Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Lion Edition

Five Mac OS X Security Shields

Mac OS X has a spectacular reputation for stability and security. At this writing, there still hasn’t been a single widespread Mac OS X virus or spyware app.

Frequently Asked Question: The Forgotten-Password Survival Guide

Help—I forgot my password! And I never told it to anybody, so no one can help me!

No problem. Your administrator can simply open up System Preferences, click Users & Groups, click your account name, and then click Reset Password to reestablish the password.

But you don’t understand. I am the administrator! And I’m the only account!

Lucky for you, Apple has provided you with not one, not two, but three safety nets. None of them work, however, unless your friendly neighborhood administrator (so, you) turned them on in advance.

First: On your third attempt to type your password correctly, the Mac shows you your password hint (if you have one, and if the administrator left the Hint option turned on).

Second: If the administrator has turned on the “Allow user to reset password using Apple ID” in System Preferences→Users & Groups, then you can click the button right there in the Password box when you’re logging in. A tiny message appears, letting you know that, “If you forgot your password, you can reset it using your Apple ID.”

To proceed, click the button to bring up the Reset Password dialog box. Enter your Apple ID and password, and then click ...