Your password should always be unique to you. However, there may be times when you suspect your MacBook password has been compromised. It would be best if you\u00a0did not dismiss the hunch, whether you did it knowingly or unknowingly. It would be best if you\u00a0took\u00a0precautions to keep yourself safe. One of those steps is to change your MacBook\u2019s password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When someone else has your MacBook password, they have unrestricted access to your PC. As a result, they have the same level of privilege as you and can access all of your files. If you need to give someone access to your MacBook, you have other options, such as creating a guest account or multiple user accounts. These options grant others limited access to your MacBook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here we cover easy steps to change your MacBook Air or Pro password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whatever the reason, changing your password is simple and quick. Here\u2019s how to go about it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, there are other things you can do to prevent changing your MacBook password altogether. They include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those who can\u2019t remember the password they\u2019ve had for years, let alone the one they\u2019re supposed to change every few months, can use their Apple ID as a backup if they forget the main MacBook lock screen passcode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following is how to access the Apple ID login backup feature:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One thing to keep in mind is that your Mac login password is linked to your Keychain Access utility. So, if you save a lot of information in your keychain, you better remember that old password\u00a0or all of it will be lost. So it might be a good idea to keep another hint for your Mac login password somewhere on your hard drive, just in case this happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you know you\u2019ll\u00a0need to remember\u00a0your Mac login; you\u00a0should\u00a0try to turn it off\u00a0to avoid being locked out and losing your data. This is not recommended and will leave your Mac vulnerable, but\u00a0it may be the only option in some cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To get around the Mac login password, do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No matter how long you\u2019re gone, your Mac will now be\u00a0unlocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you linked your Apple ID to your user account on your Mac during the initial setup, you should be able to reset your user password with a few clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After entering the incorrect user password three times, you will be prompted to restart your computer to\u00a0view the password recovery options. After it reboots, you\u2019ll be prompted to sign in with your Apple ID, select the user account for which you want to reset the password, and then enter a new password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you share your Mac with friends or family members,\u00a0you can\u00a0reset their password for them. The key point here is that you must have access to an admin user account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The person who initially sets up the Mac usually has an admin account by default. Still, you\u00a0can check by logging in to your account, going\u00a0to System Preferences > Users & Groups,\u00a0and viewing the list of user accounts on your Mac. The account type will appear\u00a0below the user name; if it says \u201cAdmin,\u201d you can reset user passwords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To do so, click on the lock\u00a0from the same Users & Groups screen\u00a0and, when prompted, enter your admin name and password. Next, select the user you want to reset the password, click the Reset Password button, and follow the instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If neither of those methods works, you\u2019ll need to restart your Mac in Recovery Mode to access the password reset tool. I\u2019ve discovered that turning off your Mac completely is the simplest way to accomplish this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The process for entering Recovery Mode will then vary depending on the type of Mac you have. For Macs with Intel processors, hold down the Command and R keys on your keyboard before pressing the power button. Hold\u00a0Command+R until you see a progress bar\u00a0beneath the Apple logo. You can also enter Recovery Mode by restarting your Mac and trying to time the keyboard combination Command+R. However,\u00a0starting with your Mac turned off is the most reliable method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Turn off the computer and then press and hold the power button until you see an options button on the Macbook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini that use Apple\u2019s M1 processor. Select Recovery after clicking on it. (For a more in-depth look at Recovery Mode on M1 Macs, click here.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now that your Mac is in Recovery Mode,\u00a0go to the menu bar and select Utilities, then Terminal. A new window will appear, ready for you to enter a command. Enter \u201cresetpassword\u201d without the quotes as a single word and press Return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Close the Terminal window, and then locate the Reset Password tool. Follow the prompts, which include signing in with your Apple ID and selecting the user account whose password must be changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FileVault is a MacOS feature that encrypts your Mac\u2019s hard drive and all stored data. It\u2019s usually enabled during initial setup, but you can enable it later in System Preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If FileVault is enabled, you have two additional options for resetting your user password. On the user login screen, you can wait up to a minute for a prompt to appear instructing you to press the power button to restart the Mac into Recovery mode. Follow the on-screen instructions to restart your computer, after which a Reset Password window should appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Recovery Key, which you should have written down when you enabled FileVault, is another option. Let\u2019s face it, most of us don\u2019t, but if you did, you could enter the recovery key when prompted after three failed login attempts. Make sure to use uppercase letters and\u00a0include the required hyphens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Any\u00a0methods we described are effective for regaining access to your account or if your child forgot their password. Of course, if you can use this to gain access to your Mac, so can anyone else who has access to it. You can avoid this by being more proactive during setup, such as storing recovery keys and remembering your password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are a few more tips and tricks to keep your Mac safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another time you\u2019ll need to enter your password to get into your Mac is when you wake it up from sleep or need to unlock the screen after the screensaver has started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you don\u2019t want to turn off\u00a0the password entirely, you can unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch\u00a0if you have one. You\u2019ll still have to enter your password the first time you boot up your Mac after shutting it down (unless you\u2019ve configured it to log in automatically). However, you will not need to enter your password to wake it up; it will unlock automatically when it detects your Watch is nearby,\u00a0and you are wearing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n