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Recovery

T2 Mac Firmware Reset

How to Remove a Firmware Password from a T2 Mac Without Calling Apple

Overview

Intel Macs with T2 chips (2018-2020) store the firmware password in BridgeOS. Unlike older Macs that required an Apple Support call and proof of ownership, T2 Macs can have their firmware password removed using Apple Configurator 2's DFU restore1. The catch: this erases everything. This guide covers the full process from locked Mac to working macOS installation.

Before You Begin

Prerequisites

  • A T2 Mac (target) with a firmware password you need to remove
  • A second Mac (host) with USB-C ports — Apple Silicon works fine
  • USB-C to USB-C cable (Apple's charging cable works, must support data+power)
  • Apple Configurator 2 installed on host (free from Mac App Store)2
  • Internet connection during restore (AC2 downloads BridgeOS from Apple)
  • USB-C to Ethernet adapter (recommended — WiFi can be unreliable for Internet Recovery)

What This Removes

Cleared by DFU RestoreNOT Cleared
Firmware passwordActivation Lock (Find My)
SSD contents (Macintosh HD + Recovery)
NVRAM settings
Local MDM enrollment

What's Not In Scope

  • Activation Lock bypass — if Find My Mac was enabled, you'll still hit Activation Lock after restore. The original owner or organization must release it.
  • Apple Silicon Macs — M1/M2/M3/M4 Macs don't have firmware passwords. They use Activation Lock tied to the Secure Enclave.
  • Data recovery — this process erases everything. Back up first if possible.

Prepare the Host Mac

Install Apple Configurator 2

Download from the Mac App Store2. Version 2.6 or newer is required.

Connect the Cable

  1. Plug USB-C cable into host Mac (any port)
  2. Plug other end into target Mac's left-side USB-C port closest to the trackpad
  3. Open Apple Configurator 2 — should show "Connect Devices"

Boot Target Mac into DFU Mode

The target Mac must be completely off before starting. The USB-C cable should already be connected.3

MacBook Pro / Air (2018-2020)

  1. Press and hold Power for 1 second
  2. While still holding Power, add Right Shift + Left Control + Left Option
  3. Hold all 4 keys for 8 seconds, then release
  4. Screen stays black — watch Apple Configurator 2 on host

Confirm DFU Mode

A DFU icon appears in Apple Configurator 2 on the host. The target screen stays black throughout.

Tip

DFU mode is finicky. If no icon appears after 10-15 seconds, power off the target completely and retry. Sometimes it takes a few attempts.

Run the Restore

  1. In Apple Configurator 2, select the DFU device
  2. Go to Actions → Restore (NOT Actions → Advanced → Revive)
  3. Confirm the warning: "All media and data will be erased"
  4. Wait for the process to complete (~5-10 minutes, mostly download time)
ActionWhat It Does
ReviveReinstalls BridgeOS only, keeps data, does NOT remove firmware password
RestoreReinstalls BridgeOS, erases SSD, clears NVRAM, removes firmware password
Important

You must use Restore, not Revive. Revive preserves the firmware password.4

Monitor Progress

  1. Downloading — fetches BridgeOS from Apple (~400-600MB)
  2. Unzipping — ~1 minute
  3. Installing — ~1 minute

The target screen stays black until complete. When done, it boots automatically.

Tip

Keep both Macs connected to power throughout the restore.

Verify Success

After restore, the target Mac boots to a flashing folder with question mark. This means:

  • Firmware password is removed ✓
  • SSD is wiped (no bootable OS) ✓
  • Mac is ready for macOS reinstall

Reinstall macOS

Boot to Internet Recovery

  1. Power off the target Mac completely
  2. Press power, then immediately hold Command + Option + R
  3. Keep holding until you see a globe icon
  4. Connect to network when prompted

Troubleshoot -2100F Error

Internet Recovery may fail with error -2100F on WiFi. This is a network timeout during the recovery environment download.

CauseSolution
WiFi instabilityUse Ethernet instead
Network throttlingRemove speed limits temporarily

Ethernet resolved this issue in testing. Use a USB-C to Ethernet adapter for a stable connection.

Install macOS

Once Internet Recovery loads, you'll see the macOS Utilities window:

  1. Open Disk Utility
  2. Select the internal drive and click Erase
    • Name: Macintosh HD
    • Format: APFS
    • Scheme: GUID Partition Map
  3. Quit Disk Utility
  4. Click Reinstall macOS
  5. Follow the prompts

The installation downloads macOS (~12GB) and installs it. Keep the Mac connected to power and network throughout.

Complete Setup

After installation, the Mac reboots to Setup Assistant. Follow the prompts to create a user account. The Mac is now usable with no firmware password.

Resources

Footnotes

  1. Apple Inc., "Revive or restore Mac firmware," support.apple.com. Accessed: Jun. 8, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://support.apple.com/en-us/108900 ↩

  2. Apple Inc., "Apple Configurator 2," Mac App Store. Accessed: Jun. 8, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/apple-configurator-2/id1037126344 ↩

  3. Mr. Macintosh, "How to Restore BridgeOS on a T2 Mac," mrmacintosh.com. Accessed: Jun. 8, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://mrmacintosh.com/how-to-restore-bridgeos-on-a-t2-mac-how-to-put-a-mac-into-dfu-mode/ ↩

  4. Mr. Macintosh, "How to Remove Mac Firmware Password," mrmacintosh.com. Accessed: Jun. 8, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://mrmacintosh.com/how-to-remove-mac-firmware-password-new-way-if-you-have-a-2018-2020-t2-mac/ ↩

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