How to Change the Login Password on a Mac

The Importance of Password Security

Your Mac login password is the master key to your digital life. Because Apple tightly integrates its ecosystem, the password you use to wake your laptop from sleep is often the exact same password used to unlock your iCloud Keychain (giving access to all your saved website passwords, credit cards, and banking details).

If you suspect someone has seen you type your password at a coffee shop, or if you recently allowed a friend to borrow your computer and temporarily gave them the login code, you must change it immediately.

Fortunately, macOS makes changing your local user password incredibly straightforward, provided you already know the current password to authorise the change.

How to Change Your Password (macOS Ventura and Sonoma)

In recent years, Apple completely redesigned the Mac settings interface to look identical to the iPhone and iPad. If you are running macOS Ventura (macOS 13) or macOS Sonoma (macOS 14), follow these steps:

1. Look at the very top left corner of your screen and click the Apple Logo.
2. Select System Settings from the dropdown menu.
3. A new window will open with a sidebar on the left. Scroll down the sidebar and click on Users & Groups.
4. On the right side of the window, you will see a list of accounts. Locate your specific user profile (it usually says “Admin” underneath your name).
5. Click the small “i” (Information) button next to your name.
6. Click the Change Password button.
7. A security pop-up will appear. You must first type your Old Password in the top box to prove you are the authorized owner of the computer.
8. Type your New Password in the middle box, and then type it again in the Verify box to ensure there are no typos.
9. Optional but recommended: Type a subtle hint in the Password Hint box. If you ever forget your new password, this hint will appear on the lock screen after three failed attempts to jog your memory.
10. Click Change Password to finalize the process.

The next time your Mac goes to sleep or restarts, it will instantly require the new password.

How to Change Your Password (macOS Monterey and Older)

If you are using an older Mac that cannot be updated to the newest software (such as macOS Monterey, Big Sur, or Catalina), the interface looks slightly different.

1. Click the Apple Logo in the top left corner of the screen.
2. Select System Preferences (instead of System Settings).
3. Look for an icon shaped like two human silhouettes labeled Users & Groups and click it.
4. In the new window, select your user account from the left-hand list.
5. Click the Change Password button located next to your profile picture.
6. The same standard security prompt will appear. Type your Old Password, enter and verify your New Password, add an optional hint, and click Change Password.

What if You Forgot Your Current Password?

The methods above only work if you are already logged into the computer and know the current password. If your Mac is locked and you have completely forgotten the code, you cannot simply “change” it from the settings menu; you must reset it.

If you linked your Apple ID to your Mac during the initial setup (which almost everyone does), you can reset the password directly from the lock screen.

1. At the login screen, type any random, incorrect password three times and press Enter.
2. A message will pop up saying, “If you forgot your password, you can reset it using your Apple ID.”
3. Click the small arrow icon next to that message.
4. Enter your Apple ID email address and password (the one you use for iCloud and the App Store).
5. Follow the on-screen prompts to create a brand new local login password for the computer.

Warning: Resetting your password via Apple ID will often create a “keychain mismatch.” Your computer will unlock, but you will lose access to your previously saved Safari passwords unless you can remember the old computer password to unlock the old keychain file.