How to Delete a Forgotten Firmware Password in Mac
How to Plough off Firmware Password on Mac and MacBook? (Updated for macOS 12)
Summary: This mail tells what a firmware password on Mac is and how to use the Mac firmware countersign, including setting and removing information technology every bit well as the solution when forgetting the Mac firmware password.
Want to add extra security on your Mac? Y’all tin set up a
Mac firmware countersign
to make it. And the skilful news is the firmware password policy is now bachelor in the latest macOS 12 Monterey and has a new name – Recovery Lock.
Either Macfirmware password or Recovery Lock tin prevent data theft by restricting unauthorized disks from booting upwardly the device. And then, learning how to turn on or plough off the firmware countersign on macOS is necessary. Proceed reading and this post won’t let yous down.
Table of Contents:
- 1. What is a firmware password on Mac?
- 2. How to set a Mac firmware countersign?
- 3. How to plough off the firmware password on Mac?
- 4. Forgetting a Mac firmware countersign, what to do?
What is a firmware countersign on Mac?
Mac firmware password, besides known as the EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) lock, is a method to protect the data on a Mac. When you lock your Mac with a firmware countersign, the people who don’t know the password can’t commencement your Mac from whatever other external disks or USB flash drives.
A firmware password on Mac is not the same as the administrator password or login password. Information technology’s a separate password that appears immediately after kicking. To continue launching your Mac, y’all need to enter the firmware password when you see the lock symbol and password field on a black or grayness background.
Since the firmware password helps secure data on the Intel-based Mac, why this characteristic is not fitted in an M1 Mac? Because the critical firmware functionality that it restricted has been moved into the recovery Os. And as Apple declares turning onFileVault achieves the equivalent level of security.
How to set a Mac firmware password?
Here are the specified steps to turn on the Mac firmware password:
- Beginning or restart your Mac, concur down
Command + R
key combinations immediately to kicking intoMac Recovery Mode. - Release keys until you see the utility window. From the elevation carte bar, click Utilities and and then select Startup Security Utility (Mac models with T2 Security Chip) or Firmware Password Utility.
- Click
Turn On Firmware Password.
- Input a firmware password in the fields provided, then click Set up Countersign. Remember your password by writing it downwards or printing information technology.
- Quit Utility, Choose the Apple logo then restart your Mac.
Then your Mac will crave the firmware countersign when attempting to kickoff upward from a storage device other than the default startup disk, or when booting intoMac Net Recovery Mode.
How to plow off the firmware password on Mac?
Nonetheless, the following Mac startup options are disabled when a firmware countersign on Mac is used:
1.Apple tree Diagnostics
ii. ResetNVRAM or PRAM
iii.Mac Unmarried User Fashion
4.Kick Mac into Safe Mode
v.Mac Verbose Mode
6.Target Disk Mode
seven. NetBoot
8. Eject removable media
Thus, information technology is needed to remove the firmware password on Mac when using the above-mentioned startup options to solve your Mac problems. Just go along reading to learn how to disable information technology.
- Outset or restart your Mac from macOS Recovery by property downwards
Command + R
keys. Enter the firmware password when asked. - When the utility window appears, click Utilities in the menu bar, then choose Startup Security Utility (Mac models with T2 Security Chip) or Firmware Password Utility.
- Click
Plow Off Firmware Password.
- Type in the firmware password over again when prompted.
- Quit Utility, then cull Apple menu > Restart.
By the way, if you just want to change or reset your firmware countersign on Mac, Click Change Countersign and follow the prompt when the utility window like the above picture appears.
Forgetting a Mac firmware password, what to do?
Sometimes, you’re not truly forgetting your firmware password, you merely input the incorrect password. So ever check your Caps Lock central earlier entering or modifying passwords. When you lot forget your firmware password indeed, removing and reinstalling aRAM module – a hardware hack tech tin can bypass the Mac firmware countersign.
But removing RAM requires familiarity with the Mac hardware and one time any mistake occurs in the assembly process, more than serious hardware problems shall appear. So recollect twice before yous practise this.
- Shut downward your Mac and remove the battery.
- Notice your RAM, remove 1 of the RAM modules with a screwdriver, and put it bated.
- Put the battery in, and boot your computer while property the
Control + Option + P + R
keys to reset the parameter RAM. - Release the keys and close downwards the Mac once you see the login screen.
- Remove the battery again, and reinstall the RAM module.
- Put the battery back in.
- Start upward your Mac, and you should not see the firmware lock again.
Though it works efficiently to bypass the firmware password on Mac, it is so complicated and full of risk for mutual Mac users to operate. Therefore, you’d improve schedule an in-person service appointment with an Apple Shop or Apple Authorized Service Provider to solve this problem. Don’t forget to bring your Mac together with its original receipt or invoice as proof of ownership to the engagement.
Anna Yuan is a professional person tech editor at iBoysoft who specializes in writing articles related to software, macOS, Windows Os, Apple products, and Windows computers. Furthermore, she writes articles for some well-known tech websites. And as she has been a Mac user for many years, she’due south highly willing to share information on Mac utilities and tips.
Jessica Shee is a senior tech editor at iBoysoft. Throughout her three years of experience, Jessica has written many informative and instructional manufactures in data recovery, data security, and deejay direction to help a lot of readers secure their of import documents and accept the best advantage of their devices.
