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Why can’t I login to the Mac app?

Last updated on 31 Aug 2022
2 min read

There are some common areas to check if you are experiencing trouble logging into the Mac app. This article could help

Do you have an active subscription account?

With an active subscription account, you can log into the Mac app with your email and password if you are an Editor in a Workspace.

However, if you use Sketch with a Mac-only license you need to enter your license key number to complete the registration. A license key begins with SK3 to use the Mac app and can be inserted within the login window when choosing Have a license?. Information on how to locate your license key can be found here.

If you are unsure which type of account you have, check with your System Administrator if you have a Mac-only license or a subscription.

Check your email and password

Ensure that you’re entering your email and password correctly. When either of these are entered incorrectly you’ll see the following message:

Login error message in the Sketch Mac app

Check if your subscription account is active with SSO

Our Business Plan subscriptions use Single Sign-On (SSO) to access all the internal systems and applications, but sometimes Sketch is not tied to that SSO login. You may have different credentials to access Sketch. Reach out to your System Administrator to check if this is the case.

Is your VPN connection causing the trouble?

If you have a subscription account, your access is validated over an internet connection when you log in. It is possible that a VPN or corporate network is blocking the communication and you may have trouble signing in. To know more about how to troubleshoot VPN connections, please read this article.

Delete the saved password in the Keychain Access app on your device

If the above solutions have not worked or do not apply, the problem may be related to an Apple Keychain issue. Native Mac apps use Apple’s Keychain to encrypt and safely store passwords, so you don’t have to keep typing them each time you launch an app. Sometimes deleting these passwords can help solve login issues.

Follow these steps to delete your saved Sketch password on your Keychain:

  • Quit the Mac app
  • Open a new Finder window and select Applications > Utilities > Keychain Access
  • Once Keychain Access has launched, type Sketch in the Search bar on the top right side
  • Keychain will display the stored items that matched your search, select the result, then right-click it and choose Delete
  • If you have used a beta version of the Mac app you’ll see a saved password for the beta version. This is an independent login, no need to delete this one too
  • Once you have deleted the item, relaunch Sketch, and try signing in again

If the problem persists or your problem is not addressed in this article, please contact us for further assistance. If possible share screenshots of the error you are seeing when entering your credentials.