XDA Basics: How to change the password on a Mac
Macs are Apple’s personal computer lineup — iMac, Mac Mini, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and more. They offer great capabilities that rivals, in some cases, find hard to catch up with. Protecting your MacBook Pro with a case will only make it last longer, so make sure to buy one if you haven’t yet. Another important way to protect your computer is changing its password if someone finds it out. So here’s how to change the password on a Mac.
How to change the password on a Mac
- Launch the System Preferences app from the Launcher, Spotlight Search, or by clicking on the Apple logo in the top left corner > System Preferences.
- Head to Security & Privacy on the middle right.
- Under General, click on Change Password.
- You will be promoted to type your old password, new password, new password again, and finally an optional hint.
- You can set the type of the new password by clicking on the key icon next to the new password field. This allows you to choose whether it’s numeric, alphanumeric, etc.
- Once you’re done filling in the blanks, click on Change Password, and you’re all set!
Changing your Mac’s password is important if someone sees you typing it in or if you temporarily share it with a family member for a certain reason. We advise you not to share your passwords with anyone whatsoever, though. It’s a good idea to change it every few months, just in case someone with physical access to your Mac secretly has it and is using it to log-in in your absence.
If you decide to set a hint, we advise you not to use a very obvious one. Go for an “inside joke” or personal knowledge that no one else is aware of. This way the hint will have a clear connection to the real password for you personally. Other people will have no idea what it is insinuating.
How often do you change your Mac’s password? Let us know in the comments section below.
About author
Mahmoud is an Istanbul-based Beiruti who has always sought freedom through writing. His hobbies include keeping up with tech news, writing articles about Apple devices & services, crocheting, meditating, and composing poetry. You’ll likely find him jogging at a park, swimming in open water, brainstorming at a coffeehouse, or merely lost in nature. He can be reached on Twitter @Mahmoudzitani or via [email protected]
