How to Unlock MacBook M2 Pro/Air Without a Password

Getting locked out of your MacBook can be extremely frustrating. Whether you forgot your password, your keyboard is broken, or you purchased a used MacBook that’s locked, not having access to your own device is a major inconvenience.

Luckily, there are a few different methods you can use to unlock your MacBook M2 Pro or Air without needing the password or Apple ID of the previous owner. This step-by-step guide will show you multiple ways to bypass the lock screen through recovery mode, single user mode, password reset utilities, and more.

Prerequisites

Before going any further, make sure:

• You have physical access to the locked MacBook
• The MacBook has power and can turn on
• You have another working computer available
• You have a USB flash drive and USB-C cable available

As long as you meet those requirements, you have all the tools needed to unlock the MacBook using one of the following methods.

Enter Recovery Mode to Reset Password

The easiest way to unlock a MacBook without the password is to reset the password itself. You can do this by entering recovery mode:

1. Ensure the MacBook M2 Pro/Air is powered off fully.
2. Press and hold the power button and immediately press and hold the Command + R keys simultaneously after pressing the power button.
3. Keep holding Command + R until you see the Apple logo or boot screen appear.
4. When the “macOS Utilities” screen loads, select “Utilities” and then “Password Reset” from the menu bar.
5. Click the user account that you want to reset the password for.
6. Enter and reenter a new password, then click “Save” to reset and unlock the account.
7. Select “Restart” from the Apple menu to restart your MacBook with the new password.

Following those steps allows you to unlock the MacBook by creating a new admin password without needing the old one. Make your new password unique and secure so no one else can access your device going forward.

Boot to Single User Mode to Clear Password

If recovery mode does not work or you cannot fully reset the password due to other account limitations, you can boot to single user mode. From there, you can unlock the root user account and remove login password requirements:

1. Fully shut down the MacBook again.
2. Turn on your MacBook M2 while immediately pressing and holding Command + S keys.
3. Keep holding the keys until text appears and then release them. This will enter single user mode.
4. Type mount -uw / and press Enter when prompted to get write permissions.
5. Next, run rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone to delete the setup file.
6. Enter shutdown -h now to fully reboot your MacBook again.
7. When it turns back on, you’ll be forced through the initial macOS setup. Create a new admin account without any password set.
8. On your new account desktop, open System Preferences > Users & Groups and unlock settings if prompted.
9. Right-click your old locked account and select “Reset Password” to remove the old one completely.

Using single user mode and removing password requirements allows you to freely access and reset the MacBook no matter what old passwords or Apple IDs were originally set.

Reset SMC to Fix Hardware Issues

If you’re having issues entering recovery mode or single user mode to reset the password, the System Management Controller (SMC) may need to be reset first. Resetting this will fix low-level hardware problems preventing you from using the above methods.

Here is how to reset SMC on an Apple silicon M2 MacBook:

1. Fully shut down your MacBook
2. Keep the power cable plugged in
3. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds
4. Release the button and wait another 5 seconds
5. Turn your MacBook back on

Once powered back on, immediately try entering recovery or single user mode again to change password settings. Resetting SMC should solve many hardware-level problems that prevent properly booting your MacBook.

Create a macOS USB Install Drive

If all else fails or your MacBook cannot fully turn on, you can create macOS recovery media on a USB drive instead. This will let you boot and access utilities without using the internal drive.

Follow these instructions to make a bootable USB on a Windows or Mac:

On Windows

1. Get a USB flash drive that’s at least 16GB in size
2. Format the drive using exFAT or FAT32 formatting
3. Download the macOS Monterey installer from Apple’s website onto the Windows machine
4. Run Boot Camp Assistant and select the USB drive
5. Click “Create an macOS install disk” and let the utility prep the USB

On Mac

1. Insert a 16GB or larger USB drive into your Mac
2. Launch Disk Utility and format the USB as GUID Partition Map and Mac OS Extended
3. Launch Terminal and enter sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/DRIVE_NAME -- /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app replacing DRIVE_NAME with your flash drive’s name
4. Enter your password when prompted and let the creation process finish

Once you have a bootable USB recovery drive, you can restart your MacBook M2 and immediately press/hold the Option key after you hear the startup chime to open the boot picker. Select the USB drive then to enter Recovery Mode without using the main internal drive.

Ask Apple Support to Remove Activation Lock

If all other options have failed and your MacBook has an Activation Lock enabled from the previous owner’s Apple ID, then your last resort is asking Apple Support for assistance.

To remove an Activation Lock, you will need to provide Apple with proof of purchase documentation showing the device belongs to you.

Acceptable types of proof include:

• The original sales receipt clearly showing the MacBook’s serial number
• Packaging showing the serial number
• Other documentation directly from the place of purchase

Unfortunately there is no easy process to override or bypass Activation Lock without that proof. But Apple Support can permanently remove the lock once you show you rightfully own the device.

So if you exhausted all other password reset methods, your only choice left is asking Apple Support to delete the lock so you can set up and use the MacBook freely.

Prevent Future Lockouts by Making a Recovery Backup

Once you successfully unlock your MacBook using one of the above methods, be sure to take steps to prevent future lockouts:

• Always maintain a written record of your login password(s) in a safe location as a backup
• Create an encrypted disk image backup of your recovery key so no one else can access it
• Enable Find My Mac in your iCloud Settings so you can remotely erase, ping, or lock your MacBook if it ever gets lost or stolen in the future

Taking preventative measures allows you to securely access and control your device going forward, avoiding headaches if you ever forget important passwords again.

Being locked out of your password-protected MacBook does not have to mean losing complete access forever or paying for expensive data recovery services. Using the above strategies and utilities covered in this guide, you can unlock MacBook models with M2 Apple silicon without needing access to the previous Apple ID or admin credentials. Just follow the steps carefully for the preferred method and your MacBook will be back up and running in no time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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