Remember Your Password: How I Got Locked Out of My MacBook for 5 Weeks (and Got Back In)
Yes, you read that right—five long weeks of agony, anxiety, and what I now call “scheduled emotional faints.”
All because of one careless mistake.
It All Started with a Blog Brainstorm…
It was just a regular content-creating day. I was on a roll—ideas flowing, energy high, caffeine kicking in from my fourth cup of unsweetened, purely black, robust coffee. When inspiration hits, I write. Because once that creative adrenaline wears off, I’m usually brain-dead for the next 2 to 4 weeks.
Then came the prompt:
“Your Mac password needs to be updated.”
In the middle of my creative high, I quickly changed my password. I think I wrote it down. Or maybe that was just a caffeine-induced hallucination. Either way, that password? Gone.
And just like that, I got locked out of my MacBook.
How I Got Back In (Eventually)
Let me be honest: I’m no tech expert. I want to be one—sometimes I even roleplay the part in my head—but my “skills” weren’t skilling (pun very much intended).
Here’s what finally worked—and what didn’t.
1. Apple Support
Apple, along with other big tech brands have their own recovery systems for their specific units. I followed their steps on How to Login to your Mac if you forgot the password.
a. Command + R + Power Button
I tried the classic recovery shortcut. I’d seen countless tutorials on this. But…
The question mark (?) that was supposed to appear on the password screen?
Never showed up.
Cue the frustration. I even started considering buying a new MacBook because of the sheer stress this caused me.
b. Reset Password
Apple’s reset password instructions were clear—but for me? Useless.
I kept getting locked out, with wait times ranging from 15 minutes to 3 hours--- Still no success.
c. Erase Mac
This was my last resort—and it finally worked.
Yes, I erased everything and reinstalled macOS from scratch. Thankfully, I had most of my files backed up on iCloud, so it wasn’t a complete disaster.
I followed Apple’s official guide: How to Erase Your Mac and Reset to Factory Settings.
2. YouTube and Google: The Real MVPs
These apps are just the best friends we never thought we needed. These platforms have nearly every fix imaginable—often with free, step-by-step videos.
Pro tip: Watch the video while following the written guide. Double clarity (yes, you need clarity sizz! - that’s a pun)
3. Help from Friends (and Friends of Friends)
Thank God for friends and their friends! Some of the instructions and terms never made sense when I tried applying it alone. Sometimes, it just feels different and I can’t even describe that.
A friend’s friend advised me to Reset password but it didn’t work out for me. Sometimes, it's not about their instructions but on how their replies somehow comforted you going through the anxious process.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Be Like Me
Forgetting your password may seem minor, but if you rely on your laptop for work like I do, it can turn into a costly, exhausting mistake.
Lesson learned:
Keep your passwords short, secure, and unforgettable (and maybe wink 10x while you write them down—just in case).
Seriously—don’t be like me. Write it down. Store it somewhere safe. Use a password manager. And save yourself five weeks of digital exile.
