Impossible password recovery??

gsc3po

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Stupidly, I reset my admin password on my 2016 macbook pro and forgot it.
My laptop ran out of power so I plugged it in and left it charging all day.
I turned it on when I got home and it asked me for the password.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO ACCESS OR RESET THE PASSWORD FROM THE LOAD SCREEN?
PLEASE HELP!
 
Last edited:
Do you have an appleID associated with your Mac? If so you can reset it by the following
–– ADVERTISEMENT ––​

Enter the wrong password three times and you will be asked if you've forgotten your password.
  1. From Apple menu choose ‘Restart’ or press power button to restart your Mac.
  2. Click on the account, enter wrong password three times and you are good to go. (Alternatively, you can click on the question mark to reset the password).
  3. Enter your Apple ID and password.
  4. Follow the instructions on the screen.
However this can't be done if you turned on FileVault Encryption.


Here's another method that might work
Apple included a tool to replace a Mac's password. This is the best option if you have completely forgotten your password. Follow these steps:
  1. Turn off your Mac (choose Apple > Shut Down).
  2. Press the power button while holding down Command + R. The Mac will boot into Recovery (we have a separate article about how to boot a Mac in Recovery).
  3. When you see the load bar appear you can let go of the keys. It may take a few minutes to load.
  4. Select Disk Utility and press Continue.
  5. Choose Utilities > Terminal.
  6. Enter resetpassword (all one word, lower-case letters) and press Return.
  7. Select the volume containing the account (normally this will be your main hard drive).
  8. Choose the account to change with Select the User Account.
  9. Enter a new password and re-enter it into the password fields.
  10. Enter a new password hint related to the password.
  11. Click Save.
  12. A warning will appear that the password has changed, but not the Keychain Password. Click OK.
  13. Click Apple > Shut Down.
Now start up the Mac. You can log in using the new password.

You might get more response by putting this in the Apple Forum
 
I have not got an apple I'd.
Also I have already tried the method above.
I get to the part where i click on the
Disk Utility.
After that I can't find anything that says utilities or terminal.
I have checked all the available drop down menus and all available options.
I can see macintosh HD, HD Data and macOs Base System. All they show is the GB used, and what's free.
The drop down menus are only,
Disk utility, which shows,
About disk utility
Services ( building)
And quit.
The other drop downs are
File
Edit
Images
View
Window
And help.
None of which show any " terminal"
 
Do you have an appleID associated with your Mac? If so you can reset it by the following

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––​

Enter the wrong password three times and you will be asked if you've forgotten your password.
  1. From Apple menu choose ‘Restart’ or press power button to restart your Mac.
  2. Click on the account, enter wrong password three times and you are good to go. (Alternatively, you can click on the question mark to reset the password).
  3. Enter your Apple ID and password.
  4. Follow the instructions on the screen.
However this can't be done if you turned on FileVault Encryption.


Here's another method that might work


You might get more response by putting this in the Apple Forum
The main window shows,
first aid
Partition
Erase
Restore
And unmount.
Again, no " terminal"
 
Okay it looks as though your recovery partition has been deleted and that's why you don't see Terminal.

There is a method to recover that and allegedly it's not that complicated, just looks that way in the blurb of the link below. Look about halfway down the page and follow from that

osxdaily.com/2016/07/03/recreate-recovery-partition-mac/
 
It looks doable except I can't download anything or even access the laptop.
I can turn my laptop on, then I get the password box. That's it. Nothing I can do differently.
 
It looks doable except I can't download anything or even access the laptop.
I can turn my laptop on, then I get the password box. That's it. Nothing I can do differently.
The nearest Apple store will be best placed to help you out, assuming you can prove it's yours! :smashin:. You're not likely to find ways to bypass password-protected devices on a reputable forum. I'm sure you're legit, but other observers may be less so...
 
Yeah that figures. It's just so frustrating. I thought I kept a copy of the current password on my phone. I hid it in the notes app. I keep trying it but nothing is working. All variations on upper and lower case I'm likely to have used. Nothing.
 
The nearest Apple store will be best placed to help you out, assuming you can prove it's yours! :smashin:. You're not likely to find ways to bypass password-protected devices on a reputable forum. I'm sure you're legit, but other observers may be less so...
Yeah that figures. It's just so frustrating. I thought I kept a copy of the current password on my phone. I hid it in the notes app. I keep trying it but nothing is working. All variations on upper and lower case I'm likely to have used. Nothing.
 
Yeah that figures. It's just so frustrating. I thought I kept a copy of the current password on my phone. I hid it in the notes app. I keep trying it but nothing is working. All variations on upper and lower case I'm likely to have used. Nothing.
So frustrating. Is there a risk that too many failed attempts would wipe the drive?
 
Okay it looks as though your recovery partition has been deleted and that's why you don't see Terminal.

There is a method to recover that and allegedly it's not that complicated, just looks that way in the blurb of the link below. Look about halfway down the page and follow from that

osxdaily.com/2016/07/03/recreate-recovery-partition-mac/
It looks doable except I can't download anything or even access the laptop.
I can turn my laptop on, then I get the password box. That's it. Nothing I can do differently.
 
Then as milkeysthoughts has said probably only an apple store might be able to help you.
 
Also note as I suggested earlier if you post this in the correct section of the forum, the one dedicated to apple, you might get others who have ideas to help. You can also ask a mod to kindly move it to that appropriate branch.

Apple Forum
 
If you can’t download anything or access the laptop then it sounds to me you are buggered and it is locked. I’ve done that to my laptops when they were stolen to prevent anyone getting into them. It’s great as it makes them effectively useless, looks like they are not going online but still transmits their location.

Only way to disable and make them useable again is via iCloud.

If you haven’t got it linked to iCloud then it does sound a bit odd. As a minimum you should be able to do a network remote recovery.

Apple store will be your best best.
 
Also note as I suggested earlier if you post this in the correct section of the forum, the one dedicated to apple, you might get others who have ideas to help. You can also ask a mod to kindly move it to that appropriate branch.

Apple Forum
Thank you for your help and advice. Looks like I'm going to the Apple store.
I don't think I'm tech savvy enough for this.
 
Yes it's a very complex thing to do and all kinds of pitfalls if your not tech savvy. So a good call but they might ask for some proof of ownership. God luck anyway.

I have also asked a Mod to put this into the Apple Forum for you so hope you don't mind.
 
Yes it's a very complex thing to do and all kinds of pitfalls if your not tech savvy. So a good call but they might ask for some proof of ownership. God luck anyway.

I have also asked a Mod to put this into the Apple Forum for you so hope you don't mind.
No that's fine, thank you.
I have plenty of proof of ownership so no worries on that front.
 
Hope it goes well for you and sorry I couldn't have been of more help.
 
Thread on it's way to the Apple section now.

Good luck with getting it sorted.

Mark.
 
Thread on it's way to the Apple section now.

Good luck with getting it sorted.

Mark.

Thanks for doing that but I think the op has decided to go to an apple store as it was all to complicated.
 
True but he may get some helpful advice from the Apple knowledge base in here as well.

Mark.
 

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