Lost Password For Mac Os X
Due to the robust security within Apple’s new macOS operating system, there is a high emphasis on data protection. Whether you’re simply logging in, downloading new software, or trying to delete files or apps from the hard drive, you will always need to input your Mac password. Here are a few ways you can remember or reset it and get back to using your Mac.
How to avoid forgetting passwords?
Jun 17, 2010 If you have forgotten Mac OS X account password, then there is a tricky method which let you create a new administrator account on Mac OS X and through that admin account, you can reset password of the previous account. So, let’s see how to create an administrator account on Mac while you lost your Mac passwords. This guide was written using Mac OS X Snow Leopard and also testing on OS X. Apr 22, 2020 Using Recovery Mode 1. Reboot your computer. If you can't change your password using your Apple ID, you can use Recovery Mode to reset it. Continue holding the keys until you see the loading bar appear. This will boot your Mac into Recovery Mode. You'll see the Utilities menu in the bar at the. If all else fails, Target Disk Mode can help you recover whatever you can from the lost Mac. Using another Mac, you can access the hard drive on the lost Mac and save any wanted data. Shut down the Mac. Connect to another Mac using a FireWire or Thunderbolt cable. Start up your Mac and hold the T key while it loads. This activates Target Disk Mode.
When you change the password, you'll see a prompt letting you know a new login keychain - what MacOS uses to store your passwords will be created, but your old keychain will remain saved on your Mac.
Often when Mac users forget their passwords, it’s the consequence of having a cluttered Mac. With an overload of information to sieve through every day, people have a tendency to forget information. So, first and foremost, you should clean up your Mac to make sure your new password is the one entering you into a tidy and organised computer.
With CleanMyMac X, you can remove large and unwanted files, organising your digital folders and clearing your physical headspace. With its smart, one-click cleaning approach and powerful scanning, you can swiftly dispose of useless documents and apps which may even be slowing your Mac down. With CleanMyMac, you can launch a Smart Scan, removing systems junk, photo and file duplicates, and everything else that will clog up your Mac.
In addition, this amazing tool is free to download, so what are you waiting for?
How to reset a password
Get a password hint
Before resetting your password, you should always check to see if the password hint jogs your memory. The ‘hint’ is a phrase you entered relating to the password when you first set it up, and is triggered once you make 3 incorrect password attempts:
- Open System Preferences (the app with the cog icon).
- Select ‘Users & Groups.’
- Click the Lock icon in the bottom left to make changes.
- Press the Return key 3 times.
The screen will shake each time you press Return, with the third shake generating the password hint which will appear below the Password field. Hopefully this initiates a Eureka Moment making you remember the Login and brings an end to the password perils.
Sometimes though, the hint doesn’t show up. That’s because the Mac wasn’t set up to show password hints in the Login Options – only modified by logging into your Mac. Fortunately, there are an array of other solutions to finding your password.
Change Mac Os Password
Change password from another account
In the event that you happen to share your Mac with another person, and they have their own account, you can use their Login to reset your password. Or, if you have a different account on the Mac that you know the password to, you can recover your Mac admin password by following these steps:
- Click on the Apple logo in the top left of the tools bar and click Log Out.
- Select the alternative account and enter the password.
- Open System Preferences > Users & Groups.
- Click the Lock icon in the bottom left.
- Enter the password again.
- In the Sidebar, select the account with the missing password.
- Click change password.
- Fill in the New Password, Verify and Password Hint fields.
- Click Change Password.
Now, the password for that account has been changed, allowing you to log in using the new password. However, this doesn’t change the password for the Keychain (macOS’s password management system), and you’ll be asked when you log into the account to update the keychain password. This requires you to enter the old forgotten password, so you’ll have to click ‘Create New Keychain’.
This introduces a further problem, because if the other user isn’t the registered Admin, they won’t be able to change the password for you. Luckily, there is an alternative solution to recovering your password.
With 8+ years’ experience in writing for Data Recovery for both Mac OS and Windows OS computers, he is an avid learner who always wants to polish and simplify the data recovery process. John develops and publishes instructional and informational content regarding partition management, Windows hot-fixes, data management and computer troubleshooting.As a tenured data recovery specialist, John shares exceptional insights and blog posts about data loss and data recovery across any storage device. Senior Editor, Content Analyst and a fan of exceptional customer service.
Use Recovery Mode
Apple provides a tool to replace a Mac’s password through bypassing all of the previous steps. This is the best option if you don’t have a password hint, can’t log in via another account and have completely forgotten your password.
- Turn off your Mac.
- Press the power button whilst holding Command + R.
- The Mac will boot into Recovery Mode – when you see the load bar appear you can let go of the keys.
- Select ‘Disk Utility’ and press Continue.
- Go to Utilities > Terminal.
- Enter ‘resetpassword’ and press the Return key.
- Select the main hard drive.
- Select the User Account (the account you’d like to change).
- Enter a new password and create a password hint.
- Click Save – a warning will appear that the Keychain Password hasn’t changed. Click OK.
- Shut Down your Mac and start it up again. Now you can log in using the new password.
Protect Your Data
Due to the fact Recovery Mode provides a nifty means to resetting the Mac password, you may be wary that anyone can hack your Mac – and once someone accesses your Mac, you’ve usually lost control over it. So, it’s a good job there’s some interventions you can make to prevent this happening.
The best way to protect your data is to active FileVault encryption. This means that the Password Reset option won’t become available unless you unlock it with Disk Utility. To turn it on and set it up:
- Choose Apple > System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
- Click the FileVault tab.
- Click the Lock icon, and enter Login credentials.
- Click Turn on FileVault.
Once done, you will receive a Recovery Key and a password, which you should take note of. If you lose these, your data won’t be able to be recovered and will be lost forever.
Another effective way to protect the data on your Mac is to download tried and tested app CleanMyMac X. With automatic clean-ups and regular system monitors, your data is continuously observed and safeguarded from any piracy or hacking.
Use Target Disk Mode
If all else fails, Target Disk Mode can help you recover whatever you can from the lost Mac. Using another Mac, you can access the hard drive on the lost Mac and save any wanted data.
- Shut down the Mac.
- Connect to another Mac using a FireWire or Thunderbolt cable.
- Start up your Mac and hold the T key while it loads.
- This activates Target Disk Mode.
The hard drive from the lost Mac should now appear, allowing you to recover and save wanted data onto the new Mac.
Thanks for reading and stay tuned!
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Reset Password Mac Os X 10.6.8
So, you’re trying to use your Mac, but you can’t get past the login screen because you don’t remember your password. First, you should make sure that the Caps Lock isn’t on, because passwords are case sensitive. Then, you should try using your password hint by clicking on the question mark in the password field. But if you still can’t log in, don’t contact Apple Support yet. Here’s how to reset your admin password on a Mac, even if you forgot your admin password.
How to Reset Admin Password on Mac
The easiest way to reset your admin password is to enter recovery mode. Here’s how to do that:
Reset Password For Mac Os X Without Disk
- Restart your Mac. You can only access the recovery mode while the laptop is booting up, which is why you need to restart it.
- While it is restarting, press and hold the Command + R keys until you see the Apple logo. If you see the login screen, you will have to restart and repeat this step again until you get to Recovery Mode.
- Go to the Apple Menu at the top and click Utilities. This will open a drop-down menu.
- Then click Terminal.
- Type “resetpassword” in the terminal window. Don’t use any space in between the words.
- Then hit Enter. This will open the Reset Password Assistant screen.
- Type your password and a hint.
Note: If you have several user accounts or an older Mac, you will have to select “forgot all passwords,” then select the user account you want to reset the password for. Finally, you will have to click the Apple icon in the upper-left corner and select Restart from the drop-down menu.
- Finally, click Restart. Once you get to the Login screen, select the admin user you just reset the password for and type your new password. Click Enter.
How to Reset your Password Using you Apple ID
If you try to log in several times, you will see a pop-up message asking if you want to reset your password with your Apple ID. Follow these steps to continue:
- Click the arrow to use your Apple ID.
- Enter your Apple ID and password.
- Then hit Enter. Right after this, you will be asked to restart your computer.
- Click Restart to continue.
- Log in with your new password.
If you can get to your desktop, then you have successfully reset or changed your password.
How to Reset your PasswordUsing Another Admin Account
If your Mac has more than one users, and youknow the login credentials to another one of the accounts, you can use thataccount to log in and reset your password. Here’s how:
- Log in to another admin account.
- Go to System Preferences. You can find this in your Applications folder.
- Next, click Users & Group.
- Click on the padlock in the bottom-left corner of the window. You will have to enter the username and password of that user again.
- Select the user you want to reset the password for, then click Reset Password.
- Fill in the necessary fields and hit Enter.
- Then log out of the current user account. This will bring you to the Login screen.
- Log in to the account you just changed the password for.
If you’re still having problems, and you want to install or reinstall macOS in your computer to wipe it clean and give it a fresh OS, check out our previous article here.