How to Reset Admin Password on Mac

You can reset a Mac admin password from the login window with a linked Apple ID, from macOS Recovery, or through another administrator account. Start with the login-window option, then use macOS Recovery if no reset message appears.

What do you need before resetting a Mac admin password?

Before you reset an admin password on a Mac, gather the account name and any sign-in details you may need. The account password is different from the password used for an Apple Account, formerly called an Apple ID.

• Keep the Mac with you because every supported reset method requires physical access.
• Check whether another administrator account exists on the Mac.
• Have the Apple Account email address and password linked to the Mac, if applicable.
• Keep the FileVault recovery key available if you saved one.
• Connect the Mac to power. Internet access may be needed to verify an Apple Account.

At the login window, confirm that you are resetting the correct user. If the screen shows only name and password boxes, enter the account name exactly as it was created.

How do I reset an admin password on Mac using my Apple Account?

After several incorrect password attempts, the login window may display a reset message. The wording varies, but it may offer to reset the password using the linked Apple Account or restart and show password-reset options.

1. Enter an incorrect password up to three times, pausing after each attempt so the Mac can display a hint or reset message.
2. Select the reset message or its arrow. If no message appears, restart the Mac and try again before moving to macOS Recovery.
3. Enter the requested Apple Account information. Complete account verification if prompted.
4. Select the locked admin account if more than one user appears.
5. Create a new password, enter it again, and add a useful password hint that does not reveal the password.
6. Restart if requested, then sign in with the new Mac password.

This option appears only when the Mac and account configuration allow an Apple Account reset. If you forgot your admin password on your Mac and no reset prompt appears, use macOS Recovery instead.

How do I reset an admin password on a Mac using macOS Recovery?

macOS Recovery is a built-in startup environment for repairing the Mac and changing certain account settings. The way you enter it depends on the Mac processor.

1. Shut down the Mac completely.
2. On a Mac with Apple silicon, press and hold the power button until startup options appear, then choose Options and continue. On an Intel-based Mac, turn it on and immediately hold Command-R until the startup screen appears.
3. If asked to select a user whose password you know, look for the option indicating that all passwords were forgotten.
4. Follow the Reset Password assistant when it opens. You may need to select the startup disk, choose the locked account, or verify an Apple Account or FileVault recovery key.
5. If the assistant does not appear, open Terminal from the Utilities menu, type resetpassword, and press Return. Follow the Reset Password window rather than entering other Terminal commands.
6. Create and confirm the new password, then restart the Mac and sign in.

If Recovery cannot find the startup disk or the account, stop rather than erasing the Mac. Erasing can remove files and is not required for a normal admin password reset.

How can another administrator reset a forgotten Mac admin password?

A second administrator can change a local user’s password without knowing the forgotten password. Menu wording can differ by macOS version, but the account controls are under Users & Groups in System Settings or System Preferences.

1. Sign in to the working administrator account.
2. Open the Apple menu, open System Settings or System Preferences, and select Users & Groups.
3. Unlock the settings or approve the change with the working administrator’s password if requested.
4. Select the locked account and choose the control for resetting or changing its password.
5. Enter and confirm a new password, then save the change.
6. Sign out of the second administrator account and test the new password on the locked account.

Check the user’s account type while viewing Users & Groups. If the locked user is no longer listed as an administrator, restore administrator privileges only if that access is appropriate.

How does FileVault change a Mac admin password reset?

FileVault encrypts the Mac startup disk, so the disk must be unlocked before macOS can access the user account. A FileVault recovery key is the long code created or stored when encryption was enabled.

1. At the login or Recovery screen, choose the option to reset with a recovery key if it appears.
2. Enter the recovery key exactly, including letters, numbers, and hyphens.
3. Select the admin account and create a new login password.
4. Restart and confirm that the new password unlocks both the encrypted disk and the account.

An Apple Account can unlock some FileVault configurations, while others require the recovery key or another FileVault-enabled user. If neither verification method is available, Apple Support can explain the remaining options, but encryption prevents support staff from recovering an unknown password or recovery key.

What should I check after resetting the Mac admin password?

A Mac admin password reset may leave the login keychain protected by the old password. The login keychain stores saved credentials used by apps and services.

• If a keychain prompt appears and you remember the old password, enter it to unlock the existing keychain.
• If you do not know the old password, follow the prompt to create a new login keychain. Previously stored keychain items may no longer be available.
• Open Users & Groups and confirm that the account still has administrator status if it needs admin rights.
• Update the Mac password in any password manager entry where you recorded it.
• Test settings that require administrator approval so you know the new password works.

What should I do if I still cannot get into my Mac?

Contact Apple Support if the Mac will not enter Recovery, the startup disk does not appear, Apple Account verification repeatedly fails, or the FileVault recovery options do not accept information you believe is correct. Do not repeatedly guess a recovery key or erase the Mac simply to get past the login screen.

Have the Mac model, approximate macOS version, account name, Apple Account email address, and a description of every message on the screen ready. Apple may also ask for the device serial number and proof that you are authorized to use the Mac. Never send an account password, recovery key, or verification code in an ordinary message.