I forgot my imac password, what should I do? I forgot my password on my MacBook. I forgot my Mac password. How to restore. Instructions. Reset your account password using your Apple ID

Forgetting a password is a situation in which any of us has ever found ourselves. And if a lost password for a social network account can be recovered in 2-3 minutes via email or mobile phone, a password for an account in Windows can be recovered in half an hour, but with Apple devices and the MacOX operating system everything is much more complicated.

The fact is that Apple computers have a very high level of protection. A password can be set not only on the software, but also on the motherboard itself, blocking the choice of boot device. This is the so-called firmware password - a password set on the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) - a more powerful analogue of the BIOS, which is used in Apple devices.

Let's demonstrate with an example. This picture shows the password entry window for your ICloud account:

And this one shows the EFI password entry field:

EFI password can be set on all iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro products.

1. iMac 21" A1311

3. Macbook Pro 17" A1297

4. Macbook Pro 15" A1286

5. Macbook Pro 13" A1278

6. Macbook Air 11" A1370, A1465

7. Macbook Air 13" A1369, A1466

8. Macbook Pro 15" A1398 with Retina display

9. MacBook Pro 13" A1425 with retina display

10. All Mac Mini

So, how do you reset your EFI password and unlock your MacBook or other Apple computer?

The most correct way is to contact Apple support. The company's certified technicians will help solve the problem. But there is not always time and desire for this.

Most users prefer to solve such problems themselves.

The most common and effective method to reset the EFI password is as follows:

1. You need to change the amount of computer memory. Remove one memory stick or swap the memory sticks.

• To remove the memory stick from your MacBook, you will need a small Phillips screwdriver and a ruler.
• Using a screwdriver, unscrew the screws that hold the back cover of the laptop;
• Disconnect the battery from the motherboard. This can be done conveniently and safely using a plastic ruler.
• Carefully push apart the latches that hold the memory modules in place and carefully remove 1 module.
• Reconnect the battery and screw on the laptop lid.

2. Turn on your computer. When turning it on, hold down the key combination: “cmd+alt+p+r”. Repeat these steps several times if necessary.

After this, the password should be reset.

Good luck in restoring access to your computer! Keep your passwords in a safe place and don't forget them!

The macOS feature that lets you unlock your Mac with Apple Watch provides security and convenience. However, a problem may arise if the feature stops working properly.

If unlocking your Mac using Apple Watch isn't working for you, here are some solutions you can try.

The most common problem with this feature is that the light spins for a couple of seconds but doesn't unlock the Mac, and it ends up popping up a sign asking for a password. In this situation, solution #8 is suitable. You may have other cases, but one of the solutions should definitely help.

How to fix unlocking problemsMac by usingApple Watch

Solution 1: Make sure you entered your password correctlyMac when loading.

After you enable Apple Watch unlock, you will still have to enter your passcode if you restart your Mac. This is not a bug, it is a security measure designed specifically. Every time you restart your computer, you will first have to enter the password manually. Then, if your Mac goes to sleep, you can unlock it using your Apple Watch.

Solution 2: Make sure you entered your password correctlyApple Watch.

Like your Mac password, you will also have to enter your Apple Watch password manually first. This is also a security measure designed to ensure that no one else can unlock your Mac.

Solution 3: Turn the feature on and off.

On a Mac, go to  > System Preferences > Safety. Select a tab Basic, then remove and check the box next to AllowApple Watch unlockMac.

Solution 4:Make sure you are logged in to the same account on both devices.

On a Mac, go to  > System Preferences > iCloud and make sure the account here is the same as on the Apple Watch in the Watch app > General > Accounts.

If the account does not match, you will not be able to use the unlock feature.

Solution 5: Make sure Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are turned on on your Mac.

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi must be turned on to transfer information. If they're turned off, Apple Watch won't be able to connect to your Mac to unlock it.

Solution 6: Check thatMac function disabledInternet Sharing

On a Mac, go to  > System Preferences > Sharing and make sure sharing is turned off.

Solution 7: Check thatApple Watch was no more than an arm's length away fromMac.

This is understandable, but you still have to be near the Mac to unlock it for hours.

Solution 8: reboot All.

If all else fails, simply restart your Mac and Apple Watch. You may need to restart your Mac more than once for the feature to work properly.

Since the Touch ID fingerprint sensor appeared in the iPhone 5s, many developers have thought about integrating its functionality on the Mac via wireless communication channels. Initially, such solutions were available exclusively to users of iDevices with, but with the release of macOS Sierra, Apple allowed Mac computers to be unlocked using the Apple Watch. Owners of iPhone and iPad can use the third-party MacID application.

The principle of operation of the program is quite simple - special software is installed on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac, which allows the computer to send an identification request to the mobile device. The user only needs to touch the Touch ID sensor or enter the lock code (for older devices), thereby confirming their identity. What’s interesting is that, unlike a number of similar solutions, MacID can be used even without launching a special application on your iOS device, directly from the lock screen (thanks to sending interactive Push notifications from your Mac).

In addition, the MacID application allows you to:

• create an icon for Mac lock on the iPhone or iPad screen;

• configure Mac unlocking through a specific pressure on the surface of the trackpad or Magic Mouse;

• Set your Mac to automatically lock when you leave your computer.

Data transfer is carried out exclusively via Bluetooth Low Energy, hence the requirements for devices - MacBook 2015 and newer, MacBook Air and Mac Mini 2011 and newer, MacBook Pro and iMac 2012 and newer, Mac Pro 2013 and newer, iPhone 4s and newer , iPad mini, iPad 4 and later, Apple Watch. Minimum operating system versions: OS X Yosemite and iOS 8. The application uses 256-bit AES encryption, which provides protection against data interception by third parties.

If you work in an office or other place where unauthorized people may have access to your computer, it is useful to remember to lock your computer. This is a simple but reliable way to protect your data from falling into the wrong hands. When leaving the computer, many people often turn it off or put it to sleep instead of simply locking it. In the long term, such treatment can harm hard drives and SSDs, for which every full sleep is a load. We'll tell you how to quickly lock your macOS computer without putting it to sleep.

Hotkeys

The fastest way to lock your screen is with a shortcut key. But in order not just to turn off the display, but to completely lock the computer, you must first change the standard system settings.

To do this you need:

Open System Preferences > Security & Safety > General.

Check the box next to “Request a password.” In the drop-down menu, select “immediately” or another interval of your choice.

Lock screen with keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + Eject or Ctrl + Shift + Power.

One of the unique features of the new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is that it doesn't have a Power button, so you can't use the classic keyboard shortcut to lock the display. The Touch Bar will come to the rescue, for which there is a special lock button. You can find it here:

System Preferences > Keyboard > Touch Bar Settings

Display settings

The macOS interface allows you to adjust the display's angles for quick actions. One of these actions may be putting the monitor into sleep mode, which will automatically lock the computer.

You can configure this as follows:

System Preferences > Desktop & Screen Saver > Hot Corners.

Specify the desired angle and select “Put monitor into sleep mode” in the drop-down menu.

Click "OK".

Third party software

There are many third-party programs and utilities that allow you to place the computer lock button on the top bar in macOS. For example, Parallels Toolbox, where in the drop-down menu there is a quick computer lock option.

Anything can happen in life, for example, you suddenly inherited a MacBook or iMac from your great-grandmother. Well, or another computer made by Apple. Everything is fine, you are glad of the happiness that has fallen, the euphoria is gradually replaced by the realization that the password for the computer is unknown, and, in general, there is no one to ask it from. What to do in this case - read on.

Of course, you will do everything described here at your own risk and there is nothing to complain about later. And of course, it is understood that such procedures will only be carried out if you actually do not know the password to your great-grandmother’s MacBook.

You can describe the process from the point of view of a command line guru, but this is inappropriate, since your great-grandmother’s MacBook is apparently your first MacBook, so it’s as simple and clear as possible about the main thing. How to get the most important and important password - the Administrator password!

To get started:

• Command+S, copy-paste doesn't work here!
• Wait until the lines of code run through, then carefully enter the command. This spell will make the file system readable and writable:

• Look for your great-grandmother's short system nickname:

• Kill your great-grandmother's Keychain. Please note: instead of “nickname” you substitute the one you found with the previous command, this is important!

• Restart your Mac:

As a result, the next time you boot, OS X will create a new Keychain, and great-grandmother will have nothing to do with it.

Now let's get down to the most important and interesting thing - we take control of the Mac into our own hands, resetting the most important and important Administrator password. There are a couple of options for how to do this, you can choose any one. And, if you’re not tired yet, let’s continue.

1. Use a bunch of commands:

• Boot into Single-User mode: when loading, immediately hold down Command+S, copy-paste doesn't work here!
• Wait until the lines of code run through, then carefully enter, the spell will make the file system readable and writable:

• Manually open the Open Directory - the thing that manages all the accounts on the computer (on Mac OS 10.6 and earlier this thing will not work - it’s simply not there):

• Again, you are looking for the short system nickname of your great-grandmother, or the account whose password you need to reset. Remember:

• Here you replace the “nickname” with the name obtained by the previous command:

If something like this suddenly pops up, don’t be alarmed, just ignore it:

Launchctl: Couldn’t stat (“/System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.DirectoryServicesLocal.plist”): No such file or directory nothing found to load

• Enter a new password!
• Restart your Mac:

2. Use three times fewer commands:

OS X is very easy to cheat. For example, make the system think that they haven’t thought about installing it yet. To do this, you just need to delete one file, it says that the installation of OS X is complete, let him “think differently,” as Jobs bequeathed!

• Again, boot into “Single-user mode”: when loading, immediately hold down Command+S, copy-paste doesn't work here!
• Wait until the lines of code run through, then carefully enter the command, the spell will make the file system readable and writable:

• Delete the same file:

Restart your Mac:

As a result, you get a brand new Mac that looks like it came straight from the store. Set up your account again, just like after installing the system. Moreover, the data of other accounts (and great-grandmother’s too) will remain untouched. Unless you enter a username that is already in the system.

3. Use “Recovery Mode”

• Boot into “Recovery Mode”: when loading, immediately press and hold Alt (Option), here we need a disk called “Recovery”
• Through the “Utilities” menu, select the “Terminal” program
• Enter the command, it will bring up a dialog box to reset the necessary and important Administrator password:

• In the dialog box that appears, select the boot disk, account, enter a new password with confirmation and select a question to recover it
• Click “Save” and reboot using the corresponding “Apple” menu item. Great-grandmother would be proud of you!

In fact, it is not clear: impenetrable OS X and such “failures” in security! Such things can easily help attackers take over the contents of any Mac. Although, on the other hand, if it were not possible to access the Mac bypassing the Administrator account, then, say, having lost or forgotten the password, without an installation disk at hand, you can say goodbye to all information forever. But this is only if the great-grandmother did not enable FileVault disk encryption - none of the above methods will work then.