You enter your Mac password, but the login window keeps rejecting it. Start by checking what the keyboard is entering, then use Apple’s password-reset options if the password still fails. The steps below cover Apple silicon and Intel Macs, with erasure reserved for when recovery fails.
Check the basics at the login window
Work through these checks before resetting your password.
- 1.Enter your Mac user account’s password. Your Mac login password and Apple Account password are separate credentials.
- 2.Check Caps Lock, then select the correct keyboard language from the login window’s Input menu.
- 3.Click the question mark beside the password field to display a previously configured hint. Three unsuccessful attempts also trigger a hint when one is available.
- 4.If the account is temporarily locked, wait for the displayed lockout duration to end.
- 5.Restart the Mac, then retry your password. If it is unresponsive, hold the power or Touch ID button for up to 10 seconds, then turn it on again. A forced shutdown puts unsaved work at risk.
Fix keyboard input that changes your password
These checks address missing or altered keystrokes.
Reconnect an external keyboard firmly. If it still misses keystrokes, try another port. If the problem continues, try a different keyboard.
Check that a wireless keyboard is powered on. Charge a rechargeable keyboard with a depleted battery. Replace depleted batteries in an older battery-powered Apple keyboard.
For an unresponsive rechargeable Magic Keyboard, switch it off and back on. Connect it to the Mac with its appropriate USB-C or Lightning cable for one minute to pair and charge it.
If your notebook’s built-in keyboard is unresponsive, connect the Mac to power. If the built-in keyboard remains unresponsive, attach an external keyboard.
Open accessibility shortcuts by pressing Option-Command-F5 or quickly pressing Touch ID three times. Deselect Mouse Keys if it is enabled and listed in the panel. Turn off Sticky Keys if it is listed and unintended modifier keys are affecting your typing.
If Slow Keys is enabled, hold each key longer. Once you have an accessible session, disable Slow Keys in System Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard.
Use the login window’s password-reset option
After up to three unsuccessful attempts, check for a password-reset option. Its availability and the authentication it requests depend on your account and FileVault setup.
Click Reset Password or Restart and show password reset options, whichever appears. Supply the requested Apple Account authentication or FileVault recovery key. A FileVault recovery key is different from an Apple Account recovery key. Complete the onscreen prompts to set a new login password.
The reset does not unlock your old encrypted login keychain. Access to the passwords stored there still requires its previous password.
If the reset option is missing or the process fails, try another administrator account on the Mac. Without a usable administrator account, move to macOS Recovery below.
Let another administrator reset your account
Use this route if someone can still sign in to another administrator account on the Mac.
- 1.Log in to the other administrator account.
- 2.Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
- 3.Select Users & Groups.
- 4.Click the information button beside the affected user, then click Reset.
- 5.Complete the password prompts to reset that account’s login password.
Open macOS Recovery to reset the password
Use Recovery when you cannot complete a reset from the login window. Apple silicon and Intel Macs use different startup procedures, and the reset still requires an available recovery credential.
On an Apple silicon Mac, shut down first. Hold the power button until startup options load. Select Options, then click Continue. Choose the startup volume if requested.
On an Intel Mac, turn it on while immediately holding Command-R until the Apple logo or a globe appears. If local Recovery fails on Intel, try Option-Command-R or Shift-Option-Command-R during startup. If startup shortcuts do not respond, use the built-in keyboard or a wired Mac keyboard. Connect to Wi-Fi or Ethernet when requested.
At Recovery’s authentication screen, choose Forgot all passwords?. Provide the requested authentication. Complete the password-reset prompts. Restart the Mac after the reset finishes.
If you still need to open the password-reset assistant from Recovery, open Utilities > Terminal. Run resetpassword by typing it and pressing Return. Select My password doesn't work when logging in.
Click Next. Complete the requested authentication. Follow the prompts to reset the password.
Recover the credentials the reset assistant needs
This addresses a reset blocked by a missing FileVault key or forgotten Apple Account password.
For a Mac using macOS Tahoe 26 or later, open Passwords on an iPhone or iPad signed in to the same Apple Account. The recovery-key entry exists only if the key synced through iCloud Passwords & Keychain.
Select All. Choose the affected Mac’s name. Open Recovery Key. Tap Copy Recovery Key if you need to copy it.
Alternatively, open Passwords on another Mac with the synced entry. Select All. Choose the affected Mac’s name. Hover over the recovery key to reveal it.
Click the key if you need to copy it. Enter the FileVault recovery key when the locked Mac requests it.
If you have forgotten the Apple Account password requested by the assistant, open Settings on a trusted iPhone or iPad. Tap your name. Select Sign-In & Security. Tap Change Password.
Authenticate with the trusted device’s passcode. Complete the password change. This changes your Apple Account password, not your Mac login password.
Without a trusted device, start Apple Account recovery at iforgot.apple.com. Account verification determines the recovery options and any waiting period.
Return to the Mac’s password-reset assistant with the recovered credentials.
Erase the Mac only after recovery fails
Erasure is Apple’s last-resort route when password recovery fails. It deletes the Mac’s accounts and data and does not remove Activation Lock. Reinstalling macOS without erasing it does not reset the password; disk authentication still requires the existing unlock password when requested.
If you accept the data loss, start macOS Recovery using the procedure above. Select Recovery Assistant > Erase Mac. Confirm the erasure twice. Activate the Mac with the Apple Account if requested.
Select the macOS installation option in Recovery, then click Continue. Follow the installer’s prompts, choosing Macintosh HD if it offers both that volume and Macintosh HD - Data. Complete Setup Assistant after installation. If erasure, activation, or reinstallation fails, contact Apple Support for help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Touch ID or Apple Watch unlock my Mac if I forget the password?
Previously configured Touch ID and Apple Watch Auto Unlock work only during permitted unlocks; neither resets the password. The initial login after startup, restart, or logout still requires your password.
How do I remove a keychain prompt after resetting my login password?
Try the previous login password when the keychain requests it. If that password is unavailable, the new account password cannot unlock the old keychain. Only when Apple Support advises a manual reset, open Keychain Access > Settings > Reset Default Keychains. This removes their stored passwords. Then choose Apple menu > Log Out and sign in again.
Will Safe Mode bypass a rejected Mac password?
No. Safe Mode diagnoses startup software problems and still requires normal authentication. Use it to investigate a login that hangs, not to bypass a forgotten or rejected password.
What should I do if this is a work or school Mac?
Contact your IT administrator. Ask them to retrieve the Mac’s FileVault personal recovery key if it was stored in the organization’s device-management service. For organizational sign-in failures, ask IT to check Platform SSO registration, password synchronization, and login policies.