Fatal: password authentication failed for user "postgres" macos

Question

I'm using PostgreSQL for the first time and I am not familiar with it. When I start pgadmin and enter master password and when I want to connect to postresql and again enter same password following error pops up:

could not connect to server: could not initiate GSSAPI security context: The operation or option is not available could not initiate GSSAPI security context: Credential for asked mech-type mech not found in the credential handle FATAL: password authentication failed for user "postgres"

Whats the problem here?

Answer 1

I just had the same issue and below is how I solved it. Because you don't have a default password for the user 'postgres', you will need to set one first, like this :

1. Connect to the terminal as the user 'postgres' with the current admin credential (thanks sudo)

   sudo -u postgres -i
   

2. Connect to the database 'postgres'

   psql postgres
   

3. (optional) If the psql command is not found, you can the PostgreSQL bin path to your $PATH like this :

   export PATH=$PATH:THE_PATH_TO_POSTGRESQL_BIN_FOLDER
   # Example : export PATH=$PATH:/Library/PostgreSQL/12/bin
   

4. Change the password of the user 'postgres'

   --- Do not forget to my_password with the desired password
   ALTER USER postgres PASSWORD 'my_password';
   

In the pgAdmin windows, try to connect with this new password, it should work.