iCloud Keychain

Securely stores and syncs passwords. In MDM, this can be restricted to prevent password sync between personal and corporate devices.

What to Know

iCloud Keychain creates security and compliance risks on corporate devices by syncing passwords, credit cards, and authentication tokens to personal iCloud accounts outside organizational control. Corporate VPN credentials, internal system passwords, or multi-factor authentication tokens synced to personal iCloud Keychain remain accessible to employees after they leave the organization or switch to personal devices. This creates unauthorized access risks and complicates credential rotation during offboarding.

Organizations deploying enterprise password managers like 1Password, LastPass, or Bitwarden typically disable iCloud Keychain to enforce use of auditable, centrally-managed password solutions that integrate with corporate identity systems and support policy-based password complexity requirements.

Common Scenarios

Enterprise IT: Corporate IT disables iCloud Keychain on company-owned devices to prevent corporate passwords from syncing to personal iCloud accounts. Employees receive enterprise password managers that provide centralized credential management, audit trails, and integration with SSO systems. Some organizations allow iCloud Keychain for personal passwords (banking, social media) while using containerized work apps that store credentials in enterprise password managers.

MSP: MSPs configure iCloud Keychain restrictions based on client security maturity and password management infrastructure. Clients with enterprise password managers typically disable iCloud Keychain entirely, while smaller clients without dedicated password solutions may allow it for user convenience. MSPs should ensure iCloud Keychain restrictions are deployed before users save corporate passwords to avoid leaving credentials in personal accounts after restrictions are applied.

Education: Schools disable iCloud Keychain on student devices to prevent students from syncing school passwords to personal or parent Apple IDs. Students use Managed Apple IDs which support iCloud Keychain under school control. Teacher devices may allow personal iCloud Keychain if the school permits personal use, though many schools disable it to maintain clear security boundaries between personal and school credentials.

In Addigy

Addigy’s Restrictions payload includes an “Allow iCloud Keychain” toggle that prevents devices from using iCloud Keychain when disabled. This restriction requires a supervised device and applies immediately upon profile deployment. Disabling iCloud Keychain does not delete passwords already synced to personal iCloud Keychain—users must manually delete keychain items if the organization wants to remove previously synced credentials. Addigy supports deploying Managed Apple ID configurations that enable controlled Keychain access under organizational ownership.