Modify or reset the password of a macOS user account in macOS Mojave or earlier

You tin change the password that you lot use to log in to your Mac, or reset the password if you don't call up it.

The countersign of your macOS user account is too known as your login countersign. It's the password that you employ to log in to your Mac and brand certain changes, such as installing software.

Before you begin

Change your password

If you know your password and can use it to log in to your business relationship, you tin can change your password in Users & Groups preferences:

  1. Choose Arrangement Preferences from the Apple menu, so click Users & Groups.
  2. Select your user name from the list of users.
  3. Click the Change Countersign button, then follow the onscreen instructions.

Reset your password

If y'all don't remember your password, or it isn't working, you might be able to reset information technology using one of the methods described below. Only first try these simpler solutions:

  • Brand sure that you're typing the correct capital or lowercase characters. If your keyboard has Caps Lock turned on, the password field shows a Caps Lock symbolUpward-pointing arrow.
  • If the password field shows a question mark, click information technology to brandish a password hint that might assistance you lot to think.
  • Try to log in without a password. If that works, you can and then add a password by following the steps to modify your password.
  • Try to log in with the Apple ID password that y'all use for iCloud. If you just inverse that password and the new countersign isn't working, endeavor the erstwhile password first. If that works, y'all should be able to utilize the new password from so on.

Reset using your Apple ID

In some macOS versions, you tin apply your Apple ID to reset your login password. At the login screen, go on entering a password until you see a message proverb that you can reset your password using Apple ID. If yous don't meet the message subsequently 3 attempts, your account isn't set upwardly to allow resetting with Apple ID.

  1. Clickthe arrow next to the Apple ID message, so follow the onscreen instructions to enter your Apple ID and create a new countersign. Yous'll exist asked to restart when washed.
  2. Log in with your new password.
  3. Make up one's mind whether to create a new login keychain.

Reset using another admin account

If you know the name and password of an admin account on your Mac, you can use that account to reset the password.

  1. Log in with the name and password of the other admin account.
  2. Choose System Preferences from the Apple carte du jour, then click Users & Groups.
  3. Clickthe lock, then enter the admin name and password again.
  4. Select your user proper name from the list of users.
  5. Click the Reset Password push button, so follow the onscreen instructions to create a new countersign:
    Change Password window
  6. Choose Log Out from the Apple carte du jour.
  7. Log in to your account using your new password.
  8. Make up one's mind whether to create a new login keychain.

Reset using the Reset Password assistant (FileVault must be on)

If FileVault is turned on, yous might be able to reset your countersign using the Reset Password assistant:

  1. Look up to a minute at the login screen, until you lot come across a message saying that yous can use the power button on your Mac to shut down and start up once more in Recovery OS. If yous don't meet this message, FileVault isn't on.
  2. Printing and agree the power button until your Mac turns off.
  3. Press the power button again to plough on your Mac.
  4. When the Reset Password window appears, follow the onscreen instructions to create a new countersign.
    If you lot demand to connect to Wi-Fi, move your pointer to the pinnacle of the screen and employ the Wi-Fi menu  to connect. To get out without resetting your password, choose Apple menu > Restart.
    Reset Password assistant window
  5. When washed, click Restart.
  6. If you were able to reset your countersign with the Reset Countersign assistant, log in to your business relationship using your new countersign.
  7. Determine whether to create a new login keychain.

Reset using your Recovery Cardinal (FileVault must be on)

If FileVault is turned on and you have a FileVault Recovery Primal, you can use that key to reset your countersign.

  1. At the login screen, keep entering a password until you encounter a message maxim that you can reset your password using your Recovery Key. If you don't meet the bulletin afterwards 3 attempts, FileVault isn't on.
  2. Clickthe arrow next to the message. The password field changes to a Recovery Key field.
  3. Enter your Recovery Key. Use uppercase characters, and include the hyphens.
  4. Follow the onscreen instructions to create a new countersign, then click Reset Password when done.
  5. Determine whether to create a new login keychain.

If you can't log in with your new password later on restarting your Mac, take these additional steps:

  1. Restart again, so immediately agree downwards Command-R or ane of the other macOS Recovery fundamental combinations until you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe.
  2. When you see the macOS Utilities window, choose Utilities > Terminal from the menu bar.
  3. In the Concluding window, type resetpassword, then press Return to open the Reset Password assistant pictured above.
  4. Select "My password doesn't work when logging in," then click Next and follow the onscreen instructions for your user account.

Create a new login keychain, if necessary

Subsequently resetting your password and logging back in to your business relationship, you lot might encounter an warning that the system was unable to unlock your login keychain. This is expected, considering the passwords for your user account and login keychain no longer friction match. Simply click the Create New Keychain button in the alert.

If you didn't run across an warning almost your login keychain, or you meet other messages asking for your old password, reset your keychain manually:

  1. Open up Keychain Admission, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications binder.
  2. Cull Preferences from the Keychain Access menu, and so click the Reset My Default Keychain push button in the preferences window. After you enter your new password, Keychain Access creates an empty login keychain with no countersign. Click OK to confirm.

    If yous don't see a Reset My Default keychain button, close the preferences window and select the "login" keychain from the left side of the Keychain Admission window. Press the Delete key, then click Delete References.

  3. Choose Log Out from the Apple menu to return to the login screen.
  4. Log in to your business relationship using your new password. Your business relationship password and login keychain password now match again.

If you still can't log in

Published Date: