Hi, I can't use my password to unlock the advanced configurations options that System Preferences offers for Features like Users and Groups, Security and Privacy, etc. I am referring to the little padlock icon that appears at the bottom of the System Preferences Panes. Is this another bug or do I have to change the preferences somewhere else.
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.1
My symptom was bewildering like yours: I could login as an administrator but that same password was rejected by the system preference panel's padlock's password screen when I clicked on any padlock to make changes. And of course the default user name was the correct admin user name.
I solved my problem by resetting the SMC on a MacBook Air. For this computer, SMC reset involves:
shutting down computer
unplugging power source
holding down Shift + Control + Option and then pressing power button for 10 seconds.
When my MacBook Air rebooted, I could login and then my admin password worked on the padlocks on all preferences panels that needed one.
All the best,
Red Head
My symptom was bewildering like yours: I could login as an administrator but that same password was rejected by the system preference panel's padlock's password screen when I clicked on any padlock to make changes. And of course the default user name was the correct admin user name.
I solved my problem by resetting the SMC on a MacBook Air. For this computer, SMC reset involves:
shutting down computer
unplugging power source
holding down Shift + Control + Option and then pressing power button for 10 seconds.
When my MacBook Air rebooted, I could login and then my admin password worked on the padlocks on all preferences panels that needed one.
All the best,
Red Head
Mac OS Big Sur Password Issues
