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cant sign in to the admin account / dont have admin account

i was trying to change the name, like the one that shows where you sign in, and it didn't change and it just says mac, but when i go to do the unlock thing for system preferences, it says enter username and password but i dont know what username to put i tried putting mac but that wont work also there is no admin account and i dont know how to fix it

MacBook

Posted on Jun 1, 2022 11:48 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 1, 2022 12:32 PM

Have you tried your Apple ID Password?


You forgot your Mac's password. Here's how to get back into your locked-down computer

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/you-forgot-your-macs-password-heres-how-to-get-back-into-your-locked-down-computer/#:~:text=With%20your%20Mac%20turned%20off,up%20below%20the%20Apple%20logo.


Thanks to P. Phillips…

Forgot my password on my MacBook Pro - Apple Community

Forgot my password on my MacBook Pro - Apple Community


Or...


See if you can create a new administrator account by restarting the Setup Assistant:

  1. Boot into Single User Mode: Start/restart your Mac. As soon as you hear the startup tone, press and hold ⌘ + S until you see a black screen with white lettering. (If you end up back on the login screen after a flash of the black screen with white lettering, enter your password and it will return to the black screen.)
  2. Check and repair the drive by typing /sbin/fsck -fy then ↩ enter - as directed by the on-screen text.
  3. Mount the drive as read-write by typing /sbin/mount -uw / then ↩ enter.
  4. Remove the Apple Setup Done file by typing rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone then ↩ enter.
  5. Reboot by typing reboot then ↩ enter.
  6. Complete the setup process, creating a new admin account.


Be very careful to notice the spaces in those Terminal Commands.


Once you've done that the computer reboots and it's like the first time you used the machine, except all your data will still be there. Your old accounts are all safe. From there you just change all other account passwords in the account preferences!!

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 1, 2022 12:32 PM in response to sarah_mountain

Have you tried your Apple ID Password?


You forgot your Mac's password. Here's how to get back into your locked-down computer

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/you-forgot-your-macs-password-heres-how-to-get-back-into-your-locked-down-computer/#:~:text=With%20your%20Mac%20turned%20off,up%20below%20the%20Apple%20logo.


Thanks to P. Phillips…

Forgot my password on my MacBook Pro - Apple Community

Forgot my password on my MacBook Pro - Apple Community


Or...


See if you can create a new administrator account by restarting the Setup Assistant:

  1. Boot into Single User Mode: Start/restart your Mac. As soon as you hear the startup tone, press and hold ⌘ + S until you see a black screen with white lettering. (If you end up back on the login screen after a flash of the black screen with white lettering, enter your password and it will return to the black screen.)
  2. Check and repair the drive by typing /sbin/fsck -fy then ↩ enter - as directed by the on-screen text.
  3. Mount the drive as read-write by typing /sbin/mount -uw / then ↩ enter.
  4. Remove the Apple Setup Done file by typing rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone then ↩ enter.
  5. Reboot by typing reboot then ↩ enter.
  6. Complete the setup process, creating a new admin account.


Be very careful to notice the spaces in those Terminal Commands.


Once you've done that the computer reboots and it's like the first time you used the machine, except all your data will still be there. Your old accounts are all safe. From there you just change all other account passwords in the account preferences!!

cant sign in to the admin account / dont have admin account

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