Help - Remove Sign On Password

[SevengerNC]

Sorry to bother, but I've tried everything I can find.
I have a new MacBook Air with M1 Big Sur. Unfortunately, I entered a password to sign on - Big Mistake. I thought I set it up like my last one, but evidently not.
I have followed the 'delete pw' instructions several times in Users/Groups & Security/Privacy, unlocked the Key, entered pw to change . . . but it never sticks. And, I've clicked the Turn Off Screen Lock Screen and entered the Mac pw in the old and left new ons blank. Nada.
I know this is a minor issue, and I've prob overlooked something, and I hope someone can help.

Thanks !!

 

[DeltaMac]

You could bypass the login window by changing your settings to allow automatic login.
Go to System Preferences, then the Users & Groups pref pane. Click the padlock to unlock that pane, then click on Login Options. Choose the Automatic Login dropdown, and set your user for Automatic Login. The system will ask you for your password. After that, your system will bypass the login window, and automatically login to your user.

one question, however: Have you enabled FileVault (which encrypts your boot drive)? If you have enabled FileVault, then you will always need to enter a login password - actually an unlock password for FileVault. I don't think you will even have the option for Automatic Login, which won't work anyway when FileVault is enabled.

Finally, if you have entered a password for a user account, you can't remove it later. You can change it to something simpler, if you like, but you can no longer make it blank. I don't think that has been possible as far back as El Capitan, I think.

 

[SevengerNC]

You could bypass the login window by changing your settings to allow automatic login.
Go to System Preferences, then the Users & Groups pref pane. Click the padlock to unlock that pane, then click on Login Options. Choose the Automatic Login dropdown, and set your user for Automatic Login. The system will ask you for your password. After that, your system will bypass the login window, and automatically login to your user.

one question, however: Have you enabled FileVault (which encrypts your boot drive)? If you have enabled FileVault, then you will always need to enter a login password - actually an unlock password for FileVault. I don't think you will even have the option for Automatic Login, which won't work anyway when FileVault is enabled.

Finally, if you have entered a password for a user account, you can't remove it later. You can change it to something simpler, if you like, but you can no longer make it blank. I don't think that has been possible as far back as El Capitan, I think.

I guess having a pw on my user acct is doing it. My Auto Login box is grayed & unavailable.
So I guess I'm stuck with it.
just curious - - since it's so new if I did a full restore maybe I could make sure to bypass the pw box next time.
Thanks

 

[Nermal]

My Auto Login box is grayed & unavailable.

Have you clicked the lock in the bottom-left corner?

 

[SevengerNC]

Have you clicked the lock in the bottom-left corner?

many times

 

[DeltaMac]

If you have Filevault enabled, I don't think you will be able to turn on automatic login.
Do you have FileVault enabled? You can quickly find out in your Security & Privacy pref pane.

 

[SevengerNC]

Nope FV enabled
Thx

aggravating, ain't it ?

 

[DeltaMac]

... aggravating, ain't it ?

No, not particularly.
Now you know why you need that "sign-on" password - actually an unlock password for your drive.
And, it's a setting that you have chosen for extra security. One of the results of that choice is that you can't bypass either the drive unlock, or the account login.
If you want to prevent that, you have to turn off FileVault.
And, THEN you will be allowed to turn on Automatic Login.

 

[SevengerNC]

FV off

 

[DeltaMac]

And ? (probably need to restart, then check your Autologin settings.)