Reset Forgotten iMac Password

There are three ways to reset a forgotten iMac password depending on how the account was set up. 1) Apple ID reset (if the option is enabled): at the login screen, enter any password three times. macOS will offer "Reset using your Apple ID". Sign in with the Apple ID linked to the account, set a new password - you're in without data loss. 2) Recovery Mode reset (Intel iMac): shut down, hold Command+R while powering on.

From Utilities → Terminal, type `resetpassword`, then follow the prompts. (Apple silicon Macs: shut down, hold the power button until "Loading startup options" appears, choose Options → Utilities → Terminal.) 3) Another admin user: log in as a different admin, open System Settings → Users & Groups → Info on the locked user, click "Reset Password". FileVault-encrypted Macs need the recovery key. We do password recovery at our Dubai workshop with proof of purchase - bring your iMac in.

If you are resetting an iMac to sell it, sign out of your Apple ID first, then see how Apple device buyback works in Dubai.

Password resets are a steady part of the week at both workshops, mostly for family iMacs that were set up by a relative who has since moved abroad. The pattern we see is a 2017 or 2019 iMac where the Apple ID option never appears at login because the box was unticked years ago, and the owner did not know FileVault was on. In that case the Recovery route works only if FileVault is off; with it on, the resetpassword tool asks for the recovery key first. We check for a second admin account hidden from the login window, which is common on machines set up by an IT company, and that often saves the day.

If the data matters and no key exists, we copy what we can from any unencrypted external backups before erasing. For businesses in Media City, we set up a local admin account and store its details with the company so this does not recur.