Can’t Sign In After Updating

It’s possible that, after updating, you can’t sign in to your Mac for no apparent reason. It’s possible that, even if you use Touch ID to sign in, your Mac won’t recognize you either.

If you’ve already tried, and you made sure your user, password, or finger are the correct ones, you might need to reset your Mac’s System Manager Controller or SMC for short.

If you’re using a Mac Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, or even a Mac mini, turning it off and unplug it for 20 to 30 seconds, and then waiting another 5 seconds before you turn it on should do the trick.

If you’re on a MacBook, however, the process takes a little longer than that. Here’s what you need to do.

First, make sure your MacBook has a T2 Chip. This is a security chip from Apple that makes your Mac harder to hack into. Most common Mac computers have it, but you still need to figure out if yours has it or not. Here’s how:

1. Click on the Apple Logo to access the Apple Menu.
2. Press and hold the Option key on your keyboard. You should see the Apple Menu change.
3. With the Option key still press down, click on System Information.
4. On the sidebar, click on Controller. You should see Apple T2 Security Chip if your Mac has it.

Now, with this information, here’s how you can reset your SMC.

How to reset your SMC if your Mac has an Apple T2 Security Chip:

1. Turn off your Mac.
2. Press and hold the Power Button for 10 seconds.
3. Wait a moment and turn your Mac again.

How to reset your SMC if your Mac doesn’t have an Apple T2 Security Chip:

1. Turn off your Mac.
2. Press and hold the Shift key + Control key + Option Key + Power Button for 10 seconds.
3. Turn on your Mac if it didn’t do it automatically.