of allowing access to the keychain without warning.

    Figure 2-8 Turn Off Warnings alert box

    © 2000 Apple Computer, Inc. (Last Updated 20 July 2000)