Particularly before Mac OS X Yosemite started enabling FileVault encryption by default, you could grab any Mac, boot it into recovery mode with a quick key combination, and reset the password to bypass it and access that user's files and data. -passwd /Users/username password, replacing username with the targeted user and password with the desired password.
You have successfully reset password of your Mac. Note: Keychain password wasn't changed, whenever an app needs to access the default Keychain, then user may be asked to enter Keychain password if its different from the user's login password. Click on 'Set Password.' Your file will appear with a lock icon instead of the typical iWorks one. When you open it, it will ask you to enter your password. To remove password-protection in iWork, select 'Change Password' from 'File' in the menu bar, input your 'Old Password,' then select 'Remove Password.'
The passwords for all accounts on macOS Mojave 10.14, macOS Sierra, OSX 10.11 El Capitan, OSX 10.10 Yosemite, OSX 10.9 Mavericks and OSX 10.8 Mountain Lion including admin and standard user accounts can be reset and changed when booted from the Recovery Partition on macOS.
Boot into Recovery Partition
Reboot into the Recovery Drive by choosing the ‘Apple‘ menu > Restart, hold down the ‘command' + ‘r' keys on the keyboard during the start up process, when you see the start up screen you can let go. When the machine boots eventually you will see the macOS or OS X Utilities screen.
Go to the Utilites menu and select Terminal
At the prompt type ‘resetpassword' (hit enter) Time capsule ssd.
This launches the Reset Password screen, select the Volume Hard Drive in the top part of the window pane, then for the user that you need to reset select the user account in the lower part then add and confirm the new password and click save, you get a confirmation screen and details about the keychain account.
Go to the Apple Menu and click Restart to boot back to the normal hard drive and the new password will take effect immediately.
If you are using macOS Mojave the screen you see is a little friendlier, just select the account you want to reset the password on and follow the instructions.
This feature requires a Mac with an Intel processor. For the equivalent level of security on a Mac with Apple silicon, simply turn on FileVault.
How to turn on a firmware password
- Start up from macOS Recovery.
- When the utilities window appears, click Utilities in the menu bar, then choose Startup Security Utility or Firmware Password Utility.
- Click Turn On Firmware Password.
- Enter a firmware password in the fields provided, then click Set Password. Remember this password.
- Quit the utility, then choose Apple menu > Restart.
Your Mac asks for the firmware password only when attempting to start up from a storage device other than the one selected in Startup Disk preferences, or when starting up from macOS Recovery. Enter the firmware password when you see the lock and password field:
How to turn off a firmware password
Remove Password From Yosemite Mac
- Start up from macOS Recovery. During startup, you will be prompted to enter the firmware password.
- When the utilities window appears, click Utilities in the menu bar, then choose Startup Security Utility or Firmware Password Utility.
- Click Turn Off Firmware Password.
- Enter the firmware password again when prompted.
- Quit the utility, then choose Apple menu > Restart.
If you forgot your firmware password
Remove Password From Yosemite 10.10
If you can't remember your firmware password, schedule an in-person service appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. Bring your Mac to the appointment, and bring your original receipt or invoice as proof of purchase.
