Unlocking Mac using Apple Watch not working? Try these simple steps. The most convenient ways to lock a Mac How to protect yourself from data theft
Forgetting a password is a situation in which any of us has ever found ourselves. And if a lost password for a social network account can be recovered in 2-3 minutes via email or mobile phone, a password for an account in Windows can be recovered in half an hour, but with Apple devices and the MacOX operating system everything is much more complicated.
The fact is that Apple computers have a very high level of protection. A password can be set not only on the software, but also on the motherboard itself, blocking the choice of boot device. This is the so-called firmware password - a password set on the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) - a more powerful analogue of the BIOS, which is used in Apple devices.
Let's demonstrate with an example. This picture shows the password entry window for your ICloud account:
And this one shows the EFI password entry field:
EFI password can be set on all iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro products.
1. iMac 21" A1311
3. Macbook Pro 17" A1297
4. Macbook Pro 15" A1286
5. Macbook Pro 13" A1278
6. Macbook Air 11" A1370, A1465
7. Macbook Air 13" A1369, A1466
8. Macbook Pro 15" A1398 with Retina display
9. MacBook Pro 13" A1425 with retina display
10. All Mac Mini
So, how do you reset your EFI password and unlock your MacBook or other Apple computer?
The most correct way is to contact Apple support. The company's certified technicians will help solve the problem. But there is not always time and desire for this.
Most users prefer to solve such problems themselves.
The most common and effective method to reset the EFI password is as follows:
1. You need to change the amount of computer memory. Remove one memory stick or swap the memory sticks.
- To remove the memory stick from your MacBook, you will need a small Phillips screwdriver and a ruler.
- Using a screwdriver, unscrew the screws that hold the back cover of the laptop;
- Disconnect the battery from the motherboard. This can be done conveniently and safely using a plastic ruler.
- Carefully push apart the latches that hold the memory modules in place and carefully remove 1 module.
- Reconnect the battery and screw on the laptop lid.
2. Turn on your computer. When turning it on, hold down the key combination: “cmd+alt+p+r”. Repeat these steps several times if necessary.
After this, the password should be reset.
Good luck in restoring access to your computer! Keep your passwords in a safe place and don't forget them!
Fair, not overpriced and not underestimated. There should be prices on the Service website. Necessarily! without asterisks, clear and detailed, where technically possible - as accurate and concise as possible.
If spare parts are available, up to 85% of complex repairs can be completed in 1-2 days. Modular repairs require much less time. The website shows the approximate duration of any repair.
Warranty and responsibility
A guarantee must be given for any repairs. Everything is described on the website and in the documents. The guarantee is self-confidence and respect for you. A 3-6 month warranty is good and sufficient. It is needed to check quality and hidden defects that cannot be detected immediately. You see honest and realistic terms (not 3 years), you can be sure that they will help you.
Half the success in Apple repair is the quality and reliability of spare parts, so a good service works directly with suppliers, there are always several reliable channels and your own warehouse with proven spare parts for current models, so you don’t have to waste extra time.
Free diagnostics
This is very important and has already become a rule of good manners for the service center. Diagnostics is the most difficult and important part of the repair, but you don't have to pay a penny for it, even if you don't repair the device based on its results.
Service repairs and delivery
A good service values your time, so it offers free delivery. And for the same reason, repairs are carried out only in the workshop of a service center: they can be done correctly and according to technology only in a prepared place.
Convenient schedule
If the Service works for you, and not for itself, then it is always open! absolutely. The schedule should be convenient to fit in before and after work. Good service works on weekends and holidays. We are waiting for you and working on your devices every day: 9:00 - 21:00
The reputation of professionals consists of several points
Company age and experience
Reliable and experienced service has been known for a long time.
If a company has been on the market for many years and has managed to establish itself as an expert, people turn to it, write about it, and recommend it. We know what we are talking about, since 98% of incoming devices in the service center are restored.
Other service centers trust us and refer complex cases to us.
How many masters in areas
If there are always several engineers waiting for you for each type of equipment, you can be sure:
1. there will be no queue (or it will be minimal) - your device will be taken care of right away.
2. you give your Macbook for repair to an expert in the field of Mac repairs. He knows all the secrets of these devices
Technical literacy
If you ask a question, a specialist should answer it as accurately as possible.
So that you can imagine what exactly you need.
They will try to solve the problem. In most cases, from the description you can understand what happened and how to fix the problem.
We tell you how to protect your data.
Have you forgotten the administrator password to turn on your Mac? No problem, Apple has a solution. In just a couple of minutes you can easily reset your password and set a new one...
But this can be done by ANY stranger who gains access to your Mac.
Let's understand this feature of OS X.
How to reset MacBook password
Let's be optimistic and decide that it is you, and not someone else, who needs to change the password on your MacBook.
So, after unsuccessful attempts to log into your account, the only solution left is to reset your password.
1. We need to turn off the laptop. While at the password entry screen, hold down the Power key until your MacBook turns off. Now turn on the MacBook and hold down the key combination Command+R. Hold it until a thin loading bar appears.
2. We're in Recovery Mode. Opening Utilities -> Terminal.
3. Enter the following command resetpassword and press Enter.
4. In the window that opens, enter a new password and, if necessary, a hint.
5. Just restart your Mac and sign in with a new password.
The system will immediately prompt you to update the password for Keychains, but without knowing the previous password, you will not be able to do this.
After loading, OS X will begin to require you to enter your old keychain password. If you don't know it, it's best to create a new one A bunch of keys(after all, you probably remember the passwords for your Apple ID account and other services).
How to protect yourself from data theft
Until you enter the password for the old keychain or create a new one, the system behaves extremely strangely. Working with applications is very difficult - they freeze, slow down and stop responding.
However, copying the necessary information in this mode to an external drive is as easy as shelling pears. And if there is confidential information on your Mac, you will undoubtedly notice its loss, but it will be too late.
In order to protect yourself from such a situation, it is enough to follow a few simple steps that will protect you from such free access to password reset.
1. Open Settings -> Protection and Security, remove the security lock in the lower left corner and move to the tab FileVault.
2. Tap the key Enable FileVaul.
3. When the system asks you to select an unlock type, select the option you are interested in. Allow my iCloud account to remove protection from my drive- more preferable. Click Continue.
Now all that remains is to wait until the system finishes encrypting the disk. The option of just resetting using a terminal will not work on an encrypted disk, but your data will be in perfect order.
The macOS feature that lets you unlock your Mac with Apple Watch provides security and convenience. However, a problem may arise if the feature stops working properly.
If unlocking your Mac using Apple Watch isn't working for you, here are some solutions you can try.
The most common problem with this feature is that the light spins for a couple of seconds but doesn't unlock the Mac, and it ends up popping up a sign asking for a password. In this situation, solution #8 is suitable. You may have other cases, but one of the solutions should definitely help.
How to fix unlocking problemsMac by usingApple Watch
Solution 1: Make sure you entered your password correctlyMac while loading.
After you enable Apple Watch unlock, you will still have to enter your passcode if you restart your Mac. This is not a bug, it is a security measure designed specifically. Every time you restart your computer, you will first have to enter the password manually. Then, if your Mac goes to sleep, you can unlock it using your Apple Watch.
Solution 2: Make sure you entered your password correctlyApple Watch.
Like your Mac password, you'll also have to enter your Apple Watch password manually first. This is also a security measure designed to ensure that no one else can unlock your Mac.
Solution 3: Turn the feature on and off.
On a Mac, go to > System Preferences > Safety. Select a tab Basic, then remove and check the box next to AllowApple Watch unlockMac.
Solution 4:Make sure you are logged in to the same account on both devices.
On a Mac, go to > System Preferences > iCloud and make sure the account here is the same as on the Apple Watch in the Watch app > General > Accounts.
If the account does not match, you will not be able to use the unlock feature.
Solution 5: Make sure Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are turned on on your Mac.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi must be turned on to transfer information. If they're turned off, Apple Watch won't be able to connect to your Mac to unlock it.
Solution 6: Check thatMac function disabledInternet Sharing
On a Mac, go to > System Preferences > Sharing and make sure sharing is turned off.
Solution 7: Check thatApple Watch was no more than an arm's length away fromMac.
This is understandable, but you still have to be near the Mac to unlock it for hours.
Solution 8: reboot All.
If all else fails, simply restart your Mac and Apple Watch. You may need to restart your Mac more than once for the feature to work properly.
In case your Mac computer falls into the hands of third parties, Apple has a system that allows you to prevent criminals from using the device. However, sometimes, unfortunately, the owner himself may suffer from this, and in this case, locking a Mac turns into a severe headache.
It all started when one of our readers encountered an unpleasant problem: his iCloud password was remotely guessed and his computer was locked. It would seem that if he is the owner of the computer, Apple should be able to unlock the device without any problems. But everything turned out to be not so simple.
The procedure for locking an iPhone or iPad and a Mac computer are quite different. In the second case, the EFI chip is blocked and needs to be reprogrammed, but this cannot be done remotely. We contacted Apple support and made sure that to unlock it, you really need to contact the company's authorized service center.
But the most interesting thing is that the unlocking service turned out to be paid, since this is not a defect in the device, and the services charge money for it. Our reader from Murmansk was asked for 4,500 rubles for this. And this is in an authorized service center.
We interviewed representatives of several authorized service centers in Moscow and found out the average pricing policy for unlocking - from 1,500 to 2,000 rubles. Cheaper, what can I say. Also, when contacting the service center, you will need a receipt to confirm that you own the computer. They have special equipment for EFI flashing.
We can help you, for this you need documents about the purchase of the device, the cost of the work is 2,000 rubles, if attackers blocked the computer and deleted the data, then it is no longer available. The unlocking procedure consists of software resetting the enabled protection mode from the system board of your device. No actions are taken with your disk.
As we managed to find out, unauthorized service centers also carry out the corresponding work. In this case, the EFI is unsoldered, the data is corrected using a programmer, and then the chip is installed back. This is not the simplest matter, so the price for the service is appropriate.
Third-party organizations also handle unlocking Macs - in this case, you need to pay them a certain amount (for example, $149), and then send them your computer for EFI flashing. Whether this is advisable is up to you to decide, but we would not recommend it. However, these guys will not ask for a purchase receipt or supporting documents.
There are other dubious organizations that accept payment and then send you a special file by email that supposedly unlocks your Mac. Here, as they say, at your own peril and risk, although there are video instructions.
So there are two ways out of the unpleasant situation with a locked computer - do everything in an authorized service center or trust third-party organizations. It’s strange that Apple charges money for this even if you have all the necessary documents. Moreover, even authorized service centers can set arbitrary prices - in this case, they are controlled only by the FAS, but not by Apple.
To avoid getting into this situation, under no circumstances register your Apple ID on mail.ru or yandex.ru. Accounts with these email services are most often hacked, according to Apple representatives.
