Fix OneNote on Mac Repeatedly Asking for Keychain Access
Question details
The user needs to stop OneNote for Mac from continuously prompting for a keychain sign-in password even after selecting the 'Always Allow' option.
- Product
- Microsoft OneNote for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to use, open, or sync notebooks in OneNote on a Mac device while logged into a Microsoft account.
- Observed behavior
- OneNote repeatedly requests sign-in or keychain access because macOS cannot correctly read or verify the stored Microsoft Office credentials.
Ensure you know your Microsoft account email and password, as you will need to sign back into OneNote after clearing your stored keychain credentials.
Remove Stored Microsoft Office Credentials in Keychain Access
Deleting corrupted or outdated keychain entries forces macOS to generate fresh, working credentials for OneNote.
Often, the keychain permissions for Microsoft Office become damaged. Manually removing these saved passwords allows OneNote to request new, uncorrupted permissions upon your next login.
Close OneNote and completely exit any other open Microsoft Office applications (such as Word or Excel) on your Mac.
Open 'Finder', navigate to 'Applications', open the 'Utilities' folder, and double-click 'Keychain Access' to launch the application.
In the search bar at the top right of the Keychain Access window, type 'Microsoft Office' to filter your saved login items.
Select all the search results related to Microsoft Office, right-click (or Control-click) on them, and choose 'Delete'. Confirm the deletion if prompted.
Restart your Mac, open OneNote, and sign in again with your Microsoft account to establish new keychain permissions.
Restore Default Office Keychain Permissions
If clearing the credentials does not work, locking and unlocking your login keychain can help reset macOS password prompts.
Switch to WPS Office for a Seamless Mac Experience
Tired of dealing with complex keychain access errors and recurring login loops? WPS Office is a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office. It offers a smooth, reliable experience on macOS without the hassle of persistent credential bugs.
- 1. Download for Mac: Visit the official WPS website and download the macOS installation package.
- 2. Install and Launch: Drag the WPS Office icon to your Applications folder, then launch the app.
- 3. Open Your Files: Instantly open, edit, and save any existing Microsoft Office documents with perfect formatting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does OneNote keep asking for my keychain password on Mac?
This typically occurs when macOS Keychain Access has damaged, corrupted, or outdated permissions for your Microsoft Office credentials, preventing OneNote from authenticating silently in the background.
What does 'Always Allow' do in the Mac keychain prompt?
Clicking 'Always Allow' is supposed to grant an application permanent permission to access that specific keychain item without asking again. However, if the stored password token is broken, the prompt will continue to appear because the app fails to read valid data.
Will deleting Microsoft Office from Keychain Access delete my notes?
No. Deleting keychain entries only removes your stored login credentials on that specific Mac. Your actual notes are safely stored in your Microsoft OneDrive account. You will just need to sign in again to access them.
How do I check my OneNote version on Mac?
Open the OneNote application, click on 'OneNote' in the top menu bar (next to the Apple logo), and select 'About OneNote'. A dialog box will display your current version number and license information.
