If you can’t reset your Mac login password

: June 7, 2024
: Apple

Table of Contents

If you can’t reset your Mac login password

If the standard steps to reset the password of your Mac user account don’t succeed, try these additional steps.

Before you begin

First try the standard steps to reset your Mac login password.

Start up from macOS Recovery

Determine whether you’re using a Mac with Apple silicon, then follow the appropriate steps to start up from macOS Recovery:

Apple silicon : Turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window. Select the gear icon labeled Options, then click Continue.
Intel processor : Turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold Command (⌘)-R until you see an Apple logo or other image.

If you’re asked to select an admin user

If you’re asked to select an admin user you know the password for, click “Forgot all passwords?” and proceed as described below.

If you’re asked for your Apple ID information

Enter your Apple ID information. You might also be asked to enter the verification code sent to your other devices.

If you see an Activation Lock window, click Exit to Recovery Utilities. Then continue as described in the next section, “Use the Reset Password assistant.”

If you’re asked to select a user that you want to reset the password for:

Select the user, then enter your new password information and click Next.
When authentication has succeeded, click Exit.
Choose Apple menu  > Restart. Password reset is now complete, so you don’t need to take additional steps.

If you’re asked for your recovery key

Enter your FileVault recovery key. You received it when you turned on FileVault and chose to create a recovery key instead of allowing your iCloud account (Apple ID) to unlock your disk.
When prompted to reset your password, click Reset Password.
Select a user to reset the password for.
After successfully authenticating, click Exit.
Choose Apple menu  > Restart. Password reset is now complete, so you don’t need to take additional steps.

Use the Reset Password assistant

You should now see the utilities window, which shows options such as restoring from Time Machine, reinstalling macOS, and using Disk Utility.

From the Utilities menu in the menu bar, choose Terminal.
In the Terminal window, type resetpassword, then press Return to open the Reset Password assistant.
If you’re asked to select an admin user you know the password for, click “Forgot all passwords?”.
At the Reset Password window, click Deactivate Mac, then click Deactivate to confirm.
If you see an Activation Lock window, enter your Apple ID email and password, then click Next.
At the Reset Password window, enter your new password information, then click Next.
If this window shows multiple user accounts, click the Set Password button next to each account name, then enter the new password information for each account.
When the password reset is completed, click Exit.
Choose Apple menu  > Restart, then log in with your new password.

If you still can’t reset your password, erase your Mac

If no other solution is successful, you have the option to reset your password by erasing your Mac.

Shut down your Mac, then start up from macOS recovery as described previously.
When you’re asked to select an admin user you know the password for, choose Erase Mac from the Recovery Assistant menu in the menu bar.
From the Erase Mac window, click Erase Mac, then click Erase Mac to confirm.
If your Mac restarts to a flashing question mark, press and hold the power button for a few seconds until your Mac turns off.
Start up from macOS Recovery again, then reinstall macOS. For details, see How to reinstall macOS.

If you can’t reinstall macOS because the installer doesn’t see a hard disk on which to install, you might need to change the format of the disk:

Press Command (⌘)-Q to quit the installer.
When you see the utilities window, select Disk Utility, then click Continue.
Select the first item listed in the sidebar of the Disk Utility window. This is your built-in hard disk.
Click the Erase button or tab on the right side of the window, then enter these details:
- Name: Macintosh HD
- Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
- Scheme (if shown): GUID Partition Map
Click Erase, then click Erase to confirm.
When the erase is complete, press Command-Q to quit Disk Utility and return to the utilities window. You should now be able to reinstall macOS successfully.