Instead of first selecting a user and then entering that information, in this mode you enter your recovery details first and then select the user for which you’re resetting the password to regain access. After your Mac restarts, you’ll be asked for either an Apple ID login or your Recovery Key as above. When correctly entered, your drive is unlocked, and you can reset your account password.Īpple notes that-in some cases that the company doesn’t define-you might see the text “Restart and show password reset options.” If so, click the right-pointing triangle. You kept the Recovery Key: If you opted to write down the Recovery Key, the text will continue “…reset it using your Recovery Key.” Click the right-pointing arrow and then enter your Recovery Key, omitting hyphens-macOS adds the hyphens automatically.This will recover your key, unlock the drive, and let you reset your account password. iCloud escrow: If you chose to store your key in iCloud during FileVault setup, the sentence above continues, ellipsis and all, “…reset it using your Apple ID.” Click the right-pointing arrow and follow the steps provided to log into the iCloud account associated with this Mac.

Now, depending on your choice in setting up FileVault, you will see one of several options (the text may vary in Mojave and earlier releases of macOS):

In Mojave and earlier, you have to enter your password incorrectly three times before a prompt appears.

Some lengthy text appears that starts “If you forgot your password you can…”

In Catalina and later, a password field appears with a question mark (?) at the far right.

Next, at the login screen click your account icon: The question mark is your key to unlocking a Mac that’s protected by FileVault.

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