"Your saved keys couldn't be unlocked on this machine": fixing keys after a computer change

Created by Ziv Raviv, Modified on Sat, 11 Jul at 6:53 PM by Ziv Raviv

If you moved to a new computer, reinstalled your operating system, or reset your keychain, Booked Solid OS may tell you it could not unlock your saved API keys. This article explains why that happens and how to get every connection working again in a few minutes.

Why your keys stopped working

Your API keys are stored in an encrypted vault, and that vault is locked with this computer's own operating system keychain. That is a security feature: even if someone copied the vault file to another machine, they could not read your keys.

The flip side is that anything that changes the keychain also makes the vault unreadable. Common causes:

Moving to a new computer (including a migration tool that copied your files over)
Reinstalling the operating system
Setting up a new user profile on the same computer
A keychain reset

When this happens, the app does not pretend the keys still work. Each affected key is dropped honestly, and the Connectors tab shows those connections as needing reconnect, with the message: Your saved keys couldn't be unlocked on this machine; re-add them.

How to fix it

The Connectors tab where keys are re-added

Open the Connectors tab.
Find each connection marked as needing reconnect.
Use Paste key on that card and paste the key in again, the same way you did the first time.

That is the whole fix. Nothing else is affected: your Booking HQ folder, leads, drafts, and settings are all intact.

Restoring a backup? Same story

Backups deliberately never include your API keys. A backup archive often lands in a synced cloud folder, and keys must never travel that way. So if you restored a backup on a new machine, re-adding your keys on the Connectors tab is a normal, expected step - not a sign the backup was incomplete.

Good to know

Your sign-in has the same protection. If the stored sign-in token cannot be unlocked after a computer change, the app simply shows you as signed out. Sign in again with your username and password - nothing is lost.
If every connection disappeared at once with no reconnect prompt, the vault file itself may have been corrupted. The app treats it as empty and records it in the log. Re-add your keys the same way.

Prefer a fully managed experience? Booked Solid OS runs on your computer and you stay hands-on. If you would rather have this handled for you on a hosted platform (lead finding, follow-ups, email sending, invoicing, all managed in one place), take a look at KM Hub from the same team.

Still stuck? Email bookedsolid@kivimedia.freshdesk.com and a person will help.