← Basic Checks

Basic · Check result

Turn off password hints in the Mac login window

Turn off Show password hints in the Lock Screen settings. A hint can appear after someone clicks the question mark beside the password field or enters the wrong password three times. Even a carefully written hint can reveal information useful for guessing or social engineering.

macOS 13 and later

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
  2. Click Lock Screen in the sidebar.
  3. Turn off Show password hints.
Lock Screen settings with Show password hints turned off

macOS 10.11 through 12

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Users & Groups.
  2. Unlock the preference pane if required, then select Login Options.
  3. Deselect Show password hints.
Legacy Users & Groups Login Options with Show password hints unchecked

Security limits

Disabling hints does not strengthen the password itself, hide the account name, add multi-factor authentication, or disable password-reset and account-recovery methods. It also may not change the separate FileVault preboot screen shown before macOS starts. Use a unique, strong login password and consider requiring users to enter both their name and password.

Primary source