How to Change Your Mac Password (and What to Do If You Forget It)

Your Mac’s login password protects everything on it. It’s worth changing if someone else knows it, or if you’ve been using something far too simple.

Your Mac login password is not the same as your Apple Account password (the one for iCloud and the App Store). This guide is about the password you type to log in to your Mac.

How to change your Mac password

1. Click the Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click Users & Groups in the sidebar.
3. Click the ⓘ next to your name.
4. Click Change… next to Password (on some versions, Change Password…).
5. Enter your old password.
6. Enter your new password, then enter it again to verify.
7. Add a password hint that will jog your memory but won’t give it away to anyone else.
8. Click Change Password.

On some versions of macOS you can also change it under System Settings > Touch ID & Password (or Login Password).

The new password takes effect immediately. You’ll use it the next time you log in, unlock your Mac or approve a change.

Tips for a good Mac password

• Use at least 12 characters. A short phrase of unrelated words is strong and easy to remember.
• Don’t reuse a password from another account.
• Set up Touch ID if your Mac has it, so you don’t have to type the password every time.
• Write the password down and keep it somewhere safe at home, not on a sticky note on the screen.

What to do if you’ve forgotten your Mac password

Option 1: See your password hint

On the login screen, click the question mark in the password box, or enter the wrong password three times. Your hint appears if you set one.

Option 2: Reset it with your Apple Account

1. Enter the wrong password up to three times at the login screen.
2. A message appears offering to restart and show password reset options. Click it.
3. After the restart, sign in with your Apple Account email and password.
4. Follow the steps to create a new Mac password.

This works if your Mac is linked to your Apple Account, which most are.

Option 3: Reset it from Recovery

If the option above doesn’t appear:

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Apple silicon Macs: press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appears. Click Options, then Continue. Intel Macs: turn the Mac on and immediately hold Command + R until the Apple logo appears.
3. When asked to choose a user, click Forgot all passwords?
4. Sign in with your Apple Account (or enter your FileVault recovery key if you have one) and follow the steps.

Option 4: Ask another administrator

If someone else has an administrator account on the Mac, they can log in, go to System Settings > Users & Groups, click the ⓘ next to your name and choose Reset Password.

What happens to my saved passwords?

If you change your password the normal way, everything carries on as before.

If you reset a forgotten password, your Mac may create a new login keychain. Passwords saved in iCloud Keychain return once you sign back in to your Apple Account. Some app passwords stored only on that Mac may need entering again.

Wrapping up

Change your password in System Settings > Users & Groups. If you ever forget it, your Apple Account is your way back in, so make sure you know that password too.