Apple’s macOS operating system is secure. Your password is essential for logging in to your Mac.
What do you do if the password isn’t working? Perhaps you got the Mac secondhand or inherited it. Don’t panic. We’ll show you how to recover your Mac password.
As a side note, if your Mac asks you for your iCloud login or Apple ID, you can read this article about what to do if your Apple ID password is forgotten. You may also find this article useful if your password to your admin account has been forgotten: How to change admin password on Mac. You can also find How to find a Mac password.
1. Check out the password hint
If your Mac has a hint, you will be able to view it on the log-in screen.
To access this option, you must be in the log-in screen. Simply waking up your Mac from sleep won’t display it. To access this option, click the log in screen icon. You will need to restart your Mac.
Restart your Mac.
You can select the user that you want to log in when you reach the log in screen.
A? should be placed beside the Enter Password field. You should see a? neben der Enter Password field.
Click on the? Click on the? to see a hint about your password.
This will help you solve the problem. We have other ideas below if this doesn’t help.
2. Change your password to another account
Is it possible to share your Mac with someone else – this is common in these days of remote work and hot-desking. Do they have their own account? Are you able to log on with an administrator? A computer technician or girl might be able log in. Do you know the password for a different account on your Mac? This is because the password cannot be changed if another user does not have Admin rights.
This account can be used to reset your password if you have the password to another Mac account. These steps will allow you to reset your Mac password using another account. The process will vary depending on the macOS version you’re using.
Ventura
You can either restart your Mac or log out if you are logged in.
Choose the account to which you know the password.
Enter your password to create the account.
In Ventura open System Settings > Users & Groups.
Click the i next to the account for which you have forgotten your password.
Click Reset Password.
Enter your password to log in.
Verify your password by adding a new one.
You can add a Password hint to make sure it isn’t forgotten.
Click on Change Password.
Monterey, or an older version
You can either restart your Mac or log out if you are logged in.
Choose the account to which you know the password.
Enter your password to create the account.
Monterey, or an older open system preference > Users & groups.
If you are in Monterey, or an older version of Monterey, click the lock icon at the bottom left of your window to enter your password again.
In the sidebar, select the account for which you have forgotten your password.
Click Reset Password.
Complete the fields for Verify, New password and Password hint.
Click on Change Password.
Now, you have changed your password and can log in to that account with the new password.
This does not change the password for your Keychain. You will be asked to update the keychain password when you log in. You will need your old password, which you may have forgotten. To create a new keychain, you’ll be asked for the password.
3. Use the Recovery Assistant to reset your password and access your Apple ID
Start up your Mac, and choose the user that you want to log in. Click on the? neben der Enter Password field. Click on the? Click on the???? to see a hint for your password (as we described above).
You will see the option “Restart and Show Password Reset Options” below the password hint. Click on this to open Recovery Assistant. To reset your password, follow the steps below.
Once you have logged in, click the? Click on the? neben der Enter Password Box.
Click on Restart to show all password reset options.
The Recovery assistant will allow your Mac to restart.
Enter your Apple ID email address.
Click on Next.
Enter your Apple ID password.
Now you will receive an alert about another Apple product that has been signed into your Apple ID. Accept the fact that a login attempt was made (even though it is in a different area of the country).
Now you will see a six-digit code on your device. You should enter it on the Mac where you want to log in.
Choose the user for which you wish to reset your password.
Click on Next.
Create a new password, then verify it.
You can add a password hint to make it easier to remember (but ensure that no one else could guess it!
If you don’t see “? This could mean that your Mac has not been turned on from the off position.
You can still see the “Recovery Assistant” option at start up. If you don’t see the?Recovery Assistant option, move on to the next step.
4. To reset your password, use Recovery mode, Terminal or your Apple ID
If you don’t see the option “restart and display password reset options”, you can still use the Recovery mode to change your password.
This will depend on whether your Mac is powered by an Intel processor, or one that uses one Apple’s M series chips (e.g. the M1 and M2).
If you have a M1 Mac or M2 Mac, restart the Mac and hold down the power button to open the startup options. Click on Options > Proceed.
For an Intel Mac, restart the Mac by pressing and holding Command and R until you see the Apple logo. Learn how to use Recovery mode on a Mac.
You can reset the password for your Mac by going to Recovery. All you need is your Apple ID password.
You can choose to use macOS Recovery for a user that you are familiar with or click on Forgot all Passwords.
Enter your Apple ID email address and click Next.
Click Next to enter your Apple ID password.
If everything is in order, authentication will be successful. Now click on Exit to Recovery.
You don’t need any of the options on the Recovery screen, such as Restore From Time Machine or Reinstall macOS. Instead, click on Utilities at the top of your screen.
Click on Terminal.
Type resetpassword in Terminal
Click on Return. The Reset Password options will now open on your screen.
Choose I forgot my password.
Click on Next.
Sign in now with your Apple ID email address and password.
A warning will appear on your Apple ID that someone is using it. You can then approve the alert and you will receive a six-digit code.
The six-digit code must be entered on the Mac.
Select the user for which you want to reset your password.
Once you have created a new password and added a hint, you can reboot your Mac.
5. To reset your password, use your recovery key
FileVault will allow you to reset your password if your drive has been encrypted by either you or your employer. This recovery key is a string consisting of numbers and letters.
When you restart your Mac, FileVault will prompt you to enter your FileVault recovery code.
To reset your login password, click “Reset it with your recovery key”.
This guide will help you locate your FileVault Recovery Key in macOS if you are having trouble finding it.
How to make a Mac password hint
You now know your password, but you may want to ensure that a password hint is available in case you forget it. These steps will help you set up a hint.
Ventura:
Go to System Settings.
Scroll down to Users & Groups.
Click the i next to the user’s username.
Click on Change Password.
Verify that you have entered the correct password.
You can add a hint to your password that is both clear and not easily guessable by others.
Monterey, or an older version:
Open System Preferences.
Click on Users and Groups.
Enter your password by clicking on the lock.
Click on Login Options.
Check the box that asks for password hints.
If you do not have a tip, click on the user.
Click on Change Password.
Verify that you have entered the correct password.
You can add a hint to your password that is both clear and not easily guessable by others.
How to keep your passwords safe so you don’t forget
One option is to create passwords that are secure and then save them using a Password Manager like LastPass or 1Password. These password managers are listed in our review of the Best Password Managers For Mac. Your master password will be required to keep the password manager secure. However, you can search for any password you have and store your Mac password in this manner. Apple offers its own iCloud Keychain which stores your passwords, but it will not store your Mac password.
If you forget your Apple ID, the iCloud Keychain may be helpful. Open Settings > Passwords on an iPhone and use Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode to unlock it. You should find one or more Apple ID usernames when you search for Apple. These usernames can be tapped to locate one with a current date.
How to stop someone from resetting your Mac password
You now know how to reset your password. However, it is possible that someone could use Recovery Mode to reset your password. Once someone has access to your Mac’s file system, you will usually lose control of it. However, there are steps you can take in order to protect your data.
FileVault encryption is the best way to secure your data. This encrypts your Mac’s contents and will prevent the Password Reset utility from showing until Disk Utility unlocks it. You have two options when you create FileVault. Either you can print out a Recovery Key or tie it to your Apple ID. These keys can be forgotten or lost and your data could be permanently lost.
These steps will turn FileVault off (some may differ depending on your macOS version).
Ventura:
Go to System Settings.
Click Privacy & Security.
Scroll down to FileVault.
Click on Turn On…
Select Allow my iCloud to unlock my disk or Create a key and not use my iCloud. Due to the possibility of losing your recovery key, we recommend using iCloud.
Click on Continue
Monterey, or an older version:
Open System Preferences.
Security & Privacy.
Click on FileVault.
Enter your password by clicking the lock.
Select Allow my iCloud to unlock my disk or Create a key and not use my iCloud. Due to the possibility of losing your recovery key, we recommend using iCloud.
Click on Continue
