How to Change Your Mac Password

How do you change your Mac password while logged in?

To change your Mac login password, open System Settings, select Users & Groups, choose your account, and select Change Password. Enter your current Mac password, enter the new password twice, add a useful hint if requested, and confirm the change.

1. Open the Apple menu and select System Settings.
2. Select Users & Groups in the sidebar.
3. Select the information button beside your user account, or select your account name if that is what your Mac shows.
4. Select Change Password.
5. Enter the password you currently use to sign in.
6. Enter and verify the new password. Make sure both entries match exactly.
7. Add a password hint that helps you without revealing the password.
8. Select Change Password, then lock the Mac and test the new password.

On older supported macOS versions that use System Preferences, open System Preferences, select Users & Groups, select your account, and choose Change Password. These menu names are for older macOS versions; current versions use System Settings.

Changing a Mac password is different from changing an Apple Account password. The Mac login password unlocks a local user account, while the Apple Account password is used for Apple services and may help with recovery.

How do you change the password from the Mac login screen?

The standard Mac login screen does not provide a direct option for changing a known password. If you still know the password and only want to update it, sign in first and change it in Users & Groups.

1. Select your user account on the login screen.
2. Enter the current login password and sign in.
3. Open the Apple menu, then System Settings.
4. Select Users & Groups and open the settings for your account.
5. Select Change Password and enter the old and new passwords.
6. Lock the screen or sign out, then confirm that the new password works.

If the login screen says the password must be changed before you can continue, follow that on-screen prompt. This can happen with an account controlled by an employer or school. If no change prompt appears and the password is rejected, use the reset choices instead of repeatedly guessing.

How do you reset a forgotten Mac password?

If you forgot the Mac login password, first enter a password up to three times and look for a reset message or question mark beside the password field. The choices shown depend on how the Mac and user account were configured.

• Apple Account: If the Mac offers an Apple Account reset option, select it and follow the identity-verification steps. Apple ID is now called Apple Account, although an older screen may still use the former name.
• macOS Recovery: Shut down the Mac, start macOS Recovery using the instructions shown for that Mac model, and select the password-reset option when offered. Follow the prompts for the affected startup disk and user account.
• FileVault recovery key: FileVault is disk encryption that protects the information stored on the Mac. If the reset screen accepts a FileVault recovery key, enter the key exactly as it was recorded when FileVault was enabled.
• Another administrator: If another administrator account exists on the same Mac, that administrator may be able to open Users & Groups and reset the affected account.

A reset may prevent the old login keychain from opening because it is still protected by the forgotten password. A keychain stores saved passwords, certificates, and other secure account information. If macOS cannot unlock the old keychain, it may offer to create a new one.

How do you update the password on all your devices?

Changing the login password on a Mac does not automatically change every saved password or the login credentials on another device. Update any place that still expects the old Mac password, but do not replace an Apple Account password unless you intentionally changed that separate password too.

1. Restart or lock the Mac and verify the new login password.
2. Respond to any keychain prompt. If asked for the previous password and you know it, enter it so the existing keychain can be updated.
3. Check Mail, calendars, file sharing, network drives, and other connected services for prompts that may still contain the old credential.
4. On another Mac that uses a separate local account, change that Mac’s login password separately if desired.
5. Remove outdated saved credentials only when a service keeps rejecting the correct current password.

If the Mac displays repeated keychain prompts after changing the login password, open the Keychain Access app and review the affected entry. Creating a new keychain can remove access to passwords stored only in the old one, so use that option carefully.

What should you do if the Mac password will not change?

If changing the password on a Mac fails, read the exact message before trying again. The message often identifies whether the problem is the current password, the confirmation entry, account permissions, or a temporary lock.

• Confirmation does not match: Retype the new password in both fields. Check Caps Lock, keyboard layout, spaces, and similar-looking characters.
• Current password is rejected: Confirm that you are entering the Mac login password, not the Apple Account password. Select the correct user if several accounts appear.
• Permission is denied: A standard user may not be allowed to change another account. Sign in to the account being changed or ask an administrator for help.
• Account is locked: Stop repeated attempts and follow the recovery message shown on the Mac. A managed work or school account may require its administrator to unlock it.
• Change appears successful but login fails: Restart the Mac, confirm the correct keyboard layout, and carefully enter the new password. If it still fails, use the displayed reset options.

How do you contact Apple Support about a Mac password?

If the Mac offers no usable reset option, the FileVault recovery key is unavailable, or Recovery Mode does not recognize the account, contact Apple Support. Open {site}, choose support for Mac, and select the sign-in or password topic that best matches the screen.

Have the Mac model, macOS version if known, the exact error message, and access to the Apple Account associated with the Mac ready. Apple Support cannot retrieve a password you forgot, but it can explain the recovery choices available for the device and help identify whether the issue involves the local login, Apple Account, FileVault, or a managed account.