Forgot password not connected to wifi

[ukborn]

I have a call in to apple support but might get a faster answer here! I've moved and unpacked my iMac (2020) and I've forgotten my password. It's not connected to the WiFi. I have command r it to get to recovery mode but there's no menu bar at top just the recovery mode which asks for you to input your Apple ID, which is no good as it can't connect to the internet! Any ideas?

Depends - did you encrypt the drive? If you did, then you're screwed. Only option is to get it on WiFi somehow and then go through the recovery procedure. If not, then there are options. But they involve entering commands at the root prompt - if you're not happy with doing that, don't bother. So - in summary, find some WiFi from somewhere.

Thanks but I have no idea what you are talking about. I just forgot the password, doubt I encrypted anything unless it does that automatically. And how can I connect it to WiFi unless I can get a menu up, which I can't. Surely I'm not the only person who has forgotten there password in a move!

If your imac has an ethernet port, connect it directly to your router. If not, get a thunderbolt to ethernet converter.