Locked out of your Mac? Don’t worry, there are several easy methods to reset your password and regain access. Whether you’ve linked your Apple ID or have access to another administrator account, one of these options should help you get back up and running quickly.
Reset Using Your Apple ID
This is the quickest method, but only works if your Apple ID is linked to your Mac user account.
- At the login screen, enter the wrong password three times.
- When prompted, click the arrow next to “If you forgot your password, you can reset it using your Apple ID.”
- Enter your Apple ID and password.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to create a new password.
Reset Using macOS Recovery Mode
If Apple ID reset isn’t available, you can reset the password using Recovery Mode. Steps differ slightly depending on your Mac’s chip type.
For Apple Silicon Macs
- Shut down your Mac completely.
- Press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appears.
- Click Options > Continue.
- In the menu bar, go to Utilities > Terminal.
- Type resetpassword and press Return.
- Use the Reset Password tool to select your user account and create a new password.
💡Tip: Always make sure you've written resetpassword correctly in terminal, if you've spelt it incorrectly or added spaces, then this will prevent the command from working.
For Intel-based Macs
- Restart your Mac and immediately press and hold Command (⌘) + R.
- When the Apple logo or spinning globe appears, release the keys.
- Follow steps 4–6 from the Apple Silicon instructions above.
Reset Using Another Admin Account
Use this method only if there is another administrator account already set up on the Mac.
- Log into the other admin account.
- Go to System Settings then select Users & Groups.
- Select the locked account and click on Reset Password.
- Create a new password and log in as usual.
