System Preferences won't accept password after upgrade

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Level 1

39 points

System Preferences won't accept password after upgrade

Upgraded to Big Sur 11.1 last night. Logged in normally. When I went to system preferences and attempt to unlock it so I can make changes, it will not accept my password.

Strangely, it will allow me to change my password for my admin account. But I can't add a user or do anything that requires unlocking the System Preferences.

Same thing when I try and use a stored password in Safari, it doesn't recognize my password. It is if the Keychain password doesn't match.

Thanks for any ideas.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 11.1

Posted on Dec 17, 2020 4:49 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

RandyCC

Level 1

13 points

Dec 22, 2020 11:23 AM in response to Boerne

Hello,

Step 1 of this document fixed it for me: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295.

Notebook computers with the T2 chip

Before resetting the SMC, try these steps:

Shut down your Mac.
Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, then release the button.
Wait a few seconds, then press the power button to turn on your Mac.

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Answer 2

RandyCC

Level 1

13 points

Dec 21, 2020 5:48 PM in response to Boerne

This is happening to me too—a brand new laptop, where I had to upgrade to Bug Sir and the 11.1 update. I can log in to the computer just fine, sudo just fine, but I cannot do anything in system preferences because it won't take the password. It also appears like touch id is not working when I login even though it is setup.

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Answer 3

Boerne Author

Level 1

39 points

Dec 22, 2020 12:00 PM in response to RandyCC

Apple Support via chat had the answer for me.

Restarted in recovery mode.

Make sure it is connected to the Internet.

Start Terminal from the menu bar.

resetpassword at the terminal prompt.

Follow the on-screen instructions if it succeeds. If it fails, restart in recovery mode and try again.

It took five or six tries over an hour for it get through successfully to the Apple server. It was annoying to have to reboot between each attempt. Eventually it went through and recovered using my AppleID and password.

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Answer 4

Boerne Author

Level 1

39 points

Dec 17, 2020 5:12 AM in response to Boerne

Additional info: When I went to login to this community, I had to select "Sign in with different ID." Doing so, Keychain successfully provided my login and password for this website. So it is not a keychain issue, I don't think.

Touch ID doesn't ever come up as an option. It still has my fingerprint recorded, or at least it shows "Fingerprint 1" in System prefs. But trying to add a fingerprint by clicking on the + in a circle -- nothing happens. No feedback at all, nothing happens.

So in summary: I can reboot and login normally with my password. After that, anything that requires my password and prompts for it does not recognize it. (System password, not AppleID password.)

Really stuck. Thanks for any help.

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Answer 5

Dec 23, 2020 8:44 AM in response to RandyCC

Worked for me to solve this! - just with the shutdown, then 10-second-hold-on-power, then reboot - thank you so much for posting!

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Answer 6

Jan 14, 2021 7:36 AM in response to computationdoc

Shutdown, then 10 second hold on power, then restart worked for me.

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