Viewing and Editing Credentials in Mac OS 9 Keychain

In Mac OS 9, Keychain Access served as the centralized utility for managing network, website, and application passwords. Users viewed and modified their stored credentials through a distinct set of classic Platinum-themed interface elements, centered around the primary Keychain window, a dedicated "Get Info" inspector, password reveal checkboxes, and access control management tabs.

The Primary Keychain List Window

The main Keychain Access window presented a clean, sortable columnar list displaying all stored credentials associated with the unlocked keychain.

  • The Item List: Displayed credentials by "Name", "Kind" (such as AppleShare password, Internet password, or application password), and "Date". Clicking any column header sorted the entries accordingly.
  • The Lock/Unlock Toggle: A lock icon located in the upper-left corner of the window indicated whether the keychain was active. Clicking it allowed users to manually lock or unlock the database using their master passphrase.
  • Toolbar Buttons: Dedicated push buttons along the window, such as "Add" and "Get Info," allowed users to manage entries directly from the list view.

The "Get Info" Inspector Window

Selecting a credential and clicking the Get Info button (or pressing Command-I, or double-clicking the entry) opened the properties dialog where viewing and editing took place. This window was divided into two primary tabs:

1. General Information Tab

This tab contained the core credential data and editing controls:

  • Text Fields: Provided editable fields for "Name" (the label for the item), "Where" (the server address, domain, or protocol), and "Account" (the username). Users could click directly into these fields to edit the metadata.
  • The "View Password" Checkbox: By default, stored passwords were hidden. Clicking the "View Password" checkbox triggered a security prompt requiring the user to authenticate or confirm access. Once approved, the masked asterisks were replaced with plain text, allowing the user to view or highlight and retype the password directly in the field.
  • Save / Revert Buttons: Standard Mac OS push buttons at the bottom of the window committed any changes made to the text fields or reverted them back to their prior state.

2. Access Control Tab

This interface allowed users to control how individual applications interacted with the stored credential without revealing the password itself:

  • Radio Buttons: Users selected between options such as "Always allow access" (letting trusted applications retrieve the password silently) or "Confirm each time" (requiring user intervention before providing the credential).
  • Application List Box: A sub-window displayed the third-party and system applications (such as Netscape, Internet Explorer, or Network Browser) currently authorized to use the credential.
  • "Add..." and "Remove" Buttons: Standard push buttons beneath the list allowed users to browse their hard drive via an open file dialog to explicitly grant or revoke an application's permission to use the saved password.