How to Change Your Password on an iMac

To change the login password on an iMac, open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, select Users & Groups, and open the information for your user account. Select Change, enter the old password and the new password, verify the new password, and select Change Password.

How do I change my password on my iMac from System Settings?

Your iMac login password is the password used to unlock your Mac when it starts or wakes from sleep. It is separate from your Apple Account password, which is used for iCloud and other Apple services.

1. Sign in to your iMac.
2. Open the Apple menu in the upper-left corner and choose System Settings.
3. Select Users & Groups in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.
4. Select the Info button next to your user name.
5. Select Change.
6. Enter your current login password in the Old Password field.
7. Enter the replacement password in the New Password field, then enter it again in the Verify field.
8. Add a password hint that helps you remember the password without revealing it to someone else.
9. Select Change Password.

The new password should work the next time the iMac asks you to log in or unlock the screen. If you searched for “how to change my password on my iMac,” these steps apply when you know the current login password and can access your account.

What do I need before changing an iMac password?

Have the following information ready before you change a password on an iMac:

• Your current iMac login password. Touch ID may unlock the computer, but macOS can still require the typed password for account changes.
• Access to the correct user account. A standard user can change that account’s own password; administrator access is needed to reset another user’s password.
• A new password that you can enter twice without copying a typing error.
• Your Apple Account credentials and access to a trusted device if you may need an Apple Account verification code during a reset.
• Your FileVault recovery key, if one was created and you plan to use it as a recovery method.

Save open work before beginning a forgotten-password reset because the iMac may need to restart.

How do I reset my iMac password if I forgot the current password?

Restart the iMac and try the login password again, checking capitalization and the keyboard language shown in the Input menu. Entering an incorrect password up to three times may reveal a hint, a question mark, or a reset message at the login window.

1. Select the displayed reset message, such as an option to reset using your Apple Account or restart and show password reset options.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen. If requested, enter your Apple Account email address or phone number and Apple Account password, not the forgotten Mac password.
3. Enter any verification code sent to a trusted device.
4. Select the affected user account and create a new login password.
5. Restart the iMac, then sign in with the new password.

The available choices depend on how the iMac, Apple Account, and FileVault were configured. If no reset option appears, use macOS Recovery.

On an iMac with Apple silicon, shut down the computer, then press and hold the power button until startup options appear. On an Intel-based iMac, restart it and immediately hold Command-R. From macOS Recovery, use the password-reset choices shown on the screen. You may be asked for an Apple Account, a FileVault recovery key, a startup disk, or the password for another administrator account.

What password should I use for my iMac?

Choose a unique password that is difficult for another person to guess but practical for you to type. A long passphrase made from unrelated words can be easier to remember than a short, complicated password.

• Do not reuse an email, banking, work, or Apple Account password.
• Avoid your name, user name, birthday, address, pet’s name, or a simple keyboard pattern.
• Check Caps Lock and keyboard language before saving the password.
• Type the new password carefully in both fields.
• Use a private hint that helps only you; never place the password itself in the hint.
• Store the password in a trusted password manager if you may forget it.

Before closing System Settings, pause and repeat the password to yourself or confirm that it was saved securely. This reduces the chance of an immediate lockout.

What happens after I change the password on my iMac?

Changing the iMac login password normally does not change the password for your Apple Account or other Apple devices. Those devices continue using their own device passcodes or login passwords.

After a normal change made with the old password, macOS can usually continue using the existing login keychain. A keychain is the encrypted store that holds saved passwords, certificates, and other credentials.

After a reset performed without the old password, the iMac may say that it cannot unlock the login keychain. If prompted, enter the previous password to unlock the existing keychain. If you cannot provide it, macOS may offer to create a new keychain; saved items that existed only in the inaccessible keychain will not automatically appear in the new one.

You may also need to enter the new iMac password again for system changes, saved network access, or apps that request access to protected information.

Why is my new iMac password not accepted?

If the new iMac password is rejected, first confirm which password the screen requests. A Mac login prompt, an Apple Account prompt, and an app sign-in prompt can look similar but require different credentials.

• Check whether Caps Lock is on and confirm the keyboard language in the Input menu.
• Restart the iMac and enter the new login password manually instead of relying on Touch ID.
• If the old password still works, return to Users & Groups and repeat the change carefully.
• If you forgot the new password immediately, use the hint or reset message at the login window.
• If an administrator reset another user’s password, expect that user to receive a keychain warning after signing in.

What should I do if the administrator account is locked?

If repeated attempts lock the administrator account, stop guessing. Wait for the amount of time displayed on the login screen, restart the iMac, and try once with the correct capitalization and keyboard language.

If the account remains locked, use the reset option at the login window or start macOS Recovery. Another administrator account on the same iMac can also reset the affected account through Users & Groups, but resetting another user’s password may prevent that user’s old login keychain from unlocking.

If no reset method accepts your credentials, use Apple’s official support options rather than erasing the iMac. Erasing the computer can remove local files and should not be treated as the first password-recovery step.