Unable to reset Apple ID password on MacBook Air M3

Troubleshooting Your Apple Account Password

MacBook Air 15-inch M3 · macOS 26.3

From what you have described, I suspect there may be some confusion between three different passwords:

1. Apple Account password – formerly called your Apple ID password. This is used for iCloud, the App Store, Find My and other Apple services.
2. Mac login password – the password you use to unlock your MacBook and access your desktop.
3. Saved password – a password stored in Apple's Passwords app. It may be your current Apple Account password, but it could also be an older one.

It is ’important to remember that changing your Apple Account password does not automatically change your Mac's login password.

1. Let's look at the password showing as dots

You mentioned finding an entry in your Passwords app where the password appears only as dots. That may be a useful clue.

On your MacBook:

1. Open the Passwords app.
2. Unlock it using Touch ID or your Mac login password.
3. Search for account.apple.com or appleid.apple.com.
4. Click the relevant entry.
5. Locate the password field.
6. Click the dots or the reveal-password control beside them.

You may be asked to authenticate again.

If successful, you should be able to see the actual password.

One caution: just because a password is saved there does not necessarily mean it is  your current one. It could be one of the earlier passwords you have tried.

Please do not send us the password. Just let us know whether you can reveal it.

Apple's guide: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/passwords/welcome/mac

2. Try using your iPhone to establish a new password

If your iPhone is still signed into your Apple Account, that is very encouraging. It may be the simplest way to resolve this.

Apple recognizes an iPhone that is already signed into your account as a trusted device.

On your iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap your name at the very top.
3. Select Sign-In & Security.
4. Select Change Password.
5. Follow the instructions.

You may be asked to enter your iPhone passcode.

In some circumstances, Apple may impose a one-hour security delay.

If the password change succeeds, write down the new password temporarily in a secure place. Do not attempt another reset.

Apple's instructions: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/101567

3. Make sure the new password actually works

Before making any further changes to your MacBook, let' us test the new password.

On your iPhone:

1. Open Safari.
2. Go to https://account.apple.com/
3. Enter your Apple Account email address.
4. Enter your newly created password.
5. Complete any two-factor authentication verification requested.

If you can sign in successfully, we know the new password is valid.

If it does not work, do not keep trying different passwords. Let us know what happens, and we will  investigate further.

4. Check your MacBook's Apple Account settings

Once we have established that the new password works, let' us see what' is happening on your MacBook.

1. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
2. Select System Settings.
3. Look at the top of the sidebar.

If your name appears, click it.

1. Select Sign-In & Security.
2. Check whether your account is signed in or whether your Mac is asking you to enter your password.

If you are already signed in, please do not sign out.

If you are ‘not signed in, we will  work out the safest way to reconnect your account once we have  confirmed that the new password is working.

Apple's Mac User Guide: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/guide/mac-help/welcome/mac

5. What if none of this works?

There is still another option. Apple has an official account recovery service for situations where you cannot reset your password using a trusted device.

Apple Account Recovery:

https://iforgot.apple.com/

Apple may require a waiting period before allowing you to regain access. Depending on the circumstances, this can take several days or longer.

You can read more about this process here:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/118574

I would keep this as a later option. If your iPhone is still properly connected to your Apple Account, we may not need to go down this route.

6. If necessary, let us get Apple involved

If we still can not resolve the problem, I would recommend contacting Apple Support before attempting anything more drastic.

Here are the official support links:

• Apple Support  https://support.apple.com/en-ca

• Contact Apple Support: https://getsupport.apple.com/

• Find an Apple Store: https://www.apple.com/ca/retail/

Explain that you have made several attempts to reset your Apple Account password and that your Passwords app contains several older password entries.

Ask them to help establish whether your account password has actually been changed and whether your MacBook is still properly associated with your Apple Account.

First, do not  worry. You' are not out of options! Let us slow things down and establish exactly what is ’happening before attempting any more password changes.

I suspect your Apple Account password may have changed successfully, but Face ID, automatic sign-in, or confusion over which email address you are using may be complicating matters.

1. When your iPhone asks:

• Remove Other Devices
• Stay Signed In Everywhere

Choose Stay Signed In Everywhere for now. We don't want to unnecessarily disrupt your access on other devices.

2. On your iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap your name.
3. Note the email address beneath your name.
4. Tap Sign-In & Security.

Make sure this is the same @icloud.com address you are ‘been using on your MacBook.

3. If you have already reset your password and Apple confirmed the change, do not reset it again.

If not, go to:

Settings > Your Name > Sign-In & Security > Change Password.

Follow the instructions, create a new password, and write it down temporarily in a secure place. Make sure Apple confirms the change.

4. On your iPhone:

1. Open Safari and start a Private Browsing session.
2. Go to https://account.apple.com.
3. Enter your full @icloud.com address.
4. Choose manual password entry rather than Face ID or a passkey, if offered.
5. Enter your new password.

If Apple requests a six-digit verification code, enter it.

• If you sign in successfully, we know the password works.
• If Apple rejects it, stop. Don't try old passwords or reset it again.
• If an error message appears, note its exact wording.

5. Three things we need to know

A. What email address appears beneath your name in iPhone Settings? You can mask part of it.

B. Did Apple explicitly confirm that your most recent password change was successful?

C. What exact message appeared when you tried signing in with the new password?

One final precaution: Do not sign out of your iPhone or MacBook just yet.

Let us get your Apple Account sorted out first. 

Once we have confirmed the password, we will tackle the MacBook Air. 

Hi Owl-53

a.b.c.:Concerning the password question, I do understand the different logins, using the mac login to open my laptop and the Apple id password. this latter one is my problem.

1. Tnx for the detailed response I have searched all my notes but cannot find the login with dots that seemed to work. It was the login with my name onto the @icloud account but it now fails. I was able to log into this Support page by starting a password change using my phone, and this page opened up. I checked the Passwords app, reviewed each p/w and only found one related to Apple, my email address and an older used p/w that doesn't work now. Dead end.
2. I am now using my iPhone to set up a new id p/w and will then test it. After the reset, a question pops up, Remove Other Devices or Stay Signed In Everywhere.Which is better??
3. Checking to see if the new p/w will work: well, I tried it but the face id kept interfering. Then I tried logging with my phone number and the p/w failed.

So I am holding here, waiting for further instructions! At least I can see something is interfering with the reset. Thanks! bob.c

Owl-53, howdy! 899((Now here is a curious item: I have to get to this discussion by using the barcode thingy --type passkey rather than signing on using an email logon. Yet this opens the Apple universe and I can get into Support.)

1. Each time using my phone I have stayed logged in on all devices.
2. When I go to the Apple acount, under my name I see my regular email rc******@mass.**.com. Then I see the Signon & Security page.It shows my main email, labeled as primary email; then our two iPhone #'s; then my icloud email address; then a line to add an email or phone #. That icloud address does show up as one of my choices for logging on: bo*******[email protected]
3. I haven't tried to change today so I will now give it a try: and I get the green check, p/w changed, devices stay signed in, DONE.
4. Now open Safari and start aPrivate session. I don't know how to do that on my phone. Isn't the Safari already privae?So I entered the apple address and I get the black apple surrounded by a color wreath, my full name in a black bar with my photto and he face id trying to work. I don't nknow how to stop it so I put my fingerover the camera bar at the top. The face id seems paused, but I don't see anywhere I can type in my icloud address. or new p/w. So I seem to be frozen at the moment.

No, I tapped the little blue direction to try another address. So I did and I got a login but also two six digit codes to input. I used the first one , then a second code came up on my laptop as I am typing! Now the phone has a small spinning wheel and the second code and box is still on my laptop! (It went away when I did l0g in.)

a.The face id just went off and signed me in automatically.....now what??

b. Good news: I hit Sign Out and tried again but avoided the face id and logged in using the icloud address and p/w; I'm signed in withApple. I may be on the road to recovery......

5.Three things:

a.email below my photo: it is my same email address ; rc******@ma**. **.com. That did not change.

b.Apple did confirm tha thep/w change was successful.

c. the message was that you have successfully changed your p/w " but this message came thru every time I have tried a change.

I will leave the iPhone and MacBook signed in. TNX!! bob.c