Enable root user mac terminal recovery mode. app to reset the password of an account.

Enable root user mac terminal recovery mode i wanted to know if i could create admin account on the terminal from my friend's mac to externally connected hard drive, thanks. dsenableroot sets the password for the root account if enabling the root user account. To return to the Recovery app, choose Terminal > Quit Terminal. au. root still disabled. While this happened to save me from an issue that locked me out of my Mac, I am very concerned that such access to the system is even possible. The install has failed/hung in Recovery mode (Command (⌘)-R) as well as in an attempt to reinstall Mojave or even Mavericks (Option-Command-R and Shift-Option-Command-R). In other words, that is to run Terminal in sudo mode. The best solution for 10. Launch the Reinstall Mac OS X app on that screen and follow the guidance as it progresses. Today, Mac System Integrity Protection, also known as ‘rootless,’ restricts the root user and won’t allow it to perform specific actions, such as adding code into system processes or managing protected locations. However when I enter recovery mode on my Mac, I cannot open a terminal. Create a password for the root account when prompted. May 18, 2017 · Some more advanced Mac troubleshooting and diagnostics techniques require a user to access the Terminal from Mac OS Recovery Mode. I see in screen : bash -3. " Enter the SIP Enable Command: Type the following command and press Using Command + R at boot, I entered recovery mode but the /private/etc/ directory is Read-Only. Then, open a terminal window and type the command 'resetpassword'. If you're not able to shut it down normally, press and hold the Power button. Nov 15, 2021 · Boot up the Mac in Recovery mode. Oct 29, 2018 · Note that while Single User Mode gives you access to a command prompt, it is with root access and is entirely different from the regular command line interface accessed from the Terminal, with less commands, tools, programs, and other data available (without mounting the file system anyway). Dec 27, 2023 · It‘s every Linux admin‘s worst nightmare, but don‘t panic yet! In this step-by-step guide, I‘ll show you how to re-take control and reset the root password by way of GRUB (GRand Unified Bootloader) and single user mode. Oct 29, 2022 · How to Enable Root User Using the Directory Utility If you prefer to use a GUI-based option to enable the root user on your Mac, use the Directory Utility instead of the Terminal. Once the Mac shuts down, restart it in a special startup environment called Single User mode. iBoysoft NTFS for Mac can make the read-only NTFS file system writable on Mac. Enter a new password and click “Save. No updates. Run resetpassword, which opens the Reset Password application. 8K subscribers Subscribed Oct 12, 2022 · I was following the instructions in this support page: How to enable the root user on your Mac or change your root password - Apple Support and I do not see "Edit > Enable Root User" options in my Directory Utility page (please refer the screenshot). It's safer to use the sudo command in Terminal instead of enabling the root user. It’s intended to be lower level than a casual jaunt in the Terminal or using Terminal via Recovery Nov 22, 2019 · Click on reset encrypted data , in user library > keychain folder the previous login folder will be deactivated and a new empty keychain folder will be created , you have to restart the Mac , in the upcoming window enter admin name and new password - Finally the password is reset . Nov 13, 2020 · This is a very common misunderstanding and an understandably confusing situation. Enable System Integrity Protection To reenable SIP, do the following: Restart your computer in Recovery mode. 6. ref: Use macOS Recovery on a Mac with Apple silicon Mar 13, 2024 · Recovery Mode is its own very limited & restricted environment that appears like a Single User Mode boot environment, but they are not the same. Oct 7, 2021 · I don't have a recovery partition so now I have a mac that a friend of mine kindly lent me. ” Replace “username” with a one-word name to identify the user. Select the volume and account and reset the password. Tried to enable and disable SIP. I use the following commands: dscl . **Resetting Admin Password in Single-User Mode:** - Restart your Mac and hold down Command + S while it's booting to enter Single-User Mode. Once in recovery mode, launch the Terminal and type resetpassword to access the password reset utility. Mac OSX enable the root user from Single User Mode While booting the machine on hold down the Command (⌘)+ S keys on the keyboard. May 21, 2022 · Single User Mode does exist on M1 Macs— however it requires the security downgrade and using the Recovery Mode to access Terminal. To enable the root user in macOS Recovery Mode, you must restart your Mac while holding Command+R to enter Recovery, then access Terminal from the Utilities menu and run the dsenableroot command. Even if you are booting into the local recovery mode, you are in effect booting from external media. Terminal: Change settings via the command line. Thanks in advance! May 15, 2023 · The root user is disabled on the Mac by default due to security reasons, one may not need the root user access, as an admin has most of the privileges that would suffice any task you want to perform using the Terminal. Using dscl in single user mode: Hold command-S on startup. Use command-line text editors in Terminal on Mac - Apple Jul 8, 2024 · Enable the root user using Directory Utility if not already done so disable system integrity protection from recovery mode terminal (csrutil disable && csrutil authenticated-root disable) Sep 21, 2009 · The steps are covered in the article Enable root account in Snow Leopard and this Apple support page. Directory Utility is accessible through System Preferences on all versions of OS X since 10. I have no recovery partition, but I can boot with a Lion USB Recovery Stick, Lion's Internet Recovery, and a Lion install DVD that I made myself via some un-official instructions online. ” Type “resetpassword” (as a single word) and press “Return. To use the command line in this mode, follow these steps: boot into Recovery Mode (hold Command + R), navigate to the Utilities menu, and open Terminal. Mar 12, 2021 · I m in recovery mode and launch terminal . I tried booting into recovery mode (held power button when starting). Fix login issues quickly and securely. At it’s most simple form, simply type ‘dsenableroot’ into the Terminal prompt, enter the users password, then enter and verify a root user password. If you type exit here you'll finish booting into your regular macOS environment. Here’s exactly what I’ll cover to resolve that lost root password: What GRUB and single user mode are Walkthrough to change root password Detailed explanations for Jun 20, 2024 · Malware that got root permission could use it to destroy the low-level operating system files. Jan 23, 2021 · Restart in Recovery mode (Command-R at startup), open Terminal (from the Utilities menu), and disable SIP filesystem protection with: csrutil enable --without fs Restart normally, open Terminal, and remount the root volume for read access: sudo mount -uw / Jun 11, 2018 · They're different things actually, single user mode boots from your normal macOS installation, but stops before it launches the GUI and puts you in a terminal as a root-level user. Run launchctl load Jan 8, 2021 · As instructed I rebooted with command-R to recovery mode, opened the terminal and entered the ‘csrutil disable’ command. Jul 28, 2020 · I would like to use an institutional recovery key to unlock my boot partition. Select the lock icon in Directory Utility and enter the administrator username and password From the menu bar at the very top, choose edit and then enable root user. Apple has removed all the articles on Single-User mode, so suffice it to say Single-User mode allowed you to boot up as root into a Terminal-like console. app to reset the password of an account. From this boot mode, you can reinstall the operating system (macOS), restore a Time Machine backup, reset an admin password, perform disk maintenance, and more. Who is this user supposed to be, if not me, who started the device as admin? Unless you have already disabled System Integrity Protection, the /System directory tree will not be writable even by root. Boot into recovery mode by restarting your Mac and holding the Command and ‘R’ keys simultaneously. Oct 5, 2015 · Turning Off Rootless System Integrity Protection in Mac OS X Again, the vast majority of Mac users should not disable rootless. Restart your computer. Yay. I can then only click on "forgot all passwords", but then it asks me to enter an associated Apple ID. I am able to boot into Recovery Mode, and my intent was to rescue the important data sitting in /Users/ (my username), but to my surprise, the entire /Users/ folder is just not there when I try to access it via Terminal. This subheading will provide a detailed step-by-step guide to enable the root user account effectively on your Mac system. Using Recovery Mode Recovery Mode on a Mac is a handy built-in feature that allows you to perform various tasks, like repairing your disk, reinstalling macOS, or in our case, creating a new admin account without an existing admin. Jan 9, 2021 · Acting as Root with Sudo Before you enable the root user account on your Mac, you should know about an alternative called sudo. Anyone know how to give root write access? May 29, 2023 · Using the Single-User mode also offers an easy way of making yourself an admin on Mac using Terminal. " It's safer to use the sudo command in Terminal instead of enabling the root user. Failure to reenable SIP when you are done testing leaves your computer vulnerable to malicious code. Click on it, and your computer will boot into Recovery Mode. at least that is the best way to think about it. The next step was . 2#" prompt indicates you're in a root or superuser shell. Otherwise, if disable [-d] is chosen, the root account passwords are removed and the root user is disabled. Don't create that power if you've no particular need to wield it, and under no circumstances should you use the root account for day-to-day computing. Boot macOS Recovery Mode Next to your volumes in the startup options is a button with the "Options" label. ” Feb 11, 2025 · Learn how to reset your Mac admin password using Recovery Mode with our step-by-step guide. macOS may prevent modifications to the system boot volume unless SIP Macbook running HighSierra, Command+R does not work, Command+S boots into Terminal as root but filesystem remains read-only no matter what I try to do. Press and hold the Power button until you May 23, 2021 · To create a user account from Terminal in Mac, follow steps 1-6 in this article under u0022How to Create an Admin Account on a Mac Using Terminal. How to Enable SIP / System Integrity Protection on Mac Enabling System Integrity Protection on a Mac requires rebooting the computer into Recovery Mode, here are the steps: Restart the Mac by going to the Apple menu and choosing “Restart” Q: What are the steps to reset a password on a Mac using Terminal? A: To reset your Mac password using Terminal in Recovery Mode, follow these steps: Access “Utilities” from the Apple menu. Is it possible to unmount the disk then mount it again with write permissions? # sw_vers ProductNa Feb 23, 2018 · How can I run a shell as Admin in Terminal if Im logged in as User with standard privileges? I know the passwords for user and admin account Feb 21, 2023 · Method 1. Just open the Terminal application and preface a Unix command with sudo, like this: May 11, 2021 · How to Reset a MacOS Password with Terminal via Recovery Mode This method to reset your Mac’s user password is applicable to all the recent versions of macOS, and doesn’t require to type any complicated commands in Terminal. Issue ls -lO /System (capital letter 'oh', not zero); if you see restricted, SIP is protecting that directory tree. You have done this correctly if you start to see the computer boot to a black screen with white text detailing the system boot process. Aug 25, 2025 · Ensure you are signed in with an administrator account. Share Disk: Share the disk of a Mac that’s started up in macOS Recovery. How to enable the root user or change the root password on Mac Mac administrators can use the root user account to perform tasks that require access to more areas of the system. To enter root access with the defined password, re-login to your Mac using the username root and password as the root password. If you cannot set an account to admin, then you will need to reboot into single user mode (hold Cmd-S while starting up your Mac). Here, we’ll discuss Jan 4, 2024 · Single user mode is a special startup environment, which boots Mac to a terminal-like interface where users can run commands to do what they want on Mac, such as repairing startup drive or creating new admin account etc. Guidelines for using these key combinations Press and hold all keys in the combination together, not one at a time. This will give you root access, but you will need to keep in mind that the internal drive volumes are mounted at other locations than "/" if you want to modify any local files. But I need to login as root. 6, how do I give myself permanent sudo privleges? is it like linux, in the "/etc/sudoers" file? Sep 23, 2016 · If you reboot holding Command-R-S then you can get into an undocumented combined recovery mode and single user mode, this will go directly to the command prompt without the graphical interface but you will be in recovery mode and can enter the csrutil disable command successfully. To learn about sudo, open the Terminal app and enter man sudo. Step 2: Enable SIP Open Terminal: Select "Utilities" from the menu and then "Terminal. On the other hand, Recovery mode boots off a separate macOS image that's on a separate recovery partition, not your normal boot Oct 16, 2021 · Apple’s macOS Recovery mode serves many purposes. When done in Recovery mode, run the following from the Terminal in Recovery mode: nvram -d recovery-boot-mode This deletes the firmware variable so that the next Mar 30, 2022 · Now, a new user has been created with admin privileges using a mac terminal (multi-user mode) You can delete the newly created Administrator user or keep it as a backup account. The "bash-3. These are the terminal command that I used in recovery mode when my Mac was unable to boot due to low disk space. Search in finder TERMINAL and double-click the “Terminal” icon. Feb 7, 2022 · On a modern Mac you have to go into Recovery Mode to enable Root user! So look into going into Recovery Mode and turn of the Protection! May 28, 2024 · To remove old extensions you need to disable SIP using Terminal in the Recovery mode by CMD-R. Apr 8, 2023 · Learn more about fixing macOS problems with Safe Mode. Aug 5, 2025 · If you need to fix some issues or make some changes on Mac that require the root user privileges, you can run commands as an administrator in the Mac Terminal. Mar 18, 2025 · How to enable the root user or change the root password on Mac Mac administrators can use the root user account to perform tasks that require access to more areas of the system. 8 is to boot in recovery mode (CMD+R). In the Recovery app, choose Utilities > Share Disk. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know and how to boot into it. Feb 5, 2020 · So I was in system library and want make some changes but for some reason even when I enable root user, I was not able to get root login option in login window and even trying use terminal to change file permissions also doesn’t work. Instead it shows the admin accounts on the machine and asks me to enter the password. Dec 31, 2014 · Boot off the recovery partition, open up terminal, and type resetpassword That should bring up a dialog that will allow you to change your password and, maybe, set the account to admin. I thought I'd be able to use Terminal in Recovery mode to download and install Catalina. Oct 7, 2021 · You can boot into Recovery Mode (Command + R) or Internet Recovery Mode (Command + Option + R) and launch the Terminal app from the Utilities menu. Upvoting indicates when questions and answers are useful. The recovery partition is also a viable way to isolate software or hardware issues, and tools like Terminal, Disk Utility, and Safari make troubleshooting easy. x & newer) After incorrectly entering a user password three times at the Mac login screen, a message appears saying "If you forgot your password, you can reset it using your Apple ID" Click the arrow button to bring up a "Reset Password" dialog Dec 28, 2023 · I've been trying to upgrade my Mac mini6,1 from Mojave to Catalina. To enable the root user, select Edit > Enable Root User from the menu bar When you're a user with admin rights, you can use sudo to get root rights even if there is no root user. For more details on how to do this on macOS… Apr 12, 2025 · Resetting admin and standard user passwords in macOS Monterey, Big Sur, and other versions can be done easily through the Recovery drive and Terminal without needing OS X discs. Jun 6, 2011 · In Mac OS X 10. Today I tried and CMD-R now takes me directly to Recovery without the 4 options of reinstall Mac OS, recover from Timemachine, etc. -create /Users/luser UserShell /bin/ Oct 1, 2022 · This is why Macs, and most other flavors of Unix/Linux disable logins to the 'root' account by default and use the 'sudo' command from a terminal emulator to elevate a command so it has root access. "Change root password" - disabled. Aug 23, 2019 · You can do that using the following command: sudo nvram "recovery-boot-mode=unused" sudo reboot This sets a firmware variable in nvram indicating that you want to start in Recovery mode on the next boot, and then reboots the machine. This method is helpful if you’ve forgotten the admin password and can’t access the recovery partition. To reset the admin password, try the following steps: 1. I just bought a MacBook Pro Retina. Open “Terminal. Jan 28, 2025 · Step 1: Boot into Recovery Mode Again Shut Down Your Mac: As before, click on the Apple logo and select "Shut Down. Location. Feb 1, 2025 · This article will cover everything you need to know about managing root users on Mac, including what the root user is, when to use it, how to enable it, and how to manage it effectively while ensuring your system remains secure. 9. Apr 18, 2024 · You may have heard of single-user mode and wondered how it works. Do so at your own risk, this is not specifically recommended. You Jan 9, 2018 · The root user can access almost everything---at least, everything not protected by System Integrity Protection ---which is a lot of power. ” All you need to do is skip the final step, and Apr 4, 2021 · Once I get into recovery mode, instead of seeing a Utilities menu where I can open the terminal, I see a message that says "There are no users on this volume to recover" (image here) and all I can do from here is restart the computer. How can I unlock the Mac with the institutional recovery Apr 11, 2020 · My Mac's hard drive (running Mojave) suffered some corruption recently, and I found myself unable to boot into the system. I am learning terminal use and how to mkdir and ls and vim, but it's all under my actual name. Login via root - failed. This doesn't seem possible anymore and must be done from Terminal in Recovery. - Once you're at If FileVault 2 is enabled, you have to enter a password to start up in single user mode, and you can't use Reset Password. Run mount -uw /. ’ How to fix this? In normal mode, not recovery, the commando is found but can not be executed because is needs to run in recovery mode. Oct 15, 2019 · You'll need to complete a few actions and gain 15 reputation points before being able to upvote. The button "Enable root user" still available. Select Utilities > Terminal. Type resetpassword and follow the instructions Using iCloud Recovery Mode (10. Jan 7, 2019 · When I boot the Mac into Single User Mode it says the root drive is mounted in read-only mode, and when I try to mount it in read-and-write mode it says permission denied. We’ll show you how to quickly access the command line while a Mac is booted into Recovery Mode. And you can use "sudo john" to become user John without knowing his password. ” Choose your main hard drive and select your user account. Step 1: Start Mac in single user mode. But please be noted that if you are running an Intel-based Mac with an Apple T2 Security Chip, you need to change Full Security to No Security in Startup Security Utility under Mac Recovery Mode first. 7 and 10. Solution (from the linked answer): First boot into recovery mode (Command-R during boot) In the terminal, issue csrutil disable Reboot to normal mode. Feb 19, 2015 · A simple command line tool appropriately called ‘dsenableroot’ will quickly enable the root user account in Mac OS X. where I was making Oct 11, 2014 · Hi all, I am using an Intel iMac and I have recently installed Big Sur. The former Utilities Menu with Terminal in it is gone. I just installed MySQL on Mac OS X. Oct 11, 2019 · This process usually involves enabling the root account and setting a password for it, since no user accounts with admin rights exist yet. Enabling the root user involves booting into Recovery Mode (Command+R), selecting Terminal from the Utilities menu, and executing dsenableroot. As in other Unix-based operating systems, this command allows administrators to temporarily act as the root user on a Mac. -create /Users/ username ” and press “Enter. " Enter Recovery Mode: Press and hold the Command (⌘) + R keys while powering on the Mac to boot back into Recovery Mode. I already tried the second answer on this page, but every time I type su from the command prompt, it still asks for a pass Oct 24, 2023 · Startup your MacBook in Recovery mode, using Command-R to boot from the built-in recovery partition. app on the recovery partition: Hold command-R on startup. May 31, 2024 · Brief: Enabling the root user account in Mac Terminal is a crucial step for gaining administrative privileges and accessing advanced system functions. You are already root user in recovery terminal Recovery terminal dramatically changes mounted filesystem paths ( be sure / is what you think it is before making changes) Recovery terminal is a severely restricted shell, many commands are intentionally not available When you take instructions that were written for Mar 25, 2022 · A variety of situations can arise causing a Mac to lose an administrator account, often if a user attempted to add a new admin account or new user account to the Mac, or rename an existing users account. This method can destabilize your system or leave you open to security threats, so only use it if absolutely necessary. How do I get real I'm a big boy root access to my computer? Specifically /Users so I can simply rm -rf /Users/deaduser. We explain how to enable or disable the root user with macOS commands from the terminal. Open a Terminal window. What's reputation and how do I get it? Instead, you can save this post to reference later. Once you've done so you'll see a few options appear: Restore from Time Machine Nov 30, 2011 · I've read that one possible solution is to create a new user with admin privalidges and do some stuff that can fix my more general problem. I am trying to boot in recovery mode in order to "allow user management of kernel extensions" but regardless of what combination of keys I press (Command+R, Option+Command+R, Shift+Option+Command+R) I always end in Internet Aug 9, 2018 · There is obviously no point in trying to enable SIP if SIP is already enabled. Mar 13, 2025 · From this window you can start up from a different disk, start up in safe mode, use macOS Recovery, and more. Replace all instances of “username” in future steps with the same one-word name. benchmarkitservices. Then opened Terminal only to find there's nothing in /Users (empty dir) and nothing in/Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/Users (also empty dir). <cmd><R> Ref: About macOS Recovery on Intel-based Mac computers - Apple Support When the menu bar appears select Terminal from the Utilities menu. Dec 27, 2023 · It seems like you're in a root shell within the Terminal. This is good news. Type “sudo dscl . Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it: Step 1: Boot into Recovery Mode Shut down your Mac if it’s on. For any personal or business-related IT support services, please visit https://www. To boot Mac in single user mode, just need to power on Mac and hold on Command + S. -create /Users/luser dscl . Using Reset Password. Oct 13, 2023 · Other solutions still suggest booting into Single-User Mode and remove the file from System volume. My Unix account shows my name. This can be done via the Directory Utility application as you already pointed out, but also via the following Terminal command: /usr/sbin/dsenableroot I lost the superuser password for my iMac and I don't have the boot disk. In the Recovery app, choose Utilities > Terminal. See Use Share Disk to transfer files between two Mac May 5, 2021 · To create a spare admin account, first turn off your Mac. You can only proceed with Recovery or restart. This mode boots the Mac into a Terminal-like interface where you can run commands from a prompt. Disabling rootless is aimed exclusively at advanced Mac users. - Wait until you see a black screen with white text. How to ENABLE ROOT ACCESS on macOS Tech With Emilio 68. This provides full system access but increases security vulnerabilities, prompting Apple to recommend using sudo privileges instead. 2# it don’t accept sudo command i ve to use sudo command to change default language in recovery mode is it a way to use the sudo command in terminal when in recovery mode ? thanks Sep 5, 2017 · This is a reference to the article “ Mac stuck on Gray Screen with apple logo during boot after installing macOS Sierra “. The terminal the says: ‘csrutil disable command not found. Jul 19, 2017 · Root access in recovery mode terminal I found out that opening a terminal in the recovery mode allows me to log into the system as 'root' user without authentication. Aug 23, 2025 · To run apps with root privileges without having to use Terminal, you can log into your Mac using the root or superuser account. I though of publishing the whole terminal commands output to those who have never used terminal or recovery mode to free up space on startup disk in case Sep 1, 2024 · By following these steps carefully, you can enable, use, and disable the root user on your Mac, ensuring that you have the necessary access for advanced tasks while maintaining system security. Once enabled, log out of the Mac and sign back in with the username root and the password you just created for the root user. Launch Terminal from the Utilities menu. On an Intel-based Mac If you're not using a Mac with Apple silicon, you're using an Intel-based Mac. com. May 10, 2021 · I am trying to set up a user account on a new M1 MacBook pro, in the terminal in recovery mode. Run the command csrutil enable. I tried this command in terminal to switch to root: su - root but it won't take my password, and I really don't know which password to provide? Aug 5, 2025 · Bonus tip: enable/disable the root user with Terminal In addition to the Directory Utility, you can also use commands in Terminal to enable or disable the root user on your Mac. Oct 6, 2025 · Advanced Mac troubleshooting may require terminal access from Recovery Mode. Mar 25, 2025 · Now I want to run a command in recovery mode on the terminal, but to complete it an “ authorized user ” is required - which has never been required before. Simply follow the steps below to get started. This will open a window which will allow you to reset any user's password. Once macOS has booted, you will need to select an admin user and log in to make changes. I gather what you're looking to do is enable 'Root Login' through Mac OS X's Directory Service. Sep 17, 2025 · Since NTFS is a read-only file system on Mac, you'll need an NTFS for Mac driver to enable write permissions for the drive. When you get to the command line (black screen, white text) type: mount -uw Feb 13, 2014 · There are at least three ways to reset the login password of an account. Once installed, it can automatically mount your NTFS drive in read/write mode on Mac, allowing you to manage your files like on any other drives. Reboot the Mac and hold down Command + R keys simultaneously after you hear the startup chime, this will boot Mac OS X into Recovery Mode When 1 day ago · How to boot into Single User Mode on Mac? Here is how to enter Single User Mode as your Mac boots up. Once the boot process has finished type the following:/sbin/fsck […] Apr 20, 2020 · Directory Utility -> Edit -> Enable root user -> Enter root password -> Confirm root password -> OK. fyu xoccvl wore gdfb bthn nuvk xjiyhn wdu eoplzuw xloa npcpg cggjhz lrook ixgcopy vqaxyl