Mac OS is one of the most secured operating system provided by Apple. The protection mechanism is akin to all other operating systems, but the registry files accountable for creating the security barriers are a bit different, rather crude to bypass. So if you have forgotten your password on iMac or Macbook, it might be a bit difficult way ahead for you to access the system again if you don’t have the knowledge of the convoluted operating system.
Generally, besides login, Mac password is used for various other reasons, such as, during installing softwares, rendering serious changes in the system settings, or while deleting system files. But here we would confine our excursus on how to bypass the Mac OS password to gain access into the system. The discussion hereby would involve 3 essential methods which would help you inevitably to resolve your issue.
First follow the steps from the linked Mac OS X hint to add a keyboard shortcut for Keychains Lock Screen functionality. For me (on 10.8.4) this didn't solve the problem as I had to press ctrl + F8 to shift focus to the status bar, press down to open the Keychain menu bar, and then press ctrl + F9 to lock the screen.
Method #1: Password Hint for Your Mac Login Password
- How Can I Change The Lock Screen On A Mac Computer? “Mac OS” in 1997 with the release of Mac OS 7.6, and retrospectively called “Classic Mac OS”. In 2001, Apple released Mac OS X, a modern Unix-based operating system which was later rebranded to simply OS X in 2012, and then macOS in 2016. The current version is macOS Mojave.
- The quickest method to lock Mac screen. Its Mac screen locking with keyboard shortcut. Simply press the three keys “control+shift+eject” together to lock mac screen instantly. It will only lock Mac screen, and all the applications running, all the opened windows will keep running on. And when you come back simply press any key on the.
Before you proceed with resetting your password anew, and replace it with a new one, you better try out the password hint which might refresh your memory after a while. In fact there is no limit to the number of times you can enter the password hint, and after 3 attempts Mac OS will provide you the password hint (Password Hint is a phrase or sentence extract which you had entered into the hint box while setting up the password in the first place). Infuse the steps mentioned below to carry out the method accurately:
Step 1. Firstly open “System Preferences” from the “Apple” logo.
Step 2. Select “Users and Groups” category.
Disable Screen Lock Mac Os X
Step 3. From the bottom left corner, click on the “Lock screen” icon.
Step 4. Press the “Return” key 3 times in a row. The screen will shake every time you press the “Return” key. After the third shake, the password hint will be displayed below the “Password field” which you can use to try out your luck.
The best part about this method is that there is no limit to the number of password trials, so you can keep trying until you get to recall it fully. But if the method is not helping you anyway, then you better skip to the next methods refined ahead.
For windows user: How to bypass Windows 10/8/7 login password
Method #2: Change Password from Another Account
If you have set up multiple accounts in your device, or share your device with another user which might have created another account in the same system, then you can use this separate account to change the password of your own locked down account.
The steps are laid out as follows:
Step 1. Click on Apple’s logo and then choose log out from the top left corner.
Step 2. Select an account you know the password to and enter the password thereby to gain access to the account.
Step 3. Go to “System Preferences” and click on the “Lock” icon at the bottom left corner of the screen.
Step 4. Enter your password again and then choose the specific account that you have forgotten your password for from the side pane.
Step 5. Now; click “Reset Password” and fill up the fields and the “Password hint” field.
Step 6. Finally click “Change Password”.
And you are done! You can now access the account with the newly created password.
Also read: 2 ways to boot your Mac into safe mode
Method #3: Use Recovery Mode to Recover Mac Password
Besides providing all the essential luster to the fundamentals of the operating system, Apple provides a tool, that is “Recovery Mode” for Mac OS or Mac OS X, depending upon which version you are currently using, you can use it to recover your forgotten Mac login or admin password.
Step 1. Press the power button of your device and while doing so press and hold the “Command-R”. This way Mac will boot into the Recovery Mode. Once the load bar is visible you can let go of your hold of the buttons.
Step 2. It will take a few minutes to load, and after it is loaded, choose the “Disk utility” and press “Continue”.
Step 3. Go to “Utilities” and then select “Terminal”.
Step 4. Now; in the empty field, enter “resetpassword” just in the exact manner and press “Return”.
Step 5. Choose the Volume which is your main hard drive containing the account.
Step 6. Now; select the account you wish to change the password of by “Select the User Account”.
Step 7. Enter your password and re-enter it for confirmation.
Lock Screen For Mac Os X 10.13
Step 8. Enter a password hint for future use and click “Save” to save the changes.
Step 9. A warning would appear notifying that the password has been changed but not the Keychain password. Click “Ok” to finish.
Step 10. Finally, click on “Apple” logo and then “Shut Down”.
Now, start your Mac OS and enter the previous account with the new password.
Conclusion:
As you can see all the mentioned methods above in the article are very easy to put to use if you have the basic expertise of how to handle an Apple device. Out of all the methods, recalling the password using Password Hint is a very tedious and time consuming method, and at some point of time may prove to be futile, thus Recovery Mode is the best option that you can heed to reset your forgotten password. Hope you had a great time knowing the ways to recover your login password on iMac or Macbook.
Read more:
Activation Lock helps you keep your Mac secure if it's ever lost, stolen, or misplaced, and can improve your chances of recovering it. Activation Lock can continue to deter anyone from reactivating your device without your permission, even if you erase your device remotely. All you need to do is keep Find My Mac turned on, and remember your Apple ID and password.
Mac Os Lock Screen Shortcut
What you need
- Upgrade your Mac to macOS Catalina.
- Your Mac must have the Apple T2 Security Chip. You can learn whether your Mac has this chip in Apple menu > About this Mac > System Report > Controller.
- Enable two-factor authentication for your Apple ID.
- Leave Secure Boot enabled on its default setting, Full Security, with 'Disallow booting from external media' selected under the External Boot section.
How it works
When you turn on Find My Mac, your Apple ID password or device passcode is required before anyone can turn off Find My, erase your Mac, or reactivate and use your Mac.
Activation Lock is automatically enabled when you set up Find My on devices that meet its system requirements.
If your Mac goes missing
If you ever misplace your device or think it may have been stolen, you can sign into iCloud.com or use the Find My app to locate your device on a map, play a sound, lock your Mac, or erase it. Activation Lock works in the background to make it more difficult for someone to use or sell your missing device, but you can still remotely lock your device with Find My to secure it with a unique passcode and display a message onscreen for anyone who may find it.
How to check that Activation Lock is on
- Choose Apple menu > About this Mac.
- Click System Report.
- Click Activation Lock Status under Hardware.
Turn off Activation Lock before you send your Mac in for service, sell it, or give it away
Before you send your Mac in for service, sell it, or give it away, you should turn off Activation Lock. If you have access to the device, turn off Find My Mac to disable Activation Lock, and then sign out of iCloud.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
- Click Apple ID, then click iCloud.
- Turn off Find My Mac.
- Click the Sign Out button.
![How to lock screen on mac How to lock screen on mac](/uploads/1/2/4/8/124835062/438083330.png)
If you can't access your Mac and you need to turn off Activation Lock, follow these steps.
- Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Click Find iPhone.
- Select All Devices, then click your Mac.
- Click Erase Mac. Select Next until the device is erased.
- Click next to your Mac.
What to do if your Mac starts up to an Activate Mac window
If you've purchased a Mac from someone other than Apple or an authorized Apple reseller and the device starts up to an Activate Mac window, the device is still linked to the previous owner's account. You'll need to ask them to remove the device from their account.