My 82-year-old father got an M3 14-inch MacBook Pro in 2024. The other night he decided to "clean" it by wiping a paper towel over the keyboard. In doing so, he somehow altered the log-in password so now nobody can log-in. I can kick myself for never enabling the fingerprint ID. What can I do to straighten this mess out?
WaltAtwood wrote:
My 82-year-old father got an M3 14-inch MacBook Pro in 2024. The other night he decided to "clean" it by wiping a paper towel over the keyboard. In doing so, he somehow altered the log-in password so now nobody can log-in. I can kick myself for never enabling the fingerprint ID. What can I do to straighten this mess out?
Even with TouchID enabled, if you you reboot ( ie login) you need the password.
Touch ID will not be accepted by macOS:
If you restarted your Mac, or if you're not logged into your user account.
If you have not unlocked your Mac for 48 hours.
If you are trying to unlock Security & Privacy
If you are trying to unlock Users & Groups Settings (when FileVault is on)
If 5 wrong fingerprint attempts
If wiping the Keyboard I use Command Q to lock the screen...
ref: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/mac-help/mh11627/26/mac/26
If the previously-mentioned password set sequence and a hard restart (hold the Touch ID / power button for ~ten seconds) do not work…
Try plugging in an external keyboard, and (depending on the Mac login window settings) try entering the password in the username field — this both to see if what you are typing is what you expect, and (even if you can’t get at the user login field) to see if the keyboard keys are working as expected.
Also make sure the selected keyboard is language-appropriate and with no shift lock.
As correctly mentioned in another reply, Touch ID does not replace the password. All of the security is still based on the password.
If something from all that fails to resolve this including the restart and the password reset, I’d expect a keyboard hardware problem. It’ll then usually need service. Keyboard replacements are expensive, if there is no AppleCare.
Having been in what might be a similar situation on occasion, I’d also seriously consider replacing this Mac with an iPad, if the necessary apps are available for iPad. iPad is somewhat simpler to use, has fewer fiddly keyboard bits, has somewhat more robust hardware, and can move to Assistive Access should that guidance become useful.
But you know the current situation here and the trends here best, too.
Ways to remember passwords on Mac - Apple Support
If you forgot your Mac login password, read this support article —> https://support.apple.com/102633
M3 MacBook Pro - accidentally locked out?
