How to Reset Mac Password: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

As Mac administrators and users, passwords are an effective and widely used method for protecting data and privacy. If you want a password to function effectively, however, it’s essential to ensure its security. If you lose your password or believe that it’s no longer secure, change it immediately. In this post, we’ll walk you through various methods for reset Mac password.

How to Reset Mac Password

1. Use the Password Hint First

If you’re lucky, your Mac’s password is configured with hints, and you can check this on the login screen.

You must be on the login screen to have access to this option. Simply awakening the Mac from sleep won’t display the? icon that you must click on. You will have to reboot your Mac.

• Restart your Mac.
• Once you have reached the login screen, choose the user you want to sign in as.
• There should be a question mark in that Enter Password field.
• Click on the? You may see a password hint.
• If this helps you solve the issue, great. If not, we have additional suggestions below.

Also read: 5 Best Password Manager for iPhone to Secure Your Data

2. Reset Mac Password Using Another Admin Account

If you have an administrator account and remember the password, you can use it to reset the password for your administrator account or the user account.

If you have (or you can discover) the password for another account on the Mac, you can use this account to reset your password. You can follow these instructions to reset Mac password using an account you have previously used. The process may depend on the macOS you’re using.

For macOS Ventura and later:

• Log out of your current account.
• Select the account for which you have the password.
• Enter the password for this account.
• Open System Settings > Users & Groups.
• Click on the i next to the account for which you’ve lost the password.
• Click Reset Password.
• Enter the password that you are registered with.
• Create a new password and confirm it.
• Add a Password hint (so that it won’t be lost).
• Click Change Password.

For macOS Monterey and earlier:

• Log out of your current account.
• Choose the account for which you know the password.
• Enter the password for this account.
• In Monterey or other older versions, open System Preferences > Users and Groups.
• In Monterey or older, click the lock icon located in the lower corner of the window. Enter the password again.
• Choose the account that you’ve forgotten the password to in the sidebar.
• Click Reset Password.
• Enter the new password. Verify the Password hint fields.
• Click Change Password.
• You’ve changed the password on this account. You can log in to that account with this new password.

3. Reset Mac Password Using Apple ID (Recovery Assistant)

If you boot up your Mac and choose the user you want to log in as, there should be an icon in the Enter Password field. Click on the(?) Get a hint for your password (as described above).

Under the password hint, you will see the choice of “Restart and show password reset options”. If you select this option, your Mac will reboot using Recovery Assistant open. Follow the steps below to reset your password.

• Once you have reached the login screen, select the (?) next to the Enter Password box.
• Click on Restart, and then show password reset options.
• Your Mac will be restarted through Recovery Assistant.
• Enter your Apple ID email address.
• Click on Next.
• Enter your Apple ID password.
• You will receive an alert for the other Apple product that is signed in to your Apple ID. Recognize that there was an attempt to log in (even when the alert claims it occurred in a different region of the country).
  The six-digit number appears on your phone. You must enter it on the Mac you’re trying to log in to.
• Select the user you want to reset the password for.
• Click on Next.
• Enter a new password and then confirm it.
• Create a password hint so you don’t forget the password over and over (but ensure that no one else can easily figure it out!)
• If you don’t see the? This could be because you haven’t turned on your Mac from off. So, turn your Mac off and then turn it back on.

Also read: Why Is My MacBook So Slow? 10 Tips to Speed Up MacBook

4. Reset Mac Password Using Recovery Key (FileVault)

If full disk encryption is turned on (recommended) and you create a Recovery key during the FileVault setup, you can use this key to change Macbook password.

• Restart your device.
• At the login screen, click the (?) icon. If you don’t see an icon with a question mark, hold the power button down until the device shuts down. Then press the power button to restart your MacBook.
• You’ll see an arrow that reads: “reset it using your recovery key.” Click on the Arrow. Enter the recovery code and then click Next.
• Then, follow the instructions to reset Mac password.

Wrap Up: Reset Mac Password

You’re now familiar with the four methods you can use to reset Mac password. Keeping your password updated and secure protects your privacy and data. In addition, it makes managing your macOS easier.

FAQs: Reset Mac Password