Ways to Reset a Password on Mac
Changing the password on your Mac isn’t difficult, but it does complicate matters if you don’t remember your old password or aren’t able to use your Apple ID as a backup. Here are the primary methods you can use to reset your Mac password:
Basic reset: This method only works if you remember your current password. If you have forgotten your password, you’ll need to use a different method.Change via Admin: This method only works if your Mac has an Admin account. If you can access the admin account, you can use it to set a new login password for your regular account. If someone else controls the admin account, you can ask them for assistance.Recover using Apple ID: This method requires you to remember your Apple ID login details. If you don’t remember your Apple ID password, you will need to reset your Apple ID password first.
How to Change a Password on Mac If You Know the Current Password
This is the easiest and fastest method of setting a new login password on a Mac, so you’ll want to do it this way if you remember your current password. If you have forgotten your current password, then you’ll need to try one of the other methods.
How to Reset a Mac Login Password as an Admin User
If your Mac has local admin account, you can use that to change the login password of any regular user account. Not every Mac is set up in this way, but it does come in handy. You will need access to the admin account to use this method. If someone else controls the admin account, then you will have to ask them to reset your password. Here’s how to reset a Mac password using an Admin account:
How to Use Apple ID to Change a Forgotten Mac Password
If you have forgotten the login password for your Mac, you can use your Apple ID to reset it. This process isn’t difficult, but you should make sure that you actually forgot your password first. Mac passwords are case sensitive, so make sure the caps lock is off, and make sure to capitalize any letters the same way you did when you created the password. If you really aren’t able to remember your password, here’s how to reset it using your Apple ID:
What If You Forgot Your Mac Login Password and Apple ID?
If you forgot both your Mac login password and your Apple ID, and you don’t have an existing admin account on your Mac, that complicates matters. You may be able to create a fresh admin account on your Mac and use that to change your password, but that process is a bit complicated. If you are able to create a new admin account, then just use the admin method above to reset your user password. Beyond that, you will need to attempt to recover your Apple ID. If you don’t know your Apple ID password, Apple has a process that you can use to recover your Apple ID. You’ll have an easier time if you have access to the email associated with the ID. If you don’t, you may need to contact Apple customer service for further assistance.
