Forgot your MacBook password? You are not the only one: it often happens after a holiday, or with a Mac that has been in a cupboard for a while. Fortunately in most cases you can set a new password yourself without losing your files. This article lists the ways to do it, in the order you had best try them. It works the same on an iMac and other Macs.
Blue Apple repairs Macs in Amsterdam. We are happy to help you on your way, but only with your own Mac: a Mac locked with someone else's Apple Account is not something we unlock.
First: calmly check a few things
- Caps Lock. Is the light on the Caps Lock key on? Then you are typing capitals.
- Keyboard layout. Top right on the login screen you sometimes see a flag or abbreviation. If a different layout is shown, you type different characters.
- The password hint. After a few wrong attempts the Mac shows your hint, if you ever set one.
Method 1: reset with your Apple Account
If you ever linked your Mac to your Apple Account and turned that option on, the Mac offers after a few failed attempts to reset the password with your Apple Account. Follow the steps on screen. After the reset the Mac sometimes creates a new keychain; old passwords saved in the keychain can then no longer be filled in automatically.
Method 2: with the FileVault recovery key
If FileVault (disk encryption) is on, you got a recovery key when setting it up: a long code of letters and numbers. You can use it on the login screen to set a new password. So always keep that key somewhere safe, outside the Mac.
Method 3: via Recovery mode
- Start the Mac in Recovery mode. On a Mac with an Apple chip: hold the power button until you see Loading startup options and choose Options. On an Intel Mac: hold Command + R during startup.
- In the menu bar choose Utilities and then Terminal.
- Type resetpassword and press Return. A window opens to reset the password.
- Follow the steps. The Mac may ask for your Apple Account or your recovery key.
Method 4: another administrator
If the Mac has a second user with administrator rights, log in with that account. In System Settings, Users & Groups that administrator can reset the password of your account.
Nothing works: erase the Mac
If none of these methods works, the only option left is to erase the Mac and reinstall. Then you lose the files on the Mac, unless you have a backup (for example with Time Machine or in iCloud). If Find My Mac was turned on, you still need the Apple Account after erasing to activate the Mac. That is Activation Lock, and it exists precisely to discourage theft.
A second-hand Mac with an unknown account
If you bought a used Mac and it asks for the previous owner's password or Apple Account, contact the seller. They can remove the Mac from their account remotely. Without them it cannot be done, not by a repairer either.
What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam
If these steps do not get you in, we go through them with you on your own Mac. If the Mac no longer starts, or there are files you absolutely want back, we look at what is possible. More about MacBook data recovery and our page about MacBook repair in Amsterdam. Also read preparing your MacBook for a repair.
Frequently asked questions
Do I lose my files if I reset my password?
No, if you do it via your Apple Account, the recovery key or resetpassword. Only erasing the Mac loses your files.
Is my Mac password the same as my Apple Account password?
Not always. They are two different passwords, unless you made them the same yourself.
Can a repairer remove Activation Lock?
No. Only the owner of the Apple Account can remove the Mac from Find My.
