Forgot My iMac Password: How to Reset Your Login Password

The default setting for a Mac is to use your iCloud account to encrypt your drive. When you can't remember or even guess your Mac's login password, you can reset it if you have your FileVault recovery key written down somewhere.

If you're unable to remember your login password, there are several steps you can take to reset it using your Apple ID and the FileVault recovery key.

Step 1: Restart Your Mac

After several wrong attempts at signing in, your Mac might offer the option to reset the password with your Apple ID. If you can sign into Apple Music, Fitness+, or any of Apple's other services, you can reset your Mac password if it uses the same Apple ID.

Step 2: Select the Disk Volume

After restarting, your Mac will show one or more disk volumes to use. In most cases, you should choose Macintosh HD, the default name for your Mac's startup drive. If a volume called 'macOS Base System' appears, disregard it since it's a small volume used internally by the operating system and doesn't contain any user data.

Step 3: Enter Your Apple ID and Password

Enter your Apple ID and password and choose Next. If you have two-factor authentication on your Apple account, you'll need to enter a verification code, then select Verify.

Step 4: Choose the User Account

One or more Mac user accounts will appear and you should pick the one that needs the password reset, then choose Next.

Step 5: Enter a New Password

The next step is to enter a new password, type it again to verify, and ideally provide a password hint that will help if you forget it again.

Step 6: Restart Your Mac

At this point, your Mac password has been changed and your Mac will ask you to restart so you can log in and use your Mac again.

By following these steps, you should be able to reset your iMac password using your Apple ID and FileVault recovery key. If you're still having trouble, there are other options available to help you regain access to your Mac or MacBook.

Forgot my imac password