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MacBook pro boots to reset password instead of loggin screen

why I turned my computer on this morning it took for ever to even show any thing on the screen and when it does it goes straight to a "reset password" screen.. I know my password and am not sure why it does this. Nonetheless I try to follow the different steps to reset password but when I restart my computer as prompted it only restarts back to the same "reset password" screen

MacBook Pro

Posted on Nov 14, 2014 9:19 AM

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Posted on Sep 18, 2015 10:37 AM

I am so relieved to have a solution. Thank you so much! Reseting NVRAM (hold down Cmd-option-p-r until the second startup chime) allowed me enter my password and boot normally.

18 replies

Dec 18, 2017 6:12 PM in response to Flakasteve

Thanks for this solution! This problem happened on a 2012 MacBook Pro 17" after installing High Sierra update 10.13.2. The flashlight through Apple logo worked great. Had no idea there was anything ON the dark display!


No need to reset password or even safe boot. Just entered password and after a little while the display came back on with update installation progress bar. Yikes.

Nov 20, 2014 10:59 AM in response to Cbazelmans

I had the exact same problem today! As recommended I reset in safe mode which took me back to the reset password screen, I reset it and then reboot. Shine a torch through the apple logo on the back of the screen and you will see that the screen is working but the light isn't. I put in my password with the backlight nit working and as it logged in the backlight came on. No idea what caused it, will update if things change!

Aug 6, 2015 5:58 AM in response to PJRS

I had this same problem on my Mac Pro this morning. Safe Mode boot just kernel panicked, and Recovery mode boot would just boot to the same reset password screen. The screen is infuriating, because there's not a "I didn't forget my password, just reset the system state so I can enter it please" option. Anyway, the correct solution for me was to reset NVRAM (hold down Cmd-option-p-r until the second startup chime). This reset the system to just let me enter my password and boot normally.

Feb 23, 2016 6:39 AM in response to Cbazelmans

I've had the same problem. Minding my own business, not bothering anybody, and poof: mac died. Pressed the Power button and I eventually got the Reset Password screen. Managed to reset the password and restarted the computer.


The problem has arisen twice more.


Both times, when the computer restarted it had trouble with Word unexpectedly closing and needing to send an error report.


Interesting side note: I found "CleanMyDrive2" listed as an application I'd used that day. I hadn't knowingly used this app. NB: I just did a full virus scan and malware scan yesterday, so it's unlikely to be a virus causing the problems.

MacBook pro boots to reset password instead of loggin screen

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