I always switch my Macbook of at the end of the day. Since I updated to Tahoe it happened twice already that my Macbook boots directly to desktop without asking for my password. I think it started with 26.1 and it's a huge security issue for me. Any ideas what could have caused this?
MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 26.2
Is FileVault enabled? It should prevent Auto log-in.
Was the previous power-off normal via Apple Menu > Shut Down until the Mac really was powered OFF? I.e no forced shutdown or power failure? I have a few times experienced half-way Shut Down where the the cursor remained on the screen, or to a situation where the screen was blacked out but the monitor and the Mac were still not powered OFF.
Is FileVault enabled? It should prevent Auto log-in.
Was the previous power-off normal via Apple Menu > Shut Down until the Mac really was powered OFF? I.e no forced shutdown or power failure? I have a few times experienced half-way Shut Down where the the cursor remained on the screen, or to a situation where the screen was blacked out but the monitor and the Mac were still not powered OFF.
I might sugest you to a SafeBoot Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support will sort many anomalies
Login and test. Reboot as normal and test. Caches get rebuilt automatically.
In System Settings > Users & Groups make sure Automatic Login is off.
You mentioned that it started with 26.1 and now you're on 26.2. When you update the computer, you don't have to supply your password when it restarts. Other than an OS update requiring a restart, it will still require your password.
@neuroanatomist: I actually wonder how this is technically possible especially since FileVault is activated since Tahoe. When it happened the first time I thought maybe I just entered the password subconsciously. Since it happened today again, I'm starting to get worried.
gernophil wrote:
FileVault is activated since Tahoe
FWIW it is possible to skip enabling FileVault during Tahoe install with a certain workflow.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/09/macos-26-tahoe-the-ars-technica-review/#toc-h8
@Matti Haveri: Yes, my Mac also states auto login is able due to FileVault beeing active. I always power off via Apple Menu > Shut Down and I even wait till I see the status LED of the power cable switches off briefly (before it switches back on again). Then I close the lid and pull the power cable (and mostly go to bed).
P.S.: FileVault really is active for me. Just wanted to verify this, after your second post.
gernophil wrote:
Then I close the lid and pull the power cable (and mostly go to bed).
Not germane to the issue at hand, but why? There is no technical reason not to just leave your Mac plugged in, from the Mac side. If you're worried about power surges, etc., then you should get a good quality surge protector anyway, since those can happen at any time not just overnight.
Thanks, I’ll try and do that. However, this bug is not controllably reproducible. It just happened randomly so far.
@neuroanatomist: It is. If it wasn't then the mac should also never ask for the password. But it just happens randomly.
It shouldn't happen at all, obviously. But important to rule out possible associations.
@neuro: That’s just habit. I like to switch it off and start from scratch every day. There is no technical necessity, but I also don’t really see a downside to it.
@etresoft: It's not about the update itself. It's about some "normal" cold boots since then.
macOS sometimes doesn't ask for password on first boot since Tahoe
