Using a FileVault Recovery Key
Restart your MacBook. If you’re not already on the login screen, restart your Mac to get there. If you can’t restart normally, hold down the power button for several seconds until your MacBook shuts down, then press it again to boot up. This method will only work if you have FileVault set up on your Mac, which allows you to reset your password with a recovery key rather than your Apple ID. When you set up FileVault, you should have received a special recovery code to help you log back in. On a MacBook Pro with Touch ID, the Touch ID button is the same as the power button. It’s in the top right corner of the keyboard. Make sure you’re connected to the internet once you boot up. Click the Mac Wifi Wi-Fi button at the top of the login screen to access your network options.
Try to enter your password several times. Once you’ve reached the login screen, attempt to enter your password up to 3 times. After 3 incorrect attempts, you should see an option to reset your password. If you don’t see any account recovery options, or if you get a message telling you your account is locked for a certain amount of time (e.g., 15 minutes), restart your Mac and try again. If your account is locked, wait for the specified amount of time to pass. If you’ve forgotten your password, try clicking the question mark next to the login field to display a hint (if you’ve set one). This may be enough to jog your memory so you can log in without having to reset.
Select Reset it using your recovery key. You may see a couple different options for resetting your password. If you see Reset it using your recovery key, click this option. Depending on how your Mac is set up, you might see Restart and show password reset options instead. If so, click this option to restart your Mac. If the only option you see is Reset it using your Apple ID, you’ll need to try a different method.
Enter your FileVault recovery key. Next, you’ll be prompted to enter your FileVault recovery key. This is a string of numbers and letters you received when you set up FileVault on your Mac. If you’ve lost your recovery key, you’ll have to use a different method to unlock your Mac. If you were prompted to restart your Mac, you may need to select a volume to recover. Choose your Mac startup disk (usually Macintosh HD). From there, you should be prompted to enter your recovery key.
Type in your new password information. Next, enter a new password for your account. When you’re done, click Reset Password. If you had to restart your Mac to see recovery options, you might need to select which user’s password you want to reset. When you’ve done so, click Next, enter your new password info, click Next again, and then click Restart.
Resetting from Recovery Mode
Reboot in Recovery Mode. The right way to do this depends on what kind of processor your MacBook Pro has. You can find this information by opening the Mac Apple Apple menu and selecting About This Mac. For a MacBook with a silicon chip (M1, M2, or M3): Shut down your Mac, then press and hold the power button (also the Touch ID button on many models) to reboot. Let go when you see a screen with startup options. Click Options, then click Continue. For a MacBook with an Intel chip: Shut down your Mac, then press and release the power button to restart. As soon as you release the power button, press and hold Command-R. Let go of the keys when you see either the Mac Apple Apple logo or a spinning globe. Log into a Wi-Fi network or hook your Mac up to a network cable if prompted to do so.
Click Forgot all passwords?. In the next window, you may be prompted to select an admin user whose password you know. If this happens, click the Forgot all passwords? option. If you don’t see this option, you can skip directly to selecting Terminal from the Utilities menu.
Enter your FileVault recovery key if you have one. Depending on how your MacBook Pro is set up, you might see a couple of different options on the next screen. If you’re prompted to enter your FileVault recovery key, do so and then follow the prompts to reset your password. Then, click Exit and restart your Mac. This will only work if you set up FileVault on your Mac. You should have received a recovery key (a unique string of numbers and letters) when you did so.
Select Exit to Recovery Utilities if you don’t have a recovery key. If you don’t have a recovery key, you’re asked to log in with your Apple ID, or you see an Activation Lock screen, click Exit to Recovery Utilities. From there, you can use the Reset Password Assistant. You might also be taken directly to this screen when you enter Recovery Mode.
Click Terminal in the Utilities menu. When you’re in the Utilities screen, you’ll see a window with several recovery options. Click the Utilities menu in the menu bar at the top of the screen, then select Terminal.
Enter the command resetpassword. In the Terminal window, type resetpassword, then hit Return. This will launch the Reset Password assistant.
Click Forgot all passwords?. If you’re prompted to choose an admin account you know the password for, select Forgot all passwords?.
Click Deactivate Mac. This sounds alarming, but it won’t permanently delete your accounts or data. Click the Deactivate Mac button, then click Deactivate to confirm your choice. At this point, you might see an Activation Lock window. If that happens, and you don’t know your Apple ID and password, you may need to erase and reset your MacBook Pro.
Enter your new password info. In the Reset Password window, follow the prompts to enter your new password. You may be asked to do this for each user if there are multiple accounts on your Mac. When you’re done, click Exit.
Restart and enter your new password. Click the Mac Apple Apple menu at the top of the screen and select Restart…. Log in with your new password.
Resetting from an Admin Account
Login with an administrator account if you know the password. If you’ve forgotten your own password, you can log in and change it from another user’s account if they have admin privileges. Log in with an administrator’s account, or ask a user who knows the admin password to do so for you.
Open System Settings. Click the Mac Apple Apple menu icon at the top left corner of your screen and select System Settings…. If you’re using an older version of macOS, you’ll see System Preferences instead.
Select Users & Groups. You’ll see this option in the left-hand sidebar of the System Settings window. You might need to scroll down to find it.
Click i next to your username. Find the name of the user account you’re trying to unlock and click the i next to it. This will open a new window. Depending on your version of macOS, you might need to click the padlock icon at the bottom of the window and enter the administrator ID and password first.
Click Change… next to the Password header. Depending on your version of macOS, you might see a Reset Password… button instead.
Enter your new password info. In the window that pops up, you’ll be prompted to type in a new password. Enter it again next to the Verify header. If you like, you can enter a password hint as well. Click Change Password when you’re done.
Restart and log in with your new password. You should now be able to unlock your account with the new password you created. You might also be prompted to update your login keychain with the new password.
Erasing Your Mac
Start up in Recovery Mode. If no other solutions have worked, you may need to erase and reset your MacBook Pro. To get started, boot up in Recovery Mode. If your Mac has an Apple silicon chip (M1, M2, or M3), press and hold the power button while booting up your Mac. When you see a screen with startup options, release the power button and select Options > Continue. If your Mac has an Intel processor, press the power button to boot up and then immediately press and hold Command-R. Release the keys when you see the Mac Apple Apple logo or a spinning globe.
Select Erase Mac from Recovery Assistant. When prompted to select an administrator account you know the password for, click Recovery Assistant in the menu bar, then select Erase Mac.
Click Erase Mac twice to confirm. In the Erase Mac window, click Erase Mac, then select Erase Mac again. From here, your Mac may restart to a screen with a flashing question mark. If this happens, hold the power button until it shuts down.
Reboot in Recovery Mode and select Reinstall macOS. When you get to the Recovery Mode screen, you’ll see some different options. Click Reinstall macOS, then click Continue. Follow the instructions onscreen. If you’re using a Mac with an Intel processor, you have some additional options for reinstalling macOS. Press Command-R during startup to install the current version of your most recently installed macOS. If you press Option-Command-R, you may get the option to install the latest available version of macOS. If you press Shift-Option-Command-R, you may get the option to install the version of macOS that came with your MacBook (or the closest available version).
Unlocking with an Apple Watch
Make sure your Apple Watch is unlocked. This method will only work if Auto Unlock is activated on your Apple Watch. You’ll also need to log in manually first if you’ve just restarted your MacBook or logged out of your account. To get started, put on your Apple Watch and enter your passcode to unlock it.
Wake up your Mac. Press any key on your keyboard or click the trackpad or mouse button to wake your MacBook Pro.
Hold your Apple Watch close to your Mac. Once your Watch is in range, your Mac should unlock automatically. If you don’t have this feature set up and you’d like to use it in the future, here’s how: Go to Mac Apple Apple > System Settings > Touch ID & Password/Login Password. Toggle on the switch next to your Watch under the Apple Watch header. If you’re using a MacBook running macOS Monterey or earlier, go to Apple > System Preferences > Security & Privacy and select Use your Apple Watch to unlock apps and your Mac or Allow your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac. Make sure your Watch and Mac are both on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled.
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