How to Unlock Macbook Without Password: 7 Ways

Posted By Volodymyr Chubei | 23 Aug 2024

Sometimes MacBook users forget or lose their passwords and are unable to log in. To restore access, there are several methods that will not cause difficulties even for those who are not computer savvy. In this article, we will look at all possible ways to unlock a Macbook without password and without data loss.

7 Ways to unlock Macbook without password

To unlock a Mac computer, just choose a convenient method and follow our instructions. Which option will be suitable in your case depends on the specific situation. For example, if you have access to Apple ID, another account or, perhaps, you use Apple Watch, there will be no difficulties. The choice is yours, and we offer step-by-step instructions for each option to unlock your MacBook.

Tip 1. Apple ID

This is an easy and secure way to regain access to your MacBook if you can't remember your password:

Enter any password three times in the login window to trigger the option to reset with Apple ID.
Enter your Apple ID and password to authorize.
Specify the account to which you lost the password.
Enter the new authorization data twice.
Click on Password Reset.

Tip 2. Other account

Below is another way showing how to get into a locked Apple computer. This method is suitable for those who have multiple accounts set up and at least one of them has a password.

Start your computer and log in to another account.
Open the system settings and select the Users and Groups tab.
Click on the image of the lock in the lower left corner.
Enter the administrator's password.
Select the account you lost access to and click Reset Password.
Use the Change Password option.
Log out of the account and log in to another account with a changed password.

Tip 3. FileVault

In this case, you will need the FileVault recovery key and the option enabled in advance, or the same Apple ID. The procedure itself will differ depending on the MacBook model and the Apple or Intel processors installed on them.

For Apple Silicone based laptops:

Turn off the computer.
After 10 seconds, press and hold the power button until the startup parameters are loaded.
Select Options and click on "Continue".
Select "Utilities" and then Terminal.
In the terminal window, enter the reset password.
Select a user account.
If your Apple ID information is available, select this option to change your password.
If you have a FileVault recovery key, select this option, enter the key and click on "Unlock".
Reboot the device and log in with the updated data.

For Intel-powered MacBooks:

Restart your computer and press Command+R on startup.
Select "Utilities" from the menu and then "Terminal".
In the terminal window, type "resetpassword" and press Return.
Select the desired account and click on "Next".
If you have an Apple ID connected with that account, select the reset option with it and change the password by following the on-screen instructions.
If you have a FileVault recovery key, use it to reset your login information and set a new password. To do this, enter the key, click "Unlock" and "Reset Password".
After restarting the laptop, specify a new password for login.

Also: How to secure your Mac on the Internet: 7 tips

Tip 4. Firmware password

In this case, you can prevent booting from any disk other than the original source disk.

Restart your MacBook and press Command+R.
In the Utility Selection window, click Startup Security Utility or Firmware Password Utility.
Enter the password and click on "Disable Firmware Password".
Restart the computer and specify new login information.

Tip 5. Third-party password reset assistant

Users have access to third-party access recovery tools that are available on the web. For example, it can be a special software called Tenorshare 4uKey - Password Manager. All programs are intuitive and easy to use thanks to on-screen prompts.

Using Tenorshare 4uKey as an example, let's see how to reset the password:

Download and install Tenorshare 4uKey - Password Manager on another computer.
Prepare a USB flash drive and connect it to the computer with 4uKey.
Launch Tenorshare 4uKey - Password Manager, select the option to create a bootable disk for Mac and create it.
Insert the bootable USB disk into the Mac you want to reset the password for.
Restart your Mac and hold down the Option (Alt) key to select to run from the USB drive.
When your Mac boots up, launch 4uKey and select the account for which you want to reset the password.
Select the desired option, such as reset password/delete account, and follow the on-screen instructions.
After resetting the password, remove the USB drive and restart your Mac.

Now you will be able to log in with a new password or no password at all, depending on the option you selected before.

Tip 6. Unlocking your MacBook with Apple Watch

This feature is available when you sign in to iCloud on Apple Watch and MacBook Pro with the same Apple ID, two-factor authentication is set up, and a password is set up on your watch. If your MacBook is locked, simply come to it with your Apple Watch activated and your computer automatically unlocks without the need to enter a password.

The way to enable such an option depends on the macOS you have installed.

If your computer has an operating system no older than macOS Ventura:

Open the Apple menu and go to System Preferences.
Touch "Touch ID and password".
In the Apple Watch section, move the settings slider to the active position.

If you have earlier versions of macOS installed on your Mac:

Open the Apple menu and click on "System Preferences."
Click on Security and Privacy.
Select "Allow Apple Watch to unlock Mac" or a similar option (depends on your operating system version).

Tip 7. Recovery via "Disk Utility"

This method is suitable for those who failed to use the previous ones. It is strongly recommended to create a copy of the data that can be lost during the recovery process. The data on the disk will be overwritten during the system reinstallation process.

Follow the instructions to reset the password:

Reboot your computer and at startup press Command+R combination to launch recovery mode.
Select "Disk Utility" from the menu.
Click on the main volume and select the Erase option.
Click on Erase to start the volume formatting process.
From the menu, select Reinstall macOS, wait for the system to install and when finished you will have the option to set new login credentials.

Also: How to Backup a MacBook to an External Hard Drive

Techtoro website offers a wide range of original parts for various MacBook models. The online store offers original components, guaranteed to be free of fakes and cheap analogs.

If you doubt that you can replace a part yourself, you can choose a safer and more reliable way - order MacBook repair from Techtoro by mail. Select the model of your device, what needs to be replaced or repaired and send us your computer.

After diagnosis, we will inform you about all details of the repair or upgrade. Pay the invoice and receive your computer within 1-2 days with a guarantee of quality and reliability of the services performed.

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FAQ

1. How do you unlock a MacBook if you forgot the password?

If you have forgotten your password, to unlock your MacBook use the reset function through macOS Recovery mode available when you boot your computer. You need to press Command+R at startup and use the standard utility.

2. Can a locked MacBook be unlocked?

Yes, MacBook can be unlocked via password recovery using macOS Recovery or other available tools depending on each particular case.

3. Can you bypass the password on a MacBook?

You can bypass the password on your MacBook by using the built-in macOS Recovery tool, which allows you to regain access to your system without a password.

4. How do I remove a password from a locked Mac?

To remove the password from a locked Mac, boot through macOS Recovery, select the reset utility and follow the on-screen instructions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Volodymyr Chubei
Computer Repair Specialist at TechToro.io

Volodymyr was born in Ukraine and has found his passion for electronics from his childhood. At the age of 13, he was capable of soldering some basic elements of a logic board and today he is one of the co-founders of TechToro.io