Overview
If a macOS user cannot log in and the device appears offline in Swif, remote password reset commands may not be available immediately.
Try the Swif Admin Account First
Before using the FileVault recovery key, first try logging in with the Swif admin account and use it to reset the affected user’s password from macOS.
This approach is recommended when:
The device is online or recently checked in
The Swif admin account exists on the device
The user is locked out of their own account
You want to avoid using the FileVault recovery key unless necessary
Find the Swif Admin Password
In Swif:
Go to Device Management
Open Device Inventory
Select the affected Mac
Go to Accounts
Find the Swif admin account
Click View Password
Use this password to log in to the Mac as the Swif admin user.
Then you can reset the User Password in macOS after logged in to Swif admin
After logging in with the Swif admin account:
Open System Settings
Go to Users & Groups
Select the affected user
Click Reset Password or Change Password
Set a new password for the user
Restart the Mac and confirm the user can log in
Notes
If the Swif admin account cannot log in or the Mac remains locked at the FileVault screen, use the FileVault recovery key method instead.
The Swif admin password should only be shared through approved secure channels.
Use the user's Apple Account
If the user's account on the Mac is linked to an Apple Account, the user may be able to reset the Mac password with it.
To check which Apple Account a user is signed in with, open the device in Swif and go to the Accounts tab. The iCloud column shows the Apple Account signed in to iCloud for each local user account on the Mac.
Being signed in to iCloud doesn't mean Apple Account password reset is turned on. It works only if:
the option to reset the password with an Apple Account was turned on when the Mac user account was created, and
on a Mac with FileVault on, the FileVault recovery key is linked to that Apple Account.
If either condition isn't met, use the FileVault recovery key below.
Reset a Mac password with an Apple Account
Restart the Mac.
At the login window, enter the Mac login password up to three times. (This is the Mac password, not the Apple Account password.)
Click the reset message that appears, such as Restart and show password reset options or Reset it using your Apple Account.
When asked, sign in with the Apple Account email or phone number and password.
Follow the onscreen steps to create a new Mac login password.
Restart the Mac and log in with the new password.
If no reset message appears after three attempts, restart the Mac and try again. See Apple's If you forgot your Mac login password for details.
If the account is locked after repeated attempts, an admin can clear the lock from Swif with Lock Reset when the device becomes online. See Resetting Account Lock After Failed Login Attempts on macOS.
iPhone and iPad: reset or clear a forgotten passcode
An Apple Account can't reset a forgotten iPhone or iPad passcode. If a user is locked out, use one of the following options:
Clear the passcode in Swif (Recommended): On company-owned iPhones and iPads, an admin can remove the passcode remotely without erasing the device. Go to Device Management → Device Inventory, select the device, click Manage, and select Clear Passcode. If the device is currently offline, the command queues and executes as soon as it reconnects. See How to clear the passcode on a managed iPhone or iPad.
Passcode changed in the last 72 hours: On iOS and iPadOS 17 and later, the user may be able to unlock the device with their previous passcode at the passcode screen, then set a new one.
Erase and reset the device: If Clear Passcode is unavailable (such as on Shared iPads or BYOD devices) and previous passcode recovery is not an option, the device must be erased:
On the iPhone Unavailable (or iPad Unavailable) screen, the user taps Forgot Passcode? → Start iPhone Reset (or Start iPad Reset).
They enter their Apple Account password to sign out and erase the device.
All local data is deleted. After setup, the device re-enrolls in Swif.
If the user forgot their Apple Account password too
Managed Apple Account: an administrator can reset it in Apple Business Manager. Federated accounts, such as those signed in with Google Workspace or Microsoft Entra ID, are reset in your identity provider instead.
Personal Apple Account: the user resets it at iforgot.apple.com.
Resetting an Apple Account password doesn't change the Mac login, FileVault, or iPhone passcode. It only lets the user sign in to the Apple Account so they can use it for the steps above.
Using the FileVault recovery key
If the Swif admin account cannot log in or the Mac remains locked at the FileVault screen, use the FileVault recovery key method instead.
In this situation, the user can reset the FileVault unlock password locally by using the FileVault recovery key. Swif stores the recovery key for encrypted macOS devices so admins can securely retrieve it from the device record.
This is useful when:
The device is offline
The user is locked out at the FileVault login screen
A temporary password does not work
Remote password reset commands cannot be delivered
The user needs immediate access to the Mac
How This Works
FileVault protects the Mac before macOS fully loads. If the user cannot unlock the device with their current password, macOS allows password recovery using the FileVault recovery key.
Swif admins can retrieve the recovery key from:
Device Management → Device Inventory → Select device → Security → Encryption → Recovery Key
Once the user enters the recovery key on the Mac, macOS allows them to create a new password and regain access.
Steps for Admins to find the FileVault Recovery Key
1. Confirm the Device Is Encrypted
In Swif, open the affected device:
Go to Device Management
Select Device Inventory
Open the affected Mac
Go to the Security tab
Check the Encryption section
The device should show:
Encryption status: Encrypted
2. Retrieve the FileVault Recovery Key
In the same Security tab:
Locate Recovery key
Click View
Copy the recovery key securely
Only share the recovery key through an approved secure channel.
Steps for the Device User to use the FileVault Recovery Key
1. Click the Question Mark Icon
At the FileVault login screen, click the ? icon next to the password field.
The Mac should show a password recovery option.
2. Choose Recovery Key
Select the option to reset the password using the Recovery Key.
The screen may say:
Enter your recovery key to unlock the volume
3. Enter the FileVault Recovery Key
Enter the recovery key provided by your administrator.
After the recovery key is accepted, macOS will allow you to reset the password.
4. Create a New Password
Create a new password when prompted.
After the password reset completes, use the new password to log in to the Mac.
Example Admin Message to the User
You can send the user a message like this:
Your Mac appears to be offline, so we may not be able to reset the password remotely right now. At the login screen, click the ? icon next to the password field, then choose the option to reset using a recovery key. I will provide the FileVault recovery key securely. After entering the recovery key, macOS should let you create a new password and log in.
Notes
This process works only if FileVault is enabled and Swif has escrowed the recovery key.
The device does not need to be online for the user to enter the FileVault recovery key locally.
The recovery key should be treated as sensitive security information.
After the user logs in successfully, confirm that the device reconnects to Swif.
If the user recently changed their password through an identity provider, the FileVault password and macOS login password may have become out of sync.
Troubleshooting
The Recovery Key Does Not Work
Check that:
The recovery key belongs to the correct device
The key was copied exactly
The user is entering the key at the FileVault recovery screen, not a standard macOS login prompt
If the recovery key still fails, the device may require additional recovery steps through macOS Recovery.
The Device Still Shows Offline in Swif
After the user logs in:
Confirm the Mac has internet access
Ask the user to keep the device powered on
Wait for the device to check in with Swif
Refresh the device details page
The User Can Log In but Still Sees Apple's Password Prompts
The FileVault password and macOS account password may be out of sync. Ask the user to restart and confirm whether the new password works at the FileVault login screen.
If the issue continues, please try FileVault Password Synchronization on macOS.