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Locked Out Of Macbook Pro

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  1. Locked Out Of Macbook Pro
  2. Locked Out Of Macbook Pro 2018
  3. Locked Macbook How To Unlock

Apple's new operating system put a high emphasis on information protection, so it comes with added security measures. Password, being the heart of macOS security, makes it difficult for anyone to access your precious sensitive data. Such that, forgetting it can be a real disaster because it will lock out of your computer.

Many would agree that getting locked out of your Mac is not always a fun experience. It will prevent you from installing apps, making changes in System Preferences, accessing your files, and sometimes, deleting key files on your Mac. So, what do you do if you forgot the password for Mac?

  • So I purchased a MacBook Pro from someone which seemed to work fine at first. But then I reformatted the drive so I could install a fresh copy of MacOS. I noticed that every time I boot up now the lock icon shows up on the screen. I did some research and found out it is a EFI / Firmware locked.
  • Force restarting a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro is generally considered a last resort, but if the worst happens and your machine freezes up, it's the quickest way of getting things running.

Locked out of water-affected Macbook pro. Can't reset password with apple ID. I spilled some water on the top-right of my MacBook Pro keyboard.

What to Do If You're Locked Out of Your Mac?

So you forgot your Mac's password? There is no need to panic. Sometimes, it happens without your wish – for instance, if you have been using your Apple Watch or iPhone to unlock your Mac, or if you bought your computer secondhand and you have no clue about the old password. And in any case, you can still regain access to your Mac.

Thankfully, macOS comes with built-in tools to help you reset your password in Mac when you are in a situation like this. In this post, we will share tips on how to reset your password in Mac.

Some of these tips require preventive measures to be taken beforehand, while others may only apply if you have linked your Apple ID to your admin account. Regardless of your situation, just know that there is a way to get back into your Mac.

Locked Out Of Macbook Pro

But before we look into that, you need to tidy up your computer. Forgotten passwords are usually a consequence of using a cluttered Mac. For this reason, you need to clean up your Mac to allow the new password to log you into a tidy and organized system. Use a robust tool like TweakBit MacRepair to organize your digital folders, remove junk on your Mac, and improve your memory.

How to Reset Your Mac User Account Password?

To regain access to your Mac, use any of the following methods to reset your password:

Method #1: Get a Password Hint

Before attempting any password recovery trick, check if the password hint can ignite your memory. In this case, the password hint is a phrase relating to your password that you entered when you first set it up.

To trigger the hint, make three incorrect attempts: Apple presentation app.

  1. Go to System Preferences.
  2. Select Users & Groups.
  3. Tap on the Lock icon in the bottom-left corner.
  4. Now, press the Return key three times.
  5. After the third attempt, your password hint will appear below the Password field. Hopefully, it will create a eureka moment, making you recall the forgotten password.

Note that the hint may not show up. The reason is that your computer wasn't set up to display password hints in the Login Options. But this issue should not bother you too much since there are other ways to reset your password.

Method #2: Use Another Admin Account to Reset the Password

If you have more than one admin account set up on your Mac – for instance, if you share your Mac with another person – you can use one of them to reset your password. Here is how to do it:

  1. Log into your other admin account.
  2. Now, open System Preferences and select Users & Groups.
  3. Click on the Lock icon to change the settings.
  4. Enter your username and password once again.
  5. In the left sidebar, choose the admin account you are locked out of, and then tap on the Reset Password button.
  6. Enter your new password twice. You should also create a hint because it will come in handy if you ever forget the password.
  7. Click Change password.
  8. That's it. You can now log out of your other admin account and then log back into your Mac using the newly created password.

Method #3: Use Recovery Mode to Reset the Password

If you haven't enabled the FileVault feature, there is even a more straightforward way to reset your password on your Mac: use Recovery Mode. Here is the process:

  1. Turn off your Mac.
  2. Press the Power button to turn it on back, then press the Command + R shortcut.
  3. Hold down the keys until the Apple logo appears. The process may take a while, but you will see a progress bar informing you that your device is booting into Recovery Mode.
  4. With your Mac in Recovery Mode, head to the menu bar and click Utilities > Terminal.
  5. Now, run the following command to launch the Reset Password Utility: resetpassword.
  6. After that, close the Terminal window to access the Reset Password tool.
  7. Choose the account you want to reset from the list of user accounts. To reset the password for your account, you need to create a new password for all users.
  8. Now, enter your new password plus a password hint.
  9. Click Save > OK.
  10. Restart your Mac and log in using the new password.

Method #4: Use Your Apple ID

After entering a wrong password a couple of times, macOS usually gives you an option to reset your password using your Apple ID. Alternatively, you can also tap on the question mark icon beside the password field to trigger the same process.

After keying in your Apple ID and password, you will get an alert letting you know that a new keychain that has your password will be generated. When the alert pops up, click OK and follow the rest of the prompts to create a new password. While your old keychain will remain locked, it will still be saved on your computer. So, you can unlock it if you ever remember the old password.

Note that this trick will only work if you have linked your user account with your Apple ID. Also, you shouldn't have FileVault enabled.

Method #5: Use Target Disk Mode

If you can't use any of the above password-resetting methods, your other alternative is to use Target Disk Mode. It will recover some data from your problematic Mac. In other words, you can access the hard disk of your Mac from another Mac.

To activate Target Disk Mode, follow the steps below:

Locked Out Of Macbook Pro
  1. Shut down your computer.
  2. Now, connect the Mac to another Mac via a Thunderbolt cable. Sadly, this trick doesn't work with USB.
  3. Turn on your Mac and hold down the T key as it boots.
  4. With your Mac in Target Disk Mode, you should be able to access it as a hard drive on your other Mac.

Last-Ditch Effort: Reinstall macOS

If you have FileVault enabled, and you can't regain access to your account, your only remaining option is to reinstall macOS because you will not have access to any file on your computer. Hopefully, you have backup copies of these files because you cannot access without your password.

Reduce Incidences of Lost Password

Locked Out Of Macbook Pro 2018

Before you get locked out of your Mac, set up an Apple ID. This way, you have a backup way of getting into your Mac if you ever forget your account password. If possible, create more than one user account on your Mac. Also, change your user account password to something unique, but easy to remember.

On a related note, you can also manage all your passwords using the built-in password manager – Keychain Access. This way, you don't have to remember them every time you log into your Mac. But, like in the case with passwords, you may also fail to access your Keychain due to various reasons. If that is the case, consult this guide to resolve the issue.

Summing Up

In this era of digital information, data protection is no longer a luxury. Some Mac users may prefer working without the need to log in, but this situation may put you in trouble, especially when you are required to maintain strict confidentiality. This security measure is inevitable for organizations these days, but not so good if you forgot the password for Mac.

Of course, it is always a good idea to remember your passwords and PIN codes. But if you find yourself locked out of your Mac, you don't have to fret because you now know how to get back in. You can use any of the above methods to regain access to your Mac. But if all else fails, consider reporting the incident to Apple.

Do you have other worries about resetting or changing your Mac's password? Share them in the comments.

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Check Date & Time preferences

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Date & Time.
  2. In the Date & Time pane, make sure that 'Set date and time automatically' is selected and your Mac is connected to the Internet. Your Mac can then get the current date and time from the network time server selected in the adjacent menu.


To make changes, you might need to click the lock , then enter your administrator password. https://hliqp.over-blog.com/2021/01/how-to-insert-furniture-in-autocad-mac.html.


If you don't have an Internet connection, or you want to set the date and time manually, deselect 'Set date and time automatically.' You can then click today's date on the calendar, drag the clock's hands to the correct time, or use the fields above the calendar and clock to enter the date and time. Then click Save.

Check Time Zone preferences

Locked Macbook How To Unlock

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Date & Time.
  2. In the Time Zone pane, make sure that 'Set time zone automatically using current location' is selected and your Mac is connected to the Internet.


To make changes, you might need to click the lock , then enter your administrator password.


If your Mac says that it's unable to determine your current location, open Security & Privacy preferences and make sure that Location Services is turned on. From the list of items beneath 'Enable Location Services,' click the Details button next to System Services, then make sure that the time-zone checkbox is selected.

If you don't have an Internet connection or you want to set the time zone manually, deselect 'Set time zone automatically using current location.' Then click the map to choose a time zone.

Check Language & Region preferences

Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Language & Region.

  • Make sure that the Region menu is set correctly for your region.
  • Use the 'Time format' checkbox to control whether your Mac displays time in the 24-hour format.

Best paint software for windows 7. For advanced formatting options, click the Advanced button, then check the settings in the Dates pane and Times pane. These settings control how dates and times are displayed in the Finder and apps. If any settings have been changed, you can click the Restore Defaults button in each pane to use the default settings for your region. If the button is dimmed, your Mac is already using the default settings.





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