Just like Windows, Mac is another operating system that is being used by millions of people around the world. At certain points, it considered better than Windows. However, the fundamental usages on both are quite similar. Just the way of doing things is different. In this article, I am going to explain how to reset your Mac login or admin password if you forgot it by chance.
There are certain ways and methods that you can employ to reset the password of you Mac OS X in case you forgot it. There might be many ways of resetting the Mac password but I am explaining the three ways that I am familiar with.
Method 1: Reset Mac Admin Password Using Your Apple ID
Even if you aren't a sinister evildoer, there could be times when you need to get into a computer without the password. It's quite easy to do on a Mac, and learning how to do it can help. Hey guys, today I am going to be showing you how to reset the password of any account on your MAC device without losing any data!.This method works on all M. I have a Macbook air 10.9.4. I want to reset it to the factory settings. I do not know the admin password though. I tried doing to holding down command and R thing, but all that happened was a grey screen came up with a picture of a lock, and a block for a password to be entered in, but I don't have a password.
One of the simplest and easiest ways to reset Mac OS X password is resetting by using your Apple ID.Now since you forgot your password, just enter wrong passwords many times on the login screen, and you will see a message just as you can see in the screenshot below that states that you can reset the password using the Apple ID.
There you can also see a small arrow that you have to click to reset the password. Follow the on-screen instruction, and in few minutes you will be able to reset your password. This method is simple and effective! I prefer this one over any other method, and that is the reason, I kept this on the top on my list.
Note: This method will work only if you already have the Apple ID linked to your account. If you're Windows 10 user, don't forgot to check our other guide for Windows 10 password reset.
Method 2: Mac OS X's Password Recovery Utility To Reset Your Password
Mac OS X has inbuilt password recovery utility that you can use to reset the password.
Follow the steps below:
1) Start your Mac computer by pressing the Power button.
2) Press Command + R immediately to boot your Mac computer to recovery drive.
Step 3. Now you will see the recovery utility screen. Select Terminal from Utilities Menu. Then type the command: resetpassword in the Terminal.
Step 4. Press the Enter button, and the Password Recovery Utility will be opened. There you have to select the volume that contains the user account which is by default: Macintosh HD. Enter a new password, and click on save.
Important Note: Keep the Terminal open while doing all this process.
Step 5. Restart your Mac computer, and when it asks the password, enter the password you have just set in step 4, and you will be able to log in.
Method 3: Use Terminal To Reset Your OS X Password
Before you get on to try this method, let me tell you a few things:
1. This method will create a new admin account, and then you can use that account to reset your existing account's password.
2. Though this method is well tested, you must have the backup of your data. And, we don't take any responsibilities of any damage that may happen (in rare cases) while carrying out this method.
3. Try this method only if no other method works for you.
2. Though this method is well tested, you must have the backup of your data. And, we don't take any responsibilities of any damage that may happen (in rare cases) while carrying out this method.
3. Try this method only if no other method works for you.
Follow the steps below to carry out the password reset using Terminal:
Step 1. Press power button to turn your Mac On. And Press and hold Command + S
Step 2. Doing this will open the Terminal in single user mode. If you see the below screen, you are successfully entered into the single user mode of Terminal.
Step 3. Now, you need to execute a set of commands one by one that I have listed below. Remember, after every command you type, you have to press the enter button to execute that command.
mount -uw /
rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
shutdown –h
Step 4. After the last command, your Mac will be shut down. Press power button to start again. You will see the Mac startup screen. Follow the steps that are narrated by your Mac to create an admin account.
Step 5. Now, you will be logged in using your new admin account. Go to Users & Groups from System Preferences.
![How to reset macbook without password How to reset macbook without password](https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare/images/en_US/osx/yosemite-password_reset-choose_problem.png)
Step 6. Adobe media encoder cc 2019 13 15. Now, Click on the lock icon to authenticate. And enter the admin user and password you have just created.
Step 7. Now you will see all the user accounts that are present on your Mac. You just have to select the account which password you need to reset, and just do it.
Once you are done with the resetting the password of the account, you may log out of the newly created admin account, and log in with the account which password you have just reset using the new password.
Factory Reset Macbook Pro Without Password
Verdict
These are the three best ways to reset the Mac login password when you forgot it. For better security, note down your password somewhere, and keep that safe! Hope you like these methods.
Oct.18, 2016 17:11:32 pm / Posted by Vicky Tiffany to Windows 7
Oct 26, 2020 • Filed to: Answer Hard Drive Problems • Proven solutions
I have an older MacBook Pro (macOS 10.13.3) and need to know how to do a factory reset.
Factory resetting the mac or MacBook is quite easy. With a few steps, you can restore the factory settings. Doing so will erase all the stored data on your device. It will rehabilitate your device and make it a new one, as it was once ready to store new data in the form of files/folders.
Your ultimate goal is to factory reset the mac for selling pursuits or making room for a new set of data to be stored in the hard drive. Switching to the factory settings will make your device a clean slate that would be as new as it was at first when bought. Now you would be wondering how to factory reset your mac, then, in this case, all you have to do is read this article. It carries various steps and ways to factory reset mac. It also discusses a third party software solution to deal with data loss during an accidental factory reset of your device. Here are the topics that are going to be discussed in detail.
Part 1: When Will You Wipe Your Laptop?
There are certain scenarios in which you opt for the switching to factory reset your device and make it a new one. Here are some of those cases in which you wipe your laptop.
1- Need a clean slate
When you feel that you need extra space to save new data and it’s time to delete some old and non-usable files, an easy way to get rid of that data is to factory reset your device in one click.
2- Want to sell your computer
Opting to sell your device? You need to clear all the personal information along with the saved data to fulfill the security pursuits. The factory resetting of your device is the best option to go for.
Factory Reset Macbook Without Password
3- Look for more Apple-centric tutorials
Apple-centric tutorials make you learn several techniques and procedures to keep your device in a good and sound state for apt functioning. Factory resetting your device is one of them that will ensure for better functioning of your mac. Create a backup for the data and factory reset your mac device.
Part 2: How to Restore a Mac to Its Factory Settings?
Restoring a Mac device into its factory settings requires certain steps to follow. Here are those steps that could rehabilitate the mac into its factory resetting.
1- Back up your data
If you plan to factory reset your mac device, then the foremost step is to create a backup for your data. You can easily create a manual backup by copying and pasting all the files, folders, and applications. This backup can be created on either cloud storage or any external hard drive. However, if you are using mac device, Time Machine can be the best and most reliable option. The time machine is the mac-in build software that allows you to recover the saved data. Here are the steps on how to use it.
Step 1: In Apple's main menu, select the option of System Preferences.
Step 2: Opt for the option of a Time machine.
Step 3: Next, Select the Backup Disk button.
Step 4: Select the location or drive you to want to use it for creating a backup. Select Use Disk.
Step 5: Lastly, select the Back Up Automatically box to complete the backup process.
2- Deauthorize iTunes
De-authorizing or logging out from the apps with limited license is mandatory. iTunes uses an authorization system that can limit the number of connected devices. So before you go for the factory reset process, de-authorize iTunes account. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Open iTunes on your device.
Step 2: In the main menu, select the account.
Step 3: In account, select the option of Authorization followed by the option of Deauthorize This Computer.
Step 4: Enter your Id and password and click Deauthorize to complete the process.
3- Disable iCloud
Just as the Deauthorization process, the next step is to disable the iCloud. In case you are going to sell your device, it is important to remove all the personal information. To disable all the iCloud information. Follow the steps to proceed.
Step 1: In the apple main menu, select the option of System preferences.
Step 2: Next, select iCloud and click sign out to continue.
Step 3: Confirm the disablement from iCloud.
4- Sign out of iMessage
iMessage is the next apple build-in application that should be signed out from. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Launch iMessage and click on messages in the main menu.
Step 2: In the drop-down, select the option of Preferences.
Step 3: Click on the iMessage account and click sign out.
5- Erase Touch Bar Data
To make sure all the data is erased from the touch bar, here are the steps:
Step 1: Hold the Command+R keys and the power button to turn the device on.
Step 2: Select the option of Utilities followed by selecting Terminal from the macOS utility window.
Step 3: Type the following command, i.e., xartutil --erase-all
Step 4: Click Return, select Terminal, and then Quit Terminal.
6- Restart Your Mac in Recovery Mode
Foremost create the backup of your data. Once you are done creating a backup, the next step is to restart the Mac in recovery mode. Here are the steps:
Step 1: In the main apple menu, click restart.
Step 2: Once the device is restarted, press and hold Command and R keys. The mac device will restart in recovery mode.
7- Erase Mac hard drive
The next step is to erase the mac hard drive. Follow the steps to continue:
Factory Reset Macbook Pro Without Password
Step 1: In the main menu, select Disk Utility in the utility window. Click continue to proceed.
Step 2: In the sidebar menu, select the hard disk, i.e., Macintosh HD.
Step 3: Now select the option of erasing.
Step 4: Enter your ID and password for confirmation.
8- Reinstall your operating system
Once you have disabled all the licensed applications and erased all the data from your device and hard drive, now it’s time to reinstall the operating system. Simply in the macOS utility menu, select the option of reinstall macOS. Follow the instructions in the wizard to complete the reinstallation.
Video Guide on How to Factory Reset Your MacBook
Hard Reset Macbook Without Password
Part 3: Recovering from an Accidental Mac Factory Reset
Once you know the exact reason behind Fujitsu hard drive failure and data loss, the next step is to check for the appropriate solution. The most appropriate solution is using third-party application software, i.e., the Recoverit Data Recovery for Mac. Recoverit data recovery is one of the best software in this regime that facilitates data recovery. In case you have accidentally processed the mac factory reset, you have lost all the data. Recoverit data recovery will help to recover all the lost data. Download and launch the software on your device. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Choose the location from where the data is lost. Select Mac HD to recover data.
Step 2: Select the start to initiate the process of scanning for data retrieval. Once the scan is complete, the restored files/folders will appear as a preview.
Step 3: Check the preview of the files and click Recover to continue. Choose a location to save the recovered files and folders.
In case you want to sell your device or want to clear the space for saving new data, all you need is to factory reset your mac device. For this, you have to disable all the licensed applications and de-authorize all the accounts linked to your mac. Above mentioned, all the procedures to continue with the process of disabling applications and de-authorizing the accounts. Once done, you, with factory resting your mac, reinstall the new macOS. In case you have accidentally factory reset your mac, you have lost the data. Recoverit data recovery is the best third party application. In three steps, i.e., locate, scan, and recover, and you are done with retrieving the lost files and folders.
What's Wrong with Drive
Macbook Password Reset Without Disk
- Recover Your Drive
- Fix Your Drive
- Format/Wipe Drive
- Know Your Drive