Why sign in to the Community?

  • Submit a question
  • Check your notifications
Sign in to the Community or Sign in to TurboTax and start working on your taxes
New Member
posted Feb 21, 2023 3:25:23 PM

I want to save file on my personal desktop, WITHOUT a password. Turbotax won't let. It wants a keychain password and I don't have one.

0 21 2416
21 Replies
Intuit Alumni
Feb 22, 2023 9:03:14 AM

@carlmax46 

 

Password protection of TurboTax CD/Download files is set by the user, so we can't assist in unlocking the file or removing the encryption. Please see the FAQ link provided below for further assistance or you can start over in a new file:

 

How do I access my password-protected TurboTax Desktop file if I forgot the password

New Member
Feb 23, 2023 7:38:54 PM

your answer did not solve the problem.  Turbotax keeps asking for keychain password and I don't have one.  I did not download the file.  I was creating it from last years transfer.  Now it won't save.

Intuit Alumni
Feb 24, 2023 9:42:06 AM

Please try the following steps:

 

  1. Launch the TurboTax software and open the return
  2. With your return open, click in the top left corner on the File menu
  3. In the dropdown menu choose Password
  4. In the popup, click Remove Password

If you need additional assistance, please reach out via phone.  To speak with a TurboTax Expert, refer to the instructions in the following Help Article:  How do I contact TurboTax?

Level 1
Mar 2, 2023 7:01:20 AM

On my Mac TurboTax desktop, the File menu did not have a Password choice. I checked Preferences and all (I think) menu options and could not find a Password choice. Please explain where to find how to change or remove the file password.

Level 1
Mar 2, 2023 7:15:22 AM

I tried Encrypt choice and it is what was Password. It worked for me.

Intuit Alumni
Mar 2, 2023 12:47:13 PM

Thank you for letting us know how it worked for you, this will be a help to the others in the community. @PHM01 

New Member
Mar 2, 2023 7:59:18 PM

TurboTax advice did not work.  As soon as I try to save a new file it asks for keychain password.  I don’t have a keychain password.  Tried starting a new file,  but never got the choice to use or not use a password; it goes right to wanting keychain password.  Ending up uninstalling TurboTax then re-installing.  Then it allowed me to save without password .  TurboTax advice never worked.  

Intuit Alumni
Mar 3, 2023 10:02:33 AM

Thank you for updating us on what worked for you.  I will pass this feedback along.  @carlmax46 

Level 2
Apr 1, 2023 2:52:32 PM

I have the same problem on my Mac.  The uninstall / reinstall trick does not work for me.  I am at a loss on how to work around this issue. Without the ability to access the File tab, I cannot start a second return, nor save anything.

Level 2
Apr 1, 2023 2:54:22 PM

I do not understand your solution.  I am on a Mac, and I am not offered the Encrypt option when I go to save a file.  I cannot save anything.

New Member
Apr 1, 2023 2:58:26 PM

turbo tax answer did NOT help.  File was on my personal desktop and saved WITHOUT password.  However when I later tried to access it wanted a security chain.

New Member
Apr 1, 2023 3:01:47 PM

I had uninstall/reinstall turbotax.  Then start with a new file on my desktop and set preferences to no password.   I had never encrypted the original file.

Level 2
Apr 2, 2023 12:57:01 PM

I think I found the solution.  I am using Turbo Tax 2022 on a Mac laptop running Ventura 13.3 but suspect this solution will work on others.  As you know, when you go to save a tax return, the system asks for a keychain password.  It describes it as a long name pdrxxx or something similar.  Find on your computer the Keychain Access app.  Open it up, and there will be a schedule entitled MetadataKeychain.  Under the column "Name" search down to the line that describes that pdrxx entry.  Delete it.  You should be fine now to save your TurboTax 2022 returns.  Based upon this experience, I am not saving tax returns with a password or encryption.  Gary Wyn

Level 2
Apr 2, 2023 12:58:04 PM

I think I found the solution.  I am using Turbo Tax 2022 on a Mac laptop running Ventura 13.3 but suspect this solution will work on others.  As you know, when you go to save a tax return, the system asks for a keychain password.  It describes it as a long name pdrxxx or something similar.  Find on your computer the Keychain Access app.  Open it up, and there will be a schedule entitled MetadataKeychain.  Under the column "Name" search down to the line that describes that pdrxx entry.  Delete it.  You should be fine now to save your TurboTax 2022 returns.  Based upon this experience, I am not saving tax returns with a password or encryption.  Gary Wyn

Level 1
Apr 7, 2023 7:13:14 PM

I, too, have found what appears to be a solution. I am using TurboTax 2022 on a Mac laptop running Ventura 13.2.1.  I used a variation on Gray Wyn's suggestion.  First, I found the Keychain entry for the Intuit ID with the Password matching the requested "pdrxxx..." on the Keychain Access app.  I found two (2) Intuit IDs, only one (1) correctly matched the requested Keychain Password entry.  Each Keychain ID entry was for a different Application, version year, of TurboTax.  Right-click the matching Password to view the GET INFO screen.  

I found that the requested Keychain Password allowed access for the previous version of TurboTax, 2021.  Rather than DELETE the Keychain Password entry and possibly create a problem for accessing the TT2021 Application and data, since I created the 2022 file from 2021 data file, I added the Turbotax 2022 application to the Access Control list of allowable applications for the 2021 Keychain Password.  I opened TT2022 and was able to open the FILE menu and save the file.  I verified the save by checking the GET INFO screen for that file.  I then closed the file and application, reopened, saved, and rechecked the Get Info screen.  The screen reflected a new Modified date and time.  I did a final check by accessing my Tax 2021 application and files.  The TT2021 app suggested an update.  I ran the update, access the file, and ran a Final Review of the 2021 Return.  It appears that the issue has been solved, however, I have not done a RESTART of my computer.  I will do so after I run a backup.  If any issues are found I will provide a follow-up to this post.  Please, let me know if this helps.

Intuit Alumni
Apr 8, 2023 10:44:02 AM

Please see the below TurboTax FAQ, which includes instructions on how to remove the password:

How do I access my password protected TurboTax Desktop file if I forgot the password?

New Member
Jan 31, 2025 11:49:56 AM

Trying to install Turbo premier. Turbo wants my "keychain password". I don't know what this is.

New Member
Jan 31, 2025 12:00:03 PM

Tiffany, I can't complete install. Can't get past this keychain issue because I don't know what a keychain is.

Expert Alumni
Feb 8, 2025 6:51:16 AM

Take a look at the following TurboTax help article to see if it will help:

 

How do I access my password-protected TurboTax Desktop file if I forget the password?
 

@challatur19 

New Member
Feb 13, 2025 8:19:38 AM

Can confirm that it worked for me, too.

Level 2
Mar 26, 2025 7:50:52 AM

This worked for me and I was then able to download the 2024 Tax software on my Mac- previously I kept getting prompted for the  keychain password.