Mac Basics: User Accounts
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- Опубліковано 3 сер 2024
- macmost.com/e-2374 Each person using a Mac should have their own user account. This allows everyone to have things set up the way they want, access their own iCloud Account and prevents others from accidentally deleting or changing files. Enable Fast User Switching to make it easy for more than one person to use the same Mac.
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#macmost #mactutorial #macuseraccounts - Наука та технологія
Thank you. Haven't use Mac in about 25 years and there's a job opening for Graphic Illustrator but they need someone familiar with Mac. Stepping back into Mac after years of training using Windows based apps is gonna be hard. I will be using your tutorials to get me started.
Thank you for explaining the usefulness of fast user switching and the nuance about a guest account and file vault!
Another great tutorial, Gary! Thanks! In addition to separate accounts for my wife and me, I’ve created a third account with unique user name and password as the “administrator” account. It is the only account on the machine that has administrator privileges and we NEVER log in to that account. I do this as an additional security layer so that if anyone was ever able to access my account or my wife’s, they would be unable to make system changes (install malware, for instance) without also hacking into the administrator account. The only minor inconvenience is that whenever I am installing new software while logged into my account the Mac will ask me to input the administrator account credentials. Very small price to pay for added security.
I don't think that's necessary. Your main account should have the administrator privileges.
Love your video's Gary!!! Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the video. Very simple and straightforward.
Exactly what I wanted to learn. Thanks!
Thank you Gary! We just got a Mac after working on PCs for decades. Even though I’m quite familiar with iPads, the Mac is proving to be a bit of an enigma. I feel like some things are taking longer to master than I had hoped for. I’m looking forward to plowing through your videos so eventually I’ll be able to conquer the beast!
Same here!!! .. Decades Windows user, longtime iPad user, new Mac user. Somewhat steep learning curve
@@NomusaMagical as a Windows user, isn't it crazy how customisable MacOS is, and how iOS/iPadOS is *not* very customisable at all!
@@Kryojenix You nailed it! 🔨 Esp since I came to the dark side 🤗 from Samsung Note 8. I enjoy iPhone’s ability to connect with other stuff but STILL use 2017 Note for certain tasks. It can do stuff my iPhone STILL can’t! 😊
Excellent info. And thx. for talking quickly: I can absorb your info as quickly as you speak.
Awesome tip at 6:56 about creating account for family iOS users "who don't think they need one" - at least until they learn they can only do some things to manage their icloud and devices with a mac!
Very informative, thanks Gary!
Thank you for both all the videos and for the Turkish Language translation.
Wow thank you. The most informative tutorial.
Thank you, Gary!
Thanks you, such a detailed video. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thank you, Gary! 👍🏻
Thanks...easy to follow.
Oldddddd Windows user so appreciates this video! 😍
Great video! Getting ready to hire an editor and giving them their own MacBook Pro to take home but didn't want them accessing my messenger, email, saved passwords, etc.
How about time machine, do you need to set it up for each user or the time machine setup on one user will backup every users. As always great informative content, thanks.
Great Video, thanks!!
Great tutorial, awesome
I love this channel !!
Thanks very helpful
Great vid Gary. thank you. I wanted to ask you: if you delete an old User Acct. that was also the admin and you share most of the files on the system from here with a new user account (admin), does deleting the old user acct admin delete all the files from the new one? Hope I'm making sense and appreciate your answer.
I still use macOS 10.13 and I was asking myself how to get rid of my name and surname always displayed on the top right of the screen! Thanks to your help I have an icon now 😀
thanks Gary ...i just made different accounts to keep myself busy
Great video
Thanks for the great tutorial. How can I make an app to be accessible to a newly created user?
very useful video
Perhaps a good follow-up would be a tutorial on Family Sharing. How it works. Why you'd use it. What you'd share. What controls does an admin have over Family Sharing, etc.
I may do that. But I've always thought Apple's info on that is pretty straight-forward: www.apple.com/family-sharing/
@@macmost @seecraig thank you, this video actually came up when I searched macmost for "family sharing". I will check out the link Gary. Much appreciated.
Gary, please how do I prevent the plus sign "+" in front a number, in a table, on pages from disappearing?
Gary, I set up a visitor user about 2 years ago but I cannot remember my password. Just like your example the visitor is also an admin and I can see the "reset password" tab. If I click on that what information will it ask so I can reset the password? My main concern is should I just delete and create a new visitor user or actually complete resetting the password? Thank you
When I switch between user accounts my audio output will not stay saved per account. Example: In my Admin account I use a external audio interface. In my standard user account I want to use the Mac's internal speakers. But what ever audio output I choose it effects both accounts. Is there a way to have them saved separate? Thank you Gary.
Thanks Gary. I have two basic questions.
1) is it possible to have some user accounts on the main, internal boot drive, and other ones on an external drive to reduce the size of the boot drive, important when considering internal SSD drive costs? If so, how do you create a new user account on the external drive. If it is not possible to create on the external drive, do you know if I create the user account on the boot drive first, then copy the entire user folder to the external drive and create an alias to it in the User folders of the Boot drive, then will it work OK? Or will user switching not recognize a folder alias as a valid user account?
2) Can you split the files in a user account so that some of the larger folders are on external drives, but the preferences / users library are on the internal (fastest) drive. Say, creating Document, Download, Pictures, Movies folders on the external drive, then storing alias’ to these folders in the User Account folder. If doing this, will apps that rely on certain folders normally use the alias of that folder, instead of creating a new folder. For example, assume I create a user account on the boot drive, then, move the Pictures folder to an external drive and create an alias of the moved Pictures folder back into the user account folder on the boot drive. Then when I start Photos app, will it know to use the alias of the Pictures folder, or will it complain and/or create a new Pictures folder on the boot drive?
The reason for these questions is that I plan on upgrading one day to an M1 Mac, but will keep costs down by going with a small internal SSD boot drive, and use an cheaper, external SSD drive for most of the user account data.
whoa, that's a good question. i think you need to start a youtube channel with some of your tricky mac moves :)
Great video...
single mac multiple users login same time on different monitors?
No, you can't have two user accounts shown on different screens like that.
Can you use Apple Watch to unlock the device on multiple accounts?
Gary ... I am having all sorts of issues creating second user on mt new MacbookAirM1. Dont know whether its a Big Sur or M1 isse, but the password doesnt work. I can create password when I create new account, but cannot login to that account (password fails) and cannot reset password ... error message. Any ideas what I can do? Is it perhaps a Keychain issue?
Hi Gary, Thanks for the info! I was hoping to find the answer to my question in the video, but I really didn't. I would like to put a 2013 27 in iMac in my vacation rental for guests to use. However, I'd like to have it reset either automatically similar to what happens when logging out of a guest account, as well as delete any files, etc. that may have been created. Do you have any ideas how this could be done? Thanks for the channel, been watching you for many years! Cheers, Dan
The only safe way to do it is to use a Guest account. Set up an admin account for you, but don't give anyone else the password. Make sure it is a strong password. Maybe don't even link it to your Apple ID or iCloud at all. Then enable the Guest user function. Tell others to log in as a guest.
My only other suggestion is to NOT do this. Let them bring their own laptop or use their phone or tablet.
@@macmost Thanks Gary. Yes I thought of it as a benefit but perhaps to maybe just provide a monitor that could be used with the laptop.
Thanks Gary for the video. Does creating two users on mac split the HDD capacity in two (half for admin and half for the second user)? Is the administrator capable of limiting the amount of storage allocated to the other standard user?
No, the space o the drive is allocated as needed to any user accounts. Basically any user in any account can save files to the drive taking up space, but no particular amount of space is reserved per account or anything like that.
I believe that you can set quotas but I don't know how.
Thanks for that Garry. Please can you tell me, have you any idea why the second account on my Mac is so slow it is almost impossible to get anything done? The main account works fine. 🤷🏻♂️
Perhaps you've got a setting or some extension only enabled for that account. Hard to say without a firsthand diagnosis. Why not save all of your data from that account and abandon it?
On Catalina I was the only User with Full Admin... Now I’m on Big Sur I’ve got a 2nd Guest Account that I can’t delete but it’s greyed out. How on earth do I remove it? I’ve also tried creating a 2nd Test Admin Account to delete the guest one but that didn’t work. I can delete the test admin account though
Is it works with microsoft office? seems my imac from other user account being asked the licence.
Thanks for the info. Why do each user on my Mac have to update apps after login in their page? For example, I have the main account but my wife has to log in and update the same apps after I've already updated. Shouldn't be a "master" update for all users?
Yes, the one who first added the app (used their Apple ID to do so) would update the app and that would cover everyone. Not sure why it is not working for you that way.
We have a 1TB iMac (which is shared with my wife and is almost full) and a new Mac Mini with stock 256GB SSD. I also have a 2TB iCloud account. Can I move my user account/folder (house icon) to an external drive so I can move it to whichever Mac I am using at the moment (and free up space on the iMac)? Also wish to move wife's user account/folder to a different external drive. How do I go about making this happen?
So I’m a new user with previous Apple ID… I already logged in with my Apple ID..do I HAVE to make a computer account? Are Apple ID and user account two separate things?
I do not see anything in this tutorial about changing your own account name and password. Only about adding accounts. Is there any way this can be done?
Gary, how do you set different Apple IDs for the different users ?
Log into that Mac account, set up your Apple ID in System Preferences.
@@macmost Thank you !👍🏽
Once I create STANDARD user account and create password, can they login + then create NEW password meaningful to them? I hope so! Thx!
When I try to open an app on guest account while sharing files, it says failed to copy files when I open any app from admin account
Good evening. Thank you for your videos, I have learned a lot from them. I deleted a User Account (Admin) but it is taking 2 days and it didn't finish and I cannot restart the Mac Book Air. What should I do? Turn off the computer or continue waiting to complete the deletion eventhough it already passed 2 days . Thank you so much.
Hard to advise without being there and knowing all the details. Make sure all of your data from your real account is backed up and then start trying things. Or, take it to an expert for firsthand help.
@@macmost Thank you for your response. I back up my docs already. If I restart the computer could I harm the functionality of the laptop? this is the only think that worries me. Thanks again and Happy Holidays!
@@galato4234 Impossible to say for sure. Probably not. And you have to eventually restart, you can't wait forever without restarting.
@@macmost Thank you again!
@macmostvideo
Whats the easiest way to take music one user to share and import into their music library? Do u need to export songs as MP3s into that shared folder so they could drop them into theirs ?
Depends on the specific situation. Lots of factors.
Hi Gary OMG I just met you here 2 weeks ago and I love you so much , you have been of great help I am a Mac user for 7 years now but I am totally lost now because I bought a new Macbook air M1 and I tried to transfer the info from my first mac to this one, now I am all screw up with the ID users and password after I sorted that out I found out that the new mac has tine fonts for the entire system , I follow your advise on folders fonts and size but the system is still with tiny fonts PLEASE help me with that , my previous MAC was perfect because when I bought it the Mac Assistant installed everything for me but now I have done it following your advise, however I stopped the transferring data from one mac to the other and I don't know how to make the fonts of the system bigger. Thanks for your time and support. Yessica
Which fonts, where, exactly? Maybe one of these techniques: ua-cam.com/video/vfERmIgGz54/v-deo.html
is it possible to do something about the fact that the computer asks me to input the administrator account credentials whenever I'm turning it off from one of the standard users? thanks
I assume that is because the admin user is also logged in. Then you need to enter that account password to confirm. But why are you shutting down so often that this is a problem? You should be letting it sleep. See ua-cam.com/video/FsrTpEuXEtc/v-deo.html
If I have 3 alias account active (the most you can have on a mac) can I delete one or all of them and replace with another alias account?
Not sure what you mean. Are you referring to the iCloud email address aliases? Those are iCloud, not your Mac user accounts. Just email address aliases. You can delete them and create new ones. See support.apple.com/guide/icloud/add-and-manage-email-aliases-mm6b1a490a/icloud
Gary, when I switch to the second user the screen says, "no window". I end up having to shut my iMac down just to switch back to the main user. How can I get my iMac to open window for the second user?
Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean by "no window." Perhaps check in with Apple Support on this.
@@macmost Thanks for taking the time to respond.
Mines only offering other account and I don’t know what happen
If they use flash or connect a hard drive on guest mood , and it’s have virus or any type of issues, does it effect the all MacBook even the Admin account? Or not ?
Guest mode can't access anything else, so no. But even with guest mode never let someone use your Mac that you don't trust.
@@macmost thank you , the case is that im going to use guest account myself, i have an old flash and hard drive that i want to check thrm out again and i think its have some Virus from windows system , and I don’t want to harm my MacBook. So i want to know if i can check my old pics and vids on guest mood safely … but until now I don’t know the answer🙏
Gary, I have an issue where apps updated in the Mac App Store are updated on one account, but when I log into a second account on the same Mac it tells me they need to be updated on that account, as well. They are in the main system Applications folder, not a user Applications folder, so I’m not sure why it is asking to do this. Shouldn’t apps downloaded through the Mac App Store be updated regardless of what user account you’re using?
It could just be that the other account hasn't checked since the first account updated. Try updating and see what it says.
@@macmost But that's the thing it will actually go through the update process as if it hasn't already been updated. It does this with both Apple apps like Pages, etc., and also with third party apps, such as Affinity Designer, or whatever. I have just been ignoring updating things, but the red badge is annoying as is the popup notification to update every week or so.
@@timz9862 That's odd. Are somehow the apps in the user app folder instead of the top-level app folder? Maybe for one user but not the other?
@@macmost No. As I mentioned above, they are all in the main Applications folder. Could this be a permissions issue?
@@timz9862 I can't think of what would cause that. Call Apple Support and see what they say.
Gary, please make a video on setting up an account for a child. I need to set one up for my child who has been using mine, but is now getting old enough to get off my account. How to I keep them from going to non- kid websites and social media? How do I see what they have been doing?
ua-cam.com/video/ne7IvARyaP4/v-deo.html
@@macmost so if I have two separate iCloud accounts on my Mac they can see each other’s pictures and emails or no?
@@bagchaser7784 No.
I just have a question, hope you can answer:
Can you run one user on one monitor, then another user on a second monitor?
There's nothing like that.
@@macmost what I mean is, can u run 2 different users simultaneously via 2 monitors?
@@user-gi7bb4zz6u No.
So does each user have their own separate Photos Library? To save hard drive space, I want to move my Photos Library to an external drive. Would I need to move both of them to the external drive?
Yes, usually. But if you have two user accounts and your Photos library on an external,, I suppose both of your accounts can use that one library. Unusual to do that though. I don't know what you mean in your case by "both of them" as I'm missing some context from your comment.
@@macmost Thanks. Yes, "both of them" is referring to two Photos libraries, one for each of two users on the Mac. I am one user and my wife is the other user. Was thinking that we just need one 'family' Photos library instead of separate one for me and a separate one for my wife.
@@chriswhitehouse8982 Oh, for that use iCloud Shared Photo Libraries. That's what it is meant for. ua-cam.com/video/HpXdwjCx3WE/v-deo.html
Is it possible to download the same application twice once in one user account and another in a different user account to test new updates of applications without messing with the version of the app you are already using?
From the App Store, no. From a developer's site, sure. I usually just rename the old app to include the version number, then download the new app and install it. How well that works depends on the app itself and how it is set up. I'm not talking about different user accounts here though, just the same user account.
@@macmost thank you for the response and clarification
Good stuff. Question: if I remove my profile from my wife’s computer is it gone forever or does it still exist on my other Mac desktop or can I login on a new computer with that information
Do you mean a User Account? User accounts are for each Mac. It is one Mac only. If you have it on another Mac it would be because you added it there too.
I'm finding it hard to find a tutorial on how to allow different users to use a program that the administrator can use. I have a non app store program installed I can use as administrator but I can't find out how to make that program available to other users on the same Mac. Can you help or direct me to a video you made showing how to do this? Thanks!
What app do you mean? When you installed it, did you install it into the main Applications folder? If other users can't use it, why not? (What happens when they try).
Hey does the storage get divide between the accounts?
There's no hard line with specific allocations if that is what you mean.
@@macmost thank you Gary for the quick response, yeah I meant if any space will be preallocated to new user
I have MBA M1 256 gb, want to create a work profile for some freelance work, so thinking to seprate personal and prfoessional work and got stuck due to some queries
like do I have to install apps like chrome again on new user? and you mentioned about different apple id for different user
Can I use same apple id for both the users is it possible?
It would be great if you could help me, I have just shifted to Mac from Windows.
@@adarshmishra2435 Apps are for the entire system, not one user. You can use the same Apple ID for both users, but not sure I see the need for two accounts then.
@@macmost Thank you so much Gary for the help and the amazing video 💯
could u tell me how to delete a sharing only user account please
The same way you delete any account. System Preferences, Users and Groups.
How much storage space does every user get?
There is no limit on storage space like that.
I downloaded an app on one profile and it works great. But it doesn’t launch on the other profiles. Any ideas?
Contact the app developer and ask.
Update this to the latest version on the new iOS
Besides the arrangement of System Settings, did you have any specific questions?
I want certain apps and softwares installed on my admin user acc, and certain apps (but NOT all) installed on another user acc. How do I do that?
If you really want to do that, you've got to move the apps from the Applications folder at the top level, to the Applications folder in the individual account Home folders. But there is no advantage to doing that. Just keep them in the main Applications folder and only use what you need. If you want to restrict a different person (like a child) from using an app, use the parental restrictions in the Screen Time preferences.
@@macmost thank you sir!
I just got my first Mac last month, there’s only one account on mine, my own account
Can 2 different accounts work on the same app?
No sure what you are asking from that wording. But if you install an app on your Mac, then all user accounts on that Mac can usually use it. Depends on the app and some details though.
You didn't cover groups. I was just on my Mac settings and noticed that there was a groups account. I don't ever remember making one and got on UA-cam to know what it even is or does. 😭 -Am I hacked? Did someone access my Mac? I'm scared! 😰
Groups, now called Lists in Ventura, are just ways to group together contacts. Perhaps you created one or more in the past. Just because you see a feature you didn't use before don't jump to the conclusion that you have been "hacked" (which in reality never really happens). See ua-cam.com/video/UAaeMlfhQEU/v-deo.html to learn more about groups/lists.
“Responsible adult”
Why does the user account I set up for someone show all my files on the desktop and other files?
Did you accidentally set that new account up with your iCloud account? Then it would be a second account for you, instead of an account for them.
How do I merge two separate MacBook accounts?
Do you mean user accounts on the MacBook? You don't merge them. You pick one and bring over any files you need from the other to the one you want to keep.
Gary, I want my kid to have her account log in when the Mac is turned on..how do I do that
Without her needing to enter a password? You can do that (it is an option if you look) but I wouldn't recommend it. Without a password there's virtually no security at all.
👏🙌
Anyone able to direct me to a video/article of differences between admin and staff users? Doesn't look as though there are anyone clearly stating those differences. Like changes in system preferences, activity monitor etc.
Admin group is all admins. Staff group is all regular users and admins. But in most cases for most users you never have to deal with these "groups."
@@macmost Thanks but doesn't really help and I'm in the not most cases list where I have to deal with the separate groups and am trying to understand a bit more. Found some insight on apple itself but not enough.
@@thehalf8 I don't really use groups much at all, but maybe I could suggest something if I understood your needs.
@@macmost Currently I need to deploy an endpoint privilege management agent/solution on MACs that are not domain joined. I still need developers to be able to do their job appropriately, so I'm keeping them separate in a _developer group(which is local on MACs). But in order to ascertain what users will need to move to the staff(standard) group I am trying to understand what the difference between that and admin is.
what I've found so far is that the only difference is "Standard users are set up by an administrator. Standard users can install apps and change their own settings, but can’t add other users or change other users’ settings - those functions are reserved for an administrator." - this was on Apple's site.
I know the EPM solution should do most of the work if a user is in standard, but for my own sanity it'll be better if I knew the ins and outs between the two. Also, to add to my problem, I don't have a MAC test machine I can test with. Thanks for your responses though much appreciated.
@@thehalf8 It doesn't sound like you have to sorry about groups at all. Doesn't each developer have their own Mac? If so, they would be using an admin account on that Mac. Groups and all of this really wouldn't come into play. Maybe you are overthinking it? Or maybe I'm not understanding what you mean by "developer" here.
how do I change my cursor?
To what?
Every time I switch user it takes about ten minutes to load. Is that normal
No. Depending on your hardware and other factors, it should take a few seconds to less than a minute the first time, then a few seconds for Fast User Switching after that. Sounds like you've got something that is slowing your Mac down considerably.
@@macmost ok, could that be the content of one of the accounts? too much pictures or something like that ? thanx for replying
@@przecpany It shouldn't be. I'd have it checked out.
I want 2 users, both admins, to have access to the same apps and documents, and see the same desktop.
Each users can access the same apps, but has its own files. What is your GOAL here? What are you trying to DO?
ACE........
Is it just me or do y'all use root as your main account?
🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩🎉🎉
I completely disagree about giving everyone a privileged user account. If everyone is an administrator, anyone can do anything to the computer. It is the most unsecure thing you can do. It is best to create a single administrator user account and that is used specifically for configuring the machine or installing software or software updates. You yourself should also work in a standard account, not a privileged account. If Something Happens that requires an administrator account, you can switch accounts do what you need to do then get out of that account, this is so that even you cannot screw up and do something that endangers your computer.
This helps to protect your computer from stupid things like attacks that contain dangerous or malicious code. If malicious code makes it onto your Mac through any one of a number of attack vectors, that code cannot do as much harm as you could if you were running it from an administrator account.
Create a password for the one administrator account. The longer the password the better. Use a phrase that you can remember. “TheLittleMermaid#2022#” is a decent password. It’s long, it contains caps as well as lower case, as well as numbers and special,characters. It is a phrase that can be remembered. If you need to, write it down on a piece of paper, stick it in an envelope, seal it, and put it in a drawer.
Whatever you do, do not hand out multiple administrator account to your computer.
Note that standard users CAN install apps. The main thing a standard user cannot do is to create or alter other accounts. When a software update comes, if you are in a standard account I believe you simply are asked to enter the password for the admin account. The system is read-only so malicious software cannot change the system either way. But installing some malware can happen on a standard account too. Thinking it can't happen in a standard account is a bad idea, because you are always just one agree-to-install permission away from that.
It really comes down to whether you actually have other users (people) at all. Most Mac users do not. Just one person, one computer. But if you have other users that you don't trust (like kids) then set them up with a standard account, by all means. Otherwise, if you don't trust them, don't let them have ANY access to your Mac at all.
Your idea of having an admin account with a super long password (too long to type every login) is interesting. Though with Touch ID that can be done with any account.
As for "do not hand out multiple administrator account to your computer" -- yes, definitely. But don't hand out ANY accounts at all unless you trust the person.
@@macmost and no one but the owner should have that admin account password. Standard users are prevented from installing most software, cannot make changes to the Applications folder, can’t change security settings in preferences and so on. This will force people to come to you if they want to install software. You will be kept aware. Adults are just as dangerous as children. Adults tend to find crap like Happy Bob’s Always Free Movies or some such thing and install his app. I’d also set it so only App Store apps can be installed. You can override that if you want as the admin, but standard users cannot.
Zero Trust.
Some software will still install, like Spotify. That really irritates me, because they purposefully do this. At least such apps can only mess up that specific user’s files. I wouldn’t give kids admin access to their own computers!
How to hack my own computer. My Mac has been hijacked by SILLY ~CATALINA!!!! Since few days I am not able to do anything. My Admin account has been turned into STANDERED . so I can't go back to an old operating system. Need help to create a new admin an clear all other users.
I tried many ways to Using COMMAND PLUS S BUT TREMINAL SETTING DOSENT WORK TOO ???
I would say the best thing to do would be to start the system in recovery mode (I believe you have to press Command + R on boot to do this) and reinstall Mac OS
You can also use internet recovery (Command + Option + R on boot) if your system supports it