How to Manage Users on macOS

Edited 4 days ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

macOSManage UsersAccountsAppleConfigurationComputerSystemSettingsSecurityAdministration

Managing users on macOS is an important skill for anyone responsible for a Mac, whether you're an IT professional, a family member managing devices, or a power user wanting to understand how macOS handles multi-user environments. This guide will explore these topics in detail, providing step-by-step instructions on how to create, modify, and manage user accounts on macOS, the operating system used by Apple's Macs.

Understanding user accounts on macOS

macOS is designed as a multi-user operating system, which means multiple people can have their own accounts on the same Mac. Each account can be customized to have different settings, software, and files. A macOS user account consists of:

• Username: The name associated with the account, used for login purposes.
• Password: A secret combination known only to the user, used to authenticate the user's identity.
• Home folder: The location on the disk where the user's personal files and settings are stored.
• User Type: Determines the level of access and permissions the user has on the system, such as administrator, standard, managed, or sharing only.

Types of user accounts

macOS offers several different types of user accounts, each with varying levels of permissions:

1. Administrator: Similar to the superuser concept in UNIX-based systems, the administrator account has the highest level of control over the system. Administrators can create and delete other users, install software, and make major changes to the system. It is advisable to limit the number of administrator accounts to reduce security risks.
2. Standard: This account type is ideal for daily use. A standard user can change their settings and access installed applications, but cannot make changes that affect other users or the core system.
3. Managed: Originally designed for environments such as schools or workplaces, managed user accounts can have restrictions imposed by an administrator. These accounts can limit the applications a user can access or the amount of time a user can use the computer.
4. Guest user: A guest user can temporarily log in and use the Mac without needing a personal account. Guest accounts do not require a password and all information is deleted upon logging out, making it useful for short-term use without long-term effects.
5. Sharing Only: This type of account is created primarily to access shared files from other systems on the network without the ability to log into the Mac.

Create new user accounts

Creating a user account on macOS is easy, but you must have administrator privileges to do so. Here are the steps to create a new user account:

1. Open System Preferences by clicking and selecting the Apple menu.
2. Go to Users & Groups.
3. If the padlock icon at the bottom left is locked, click on it and enter the administrator password to make changes.
4. Click the + (plus) button below the list of current users.
5. In the new panel, choose the type of account you want to create: Administrator, Standard, Managed, or Sharing Only.
6. Enter the full name and account name of the new account. The full name is displayed on the login screen, while the account name becomes the name of the user's home folder and cannot be changed later.
7. Set a password for the account and also provide a hint so that the user can remember it when needed.
8. After entering all the required information, click on Create User.

Managing existing user accounts

Once user accounts are created, they may need management. Changes may include resetting passwords, changing permissions, or disabling accounts. Here's how you can manage these users:

Changing a user's password

At times, users may forget their password, or need to change it for security reasons. Here's how to reset a user's password:

1. Open System Preferences and click Users & Groups.
2. Select the user account you need to modify from the list.
3. If you have administrative privileges, click Reset Password.
4. Enter the new password and hint, then confirm the change.

Deleting a user account

If you need to delete a user account, follow these steps:

1. Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups.
2. Select the user you want to delete.
3. Click the - (minus) button below the list of users.
4. You'll be given the option to save the home folder as a disk image, which can be stored elsewhere, or to delete it permanently.
5. Confirm the deletion by clicking Delete User.

Changing user permissions

If a user needs additional privileges (for example, upgrading a standard user to an administrator), you can adjust their permissions:

1. Open System Preferences and select Users & Groups.
2. Select the account you want to modify.
3. Click Allow user to administer this computer if you want to change your role to Administrator.
4. Uncheck the option to reduce privileges.

Using the Terminal for user management

Advanced users may prefer to use the Terminal to manage users, as it provides more direct control over how to apply changes. The Terminal can be accessed through Applications > Utilities > Terminal. Here are some useful commands:

Create a new user

sudo dscl . -create /Users/username

sudo dscl . -create /Users/username UserShell /bin/bash

sudo dscl . -create /Users/username RealName "Full Name"

sudo dscl . -passwd /Users/username password

sudo dscl . -create /Users/username UniqueID 1001

sudo dscl . -create /Users/username PrimaryGroupID 80

sudo dscl . -create /Users/username NFSHomeDirectory /Local/Users/username

Replace username, Full Name and password with your desired username, user full name and password respectively. Note that UniqueID must be a unique number that is not currently associated with another user.

Deleting a user

sudo dscl . -delete /Users/username

Replace username with the user's account name.

Listing all users

dscl . list /Users

Group management

In macOS, users can be organized into groups, which can simplify permission assignment, especially in business or educational environments. Groups can have different types of access to files, folders, and applications. Here's how to manage them:

Create a new group

1. Open System Preferences and go to Users & Groups.
2. Click + below the user list.
3. Select New Group from the New User Account dialog.
4. Enter the name for the group and select the users who will be part of the group.
5. Click Create group.

Adding users to a group

Once a group is created, you can easily add users to it:

1. In Users & Groups, select the group from the Users list.
2. Click the box next to the users you want to include in this group.

Removing users from a group

To remove users, uncheck the box next to their name in the group's user list.

Enforcing parental controls

For managed accounts, you may want to set parental controls. These can be particularly useful for children, as they restrict certain types of activities:

1. Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups.
2. Click Open Parental Controls.
3. Select the user to be managed or create a new user with limited access.
4. Adjust settings in categories like Apps, Web, Store, Time limits, and Privacy.

Best practices for user management

• Regularly review user accounts, ensuring that permissions are consistent with their roles and that the principle of least privilege is followed.
• Limit the number of administrator accounts. Use standard accounts for daily activities to reduce security risks.
• Update and protect passwords regularly. Encourage users to use strong, unique passwords, possibly with a password manager.
• Educate users on safe computing practices to minimize security risks.

Troubleshoot user account issues

Sometimes, problems may arise in managing user accounts. Here are some common problems and their solutions:

Locked accounts

If a user account gets locked out after multiple failed login attempts, an administrator can unlock it by resetting the password through the Users & Groups section.

Missing user accounts

If no user account appears on the login screen, verify that the account is enabled in Users & Groups. If the Users folder is intact but the account is missing, re-create the account with the same name to restore access.

Conclusion

Managing user accounts on macOS is an effective way to ensure a secure and organized system environment. By understanding how to create, modify, and delete accounts, and using groups and parental controls, you can tailor each Mac to the needs of its users. This not only enhances security, but also ensures that each user has access to the tools and applications they need. With this guide, you are equipped to successfully manage users on macOS.

  Share This Article

If you find anything wrong with the article content, you can request an update