Why can't I log into my new MacBook Air after migration?

Just purchased a new 13" MacBook Air M3 to replace my old M1. I ran the Migration Assistant and it seemed to work fine. However, I cannot log into the new MacBook with my previous user password. I researched solutions & they keep me running in circles with nothing that works or even makes sense. To make things worse, it eventually locks name out after each login failure for hours at a time. This is driving me out of my mind.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.7

Posted on Jan 21, 2025 4:36 PM

Top-ranking reply

kaz-k

Level 9

51,418 points

Posted on Jan 21, 2025 9:07 PM

Hi,

Following tips could help your issue.

In the Recovery mode,

Go to “Utilities” menu.
Select “Terminal.”
Type “resetpassword” (a single word), and click “Return.”
Navigate to the main hard drive and select your user account.
Reset your password and click “Save.”

Use macOS Recovery on a Mac with Apple silicon – Apple Support (AU)

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Why can't I log into my new MacBook Air after migration?

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