The Firmware password must be removed first.

  • Restart the computer, holding down the Command and R keys during boot up. This will boot you to the Recovery System.
  • If prompted, select the language you want the Recovery Partition to use.
  • Click Utilities from the menu and then click Firmware Password Utility from the menu
  • From the dialog box, click the Turn off Firmware Password button.
  • Enter the password you used.
  • Click Turn off Firmward Password and restart your computer.




How to reset SMC on a Mac

The process for resetting the SMC on a Mac may differ depending on the Mac model you have. Resetting the SMC on Macs that have non-removable batteries is different from those with removable batteries. 

Here’s how to do an SMC reset on any Mac mac model:

M1 Macs

You don’t need to reset the SMC on any M1 Macs — in fact, there’s nothing to reset. The M1 chip handles all SMC functions, so these computers don’t even have a system management controller. 

Some Apple forums have noted that shutting off your Mac and waiting for 30 seconds seems to work like an SMC reset. So if you experience any of the SMC issues mentioned above, you can give this trick a try.

MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air

Before resetting the SMC on any MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air, check whether your Mac model has the Apple T2 Security Chip. These chips are in MacBooks, Macbook Pros, and Macbook Air models from 2018 or later.

Here’s how to reset the SMC on any Mac notebook model with the Apple T2 Security Chip:

  1. Shut down your Mac. 

  2. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, then release the button. 

  3. Wait a few seconds and restart your Mac.

  4. If that doesn’t help, shut down your Mac again.

  5. Press the right Shift, the left Option key, and the left Control key and hold for 7 seconds. Then, press and hold the power button.

    To reset the SMC on Mac, press the right Shift key, the left Option key, and the left Control key and hold for 7 seconds. Then, press and hold the power button.

  6. Keep holding down all four keys for another 7 seconds. If your Mac has turned on, it will turn off as you hold down these keys. 

  7. Release the keys and wait a few seconds. Then, restart your Macbook.

iMac, Mac Mini, or Mac Pro

Similar to Mac notebooks, resetting the SMC varies depending on the model of your desktop Mac. Check to see if your iMac, Mac Mini, or Mac Pro model has the Apple T2 Security Chip. This typically applies to models from 2018 or later. 

Here’s how to reset the SMC on a desktop Mac with a T2 Chip:

  1. Shut down your Mac. 

  2. Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds, then release the button. 

  3. Wait a few seconds and restart your Mac. 

  4. If that doesn’t help, shut down your Mac again. 

  5. Unplug the power cord and wait 15 seconds. 

  6. Reconnect the power cord and wait 5 seconds. 

Press the power button to turn your Mac back on.

Older Mac devices (Pre-2018)

If you have an older Mac without the Apple T2 Security Chip, you need to follow a different procedure to reset the SMC. 

For example, to reset the SMC on a MacBook Pro 2017, you won’t use a key combination. Instead, these computers reset the SMC by performing a power cycle. Power cycling cuts the power to a Mac and forces it to restart. 

Resetting the SMC on MacBook, MacBook Pro, and Macbook Air models depends on whether the battery is removable or not. Your Mac most likely has a non-removable battery if it is from mid-2009 through 2017 (pre-2018 models).

Here’s how to reset the SMC on notebooks with non-removable batteries:

  1. Shut down your Mac.

  2. Press and hold Shift, Control, and Option on the left side of the keyboard. At the same time, press the power button.

    To reset the SMC on older Macs (pre 2018), press and hold Shift, Control, and Option on the left side of the keyboard. At the same time, press the power button.

  3. Hold for 10 seconds. 

  4. Release the keys and then turn on your Mac.

Here’s how to reset the SMC on notebooks with removable batteries:

  1. Shut down your Mac. 

  2. Remove the battery. 

  3. Press and hold the power button for five seconds. 

  4. Put the battery back in and turn your MacBook back on.

Here’s how to reset the SMC on an older desktop Macs: 

  1. Shut down your Mac. 

  2. Unplug the power cord and wait 15 seconds. 

  3. Reconnect the power cord and wait 5 seconds.

  4. Press the power button to turn on your Mac.