I am locked out of my macbook pro

It must've happened this morning when I was cleaning the keyboard keys. So tonight, when I get home from work and try to login using that little box on the desktop below the soccer ball, it won't except my password. You know, you can never completely turn off these new MacBooks anymore; just barely bump them and they turn themselves on. It would be nice to turn it "off-off" so that I can clean the screen or the keyboard. So please help me login so that I can reset the password back to what it was before. Please please. Did I say please?

It must've happened this morning when I was cleaning the keyboard keys. So tonight, when I get home from work and try to login using that little box on the desktop below the soccer ball, it won't except my password. You know, you can never completely turn off these new MacBooks anymore; just barely bump them and they turn themselves on. It would be nice to turn it "off-off" so that I can clean the screen or the keyboard. So please help me login so that I can reset the password back to what it was before. Please please. Did I say please?

If you forgot your Mac login password

If you forgot the password to log in to your Mac user account, or the password isn't accepted, choose a reset option from the login window.

support.apple.com

If you forgot your Mac login password

If you forgot the password to log in to your Mac user account, or the password isn't accepted, choose a reset option from the login window.

support.apple.com

TiggrToo: I got to a new window by entering my Apple ID and Password:

1. Restore from Time Machine
"If you have a backup of your system that you want to restore"

2. Reinstall macOS Monterey
"Install a new copy of macOS Monterey onto your Mac"

3. Safari
"Browse Apple Support to get help with your Mac"

4. Disk Utility
"Repair or erase a disk using Disk Utility"

Which option do I choose?

You can restore if you have a good Time Machine backup.

Reinstallation of Monterey is only necessary if macOS is corrupted or to fix a software glitch.

You can restore if you have a good Time Machine backup.

Reinstallation of Monterey is only necessary if macOS is corrupted or to fix a software glitch.

Wxchaser: I don't think I have a Time Machine backup. The HD is pretty much empty except for a couple of documents and some bookmarks on Safari.

Fishrrman's Rule #3:
One should always remember one's passwords.
If you have trouble remembering them, write them down in a little book or on paper.

Fishrrman's Rule #3:
One should always remember one's passwords.
If you have trouble remembering them, write them down in a little book or on paper.

Fishrrman: That wasn't the case. The password got erased somehow while I was cleaning the keyboard and the machine booted itself back up because I was touching the keys with the microfiber cloth. The password is the same password that my brother used to use on his MBP: "jeremy" which is his son's name. I continue to use my nephew's name because it's so easy to remember and quick to type in.

Yeah... I'll say that it is impossible that you could have erased, or changed the password to something else, just by wiping the keys.
I suspect that you have a problem with the keys on your keyboard, and it simply enters the password incorrectly - missing keys, or Caps Lock makes you type incorrectly
Did you accidentally turn on the Caps Lock? Toggle that key on/off a couple of times to make sure it is actually turned off.
Watch the symbols as you type the password to make sure that the keys respond for each character that you type.

Yeah... I'll say that it is impossible that you could have erased, or changed the password to something else, just by wiping the keys.
I suspect that you have a problem with the keys on your keyboard, and it simply enters the password incorrectly - missing keys, or Caps Lock makes you type incorrectly
Did you accidentally turn on the Caps Lock? Toggle that key on/off a couple of times to make sure it is actually turned off.
Watch the symbols as you type the password to make sure that the keys respond for each character that you type.

DeltaMac: Nothing wrong with the keys. Caps Lock were off. What I do think it has something to do with is the very loud female voice yelling at me through the speakers. I don't remember what she said because I was in a hurry to leave the house and go to work. When I get this all sorted out, I'm definitely going to disable the "Boot on Lid Open" feature like Jack Neill suggested in this thread.

UPDATE:

I got it resolved with the help from "Tristen"at Applecare. He is a very sharp and bright young man.

He said there is no way to completely shut off a 2021 MacBook Pro. So with that said, I'll have to avoid moving the cursor towards the password box as I'm cleaning the keyboard.

My 2007 MBP has the 2021 beat in that segment; I can completely shut the 2007 machine off.

UPDATE:

I got it resolved with the help from "Tristen"at Applecare. He is a very sharp and bright young man.

He said there is no way to completely shut off a 2021 MacBook Pro. So with that said, I'll have to avoid moving the cursor towards the password box as I'm cleaning the keyboard.

My 2007 MBP has the 2021 beat in that segment; I can completely shut the 2007 machine off.

Gonna disagree here: I have an M1 Air that’s not that much different than the Pro when it comes to the basics and I can totally shut it down to the point where I have to press the power on button to start it up again.

In addition there’ve been problems with the M1 Mac Pro not charging correctly when it has been totally shut down.

Sleep is one thing. Shut down is entirely different.

In addition, even if it was in sleep mode, you’d have to log in\unlock first before you can change your password.

Whatever happened here it was NOT the basic result of cleaning.

In order to change the password on a Mac, one has to first supply the original password and THEN supply the new password TWICE.

Chances of this happening while cleaning? As close to zero as zero can be.

Gonna disagree here: I have an M1 Air that’s not that much different than the Pro when it comes to the basics and I can totally shut it down to the point where I have to press the power on button to start it up again.

How are you able to turn your M1 Air completely off?

How are you able to turn your M1 Air completely off?

Hello Merkava_4,

Glad to read your password situation is resolved, whatever the cause.

Apple Support is clear and consistent: before cleaning a Mac notebook one is to Shut Down the computer, and unplug the power adapter. This will "turn it off."

To perform a standard shutdown:

Click on the  menu in the top-left of your computer screen.

• Then click on Shut Down from this drop-down menu.

Hope this is of some help. ? -KM

Apple Support is clear and consistent: before cleaning a Mac notebook one is to Shut Down the computer, and unplug the power adapter. This will "turn it off."

Ditto this. This is how I do it. And pretty much always just with a dry microfiber as I don't eat over/while using the Mac.

Hello Merkava_4,

Glad to read your password situation is resolved, whatever the cause.

Apple Support is clear and consistent: before cleaning a Mac notebook one is to Shut Down the computer, and unplug the power adapter. This will "turn it off."

To perform a standard shutdown:

Click on the  menu in the top-left of your computer screen.

• Then click on Shut Down from this drop-down menu.

Hope this is of some help. ? -KM


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Hi KayEm6419

The method you describe is exactly what I do. I select Shut Down from the Apple drop down menu at the upper lefthand corner of the screen. The power adapter is unplugged. However, the computer (a 2021 MacBook Pro 16-inch) will power itself back on with the slightest touch to the keyboard or screen. I'm just going to live with it, although I cannot figure out how the rest of you people are able to keep your machine powered off.

Hi Merkava_4, ?

Your experience certainly goes against mine. If my computer is merely in Sleep mode, a touch of any key will reactivate. (I have both an Intel MBPro and an M1 MBAir currently.)

You can Force Shut Down the unit. I'd be curious how your computer responds?

To Force Shut Down the Silicon notebook: Press and hold the Touch ID/power button until screen goes black.

Best,
KM

...
The method you describe is exactly what I do...

[Edit: I just now found your other thread in the MacBook Pro section. I respectfully defer to those who have the same device.]

Hi Merkava_4, ?

Your experience certainly goes against mine. If my computer is merely in Sleep mode, a touch of any key will reactivate. (I have both an Intel MBPro and an M1 MBAir currently.)

You can Force Shut Down the unit. I'd be curious how your computer responds?

To Force Shut Down the Silicon notebook: Press and hold the Touch ID/power button until screen goes black.

Best,
KM

Yes, when the 2021 is shut down, it acts like my 2007 in sleep mode.