Here’s how you can bypass firmware password on Mac: Reboot your Mac using the hardware buttons, or if you are already inside the Macintosh being turned on, hit reboot from the Apple icon. Press and hold down Command + R buttons together until the Recovery Mode shows up. Find the Utilities screen and go to Utilities menu bar.
In newer versions of Mac OS X, such as on Yosemite, you will see a button Reset My Default Keychain under the General pane. Click it and enter the new login password in Password field to create new keychain. Few Methods To Bypass Mac Password: 1 To reset the administrator password using the Mac OS X installation disc: Insert the Mac OS X installation disc into your computer’s optical drive (or an optical drive connected to your computer), and then double-click the Install Mac OS X icon.
The account is now set up to log in automatically when your Mac starts up. You might still be asked to log in manually after logging out, switching back from another user account, or locking your screen.
When manual login is required, the “Automatic login” menu is dimmed or doesn't show the account name. For example:
You might still need to enter your password when your Mac wakes from sleep or stops using the screen saver. You can change this behavior:
macOS provides multiple methods to protect the data on a Mac: a user account password, encryption via FileVault, and optional low-level security measure that prevents starting up from storage devices other than the selected startup disk. That's known as the firmware password or EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) lock, which will also block the user's ability to use all startup key combinations, except the NVRAM or PRAM reset combinations. This command (Option + Command + P + R), however, will initiate the machine from macOS Recovery instead.
The Lost Mode feature of Find My Mac will remotely lock the Mac with a firmware password for one-time use. The user's Mac receives the lock instruction from iCloud, restarts, and asks for the system lock PIN code that they set up. After entering the passcode the Mac starts up from the designated startup disk and disables the passcode.
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A firmware password is not the same as the administrator password or login password. It's a separate password that appears immediately after boot and must be entered into the system lock screen, which appears as a lock symbol on either a black or a gray background.
Low-level passwords are quite secure, which also means there is potentially a headache if the password is forgotten. If you or any of your users can't remember the firmware password or passcode, know that Apple doesn’t allow for any workarounds, but instead recommends scheduling a service appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. The process requires the original receipt or invoice as proof of purchase.
Earlier versions of macOS required manual installation of the firmware but, starting in 2015, Apple began bundling EFI updates with the macOS updates in order to deliver security patches to all users. But as security firm Duo Labs discovered in late 2017, some Macs aren't getting the right firmware, which makes them vulnerable to hackers. They recommend checking the firmware version and updating if needed.
On Intel-based Macs shipped before 2011, the firmware password was stored in the PRAM and read by the system EFI firmware before other PRAM variables. That lead to a serious security issue, allowing the firmware to be revealed in a native macOS app and weakening the enhanced security Apple had hoped to introduce with the addition of the firmware password.
In 2011, however, Apple added an important change to the system: the firmware password was moved to a separate programmable controller from Atmel. This component contains lockable flash memory to store the password and requires special programming with identifier numbers for both the Mac's motherboard and the Atmel chip to access and reset it.
Since the controller is an independent component, the only way to bypass it is to manually remove it from the motherboard, but this requires highly precise reflow soldering tools and techniques.
This hardware hack works on both Intel- and Motorola-based MacBooks and requires users to remove the RAM and reinstall it. You can check our guide on how to upgrade the RAM on Macs for further reading.
If none of the above methods worked, there are still two more options to try: either have Apple do it for you, so long as you have the original receipt or invoice, or alternatively use any of the EFI lock bypass hardware kits available for sale on various sites. In using one of these EFI lock hardware bypass methods you’ll almost certainly void your warranty, so it is down to you whether you want to risk the procedure.
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