How to Add & Delete a User on Mac

If you want to delete a user on Mac, add a user on Mac, add a guest user, or make a user an administrator, you can do so in your MacBook or iMac’s settings. This can be useful if more than one person will be sharing a computer, whether it's a work or family computer. Read below to learn how.

Related: iMessage Not Working on Mac? Here’s the Quick Fix

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How to Add User on Mac

If you’d like to add another user on Mac, you’ll need to go to your computer’s settings.

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  1. Open System Preferences.

    Open settings to add new user to mac
  2. Select Users & Groups.

    go to users and groups to add new user
  3. Click the Lock icon to unlock and make changes.

    unlock to edit settings on mac
  4. Enter your password (if your computer is password protected) and click Unlock.

    enter password to unlock settings
  5. Click the plus button in the side navigation to add a new user.

    add new user to mac
  6. Choose Account Type. How
    choose account type
  7. Enter in the information accordingly and click Create User.

    enter info and add new user to mac

Now your Mac has an additional account for another user!

What Does Adjust Mac User Account Type Mean?

When you add another user on Mac, you have the option to choose how much control they have over the computer’s settings. You can choose for the new user on your Mac to have equal control as the owner, slightly less control, or basically no ability to make changes to settings. If you would like to make your new user an Administrator after already creating the user account, follow these steps.

  1. Under Users & Settings, select the user you want to make Administrator.

    make new user an administrator
  2. Check the box that says Allow user to administer this computer.

    check box to make user administrator
  3. Click OK and proceed to reboot your computer.

    save changes and restart computer

How to Delete Users On Mac

Here's how to delete a login profile on your Mac.

  1. Open System Preferences.

    open settings on mac
  2. Select Users & Groups.

    click users and groups
  3. Click the Lock icon to unlock and make changes.

    unlock to make changes
  4. From here, click the minus sign in the side navigation to delete mac user.

    delete mac user
  5. Choose the how you’d like to save the user’s information, and then select Delete User.

    delete user on mac

What Is a Mac Group?

A Mac group can be a useful feature if you have a computer being shared between family members, or a community computer at work. You have the ability to sort users into groups. To create a Mac group go to System Preferences, Users & Groups, unlock and click the plus sign to add new users.

  1. Under New Account, select Group.

    learn what a mac group is
  2. Enter in the name of your group and click Create Group.

    what is a mac group

Now you can add existing Users to the group. To do this,

  1. Select the group in the side navigation.

    learn what a mac group is:
  2. Check the boxes next to the users you want to add to the group.

    add users to mac group
  3. Then, click the lock button to save your changes.

    update login profile settings lock

To delete a group:

  1. Select the group in the side navigation.

    Delete a mac group
  2. Click the minus symbol.

    Delete a group on a mac
  3. Select Okay from the pop-up menu.

    delete work or family group on imac

How to Add Guest User

If you’d like the option of allowing a guest user, meaning this account is for anyone who is not the Mac’s owner, but the account is not for any one individual, we’ll walk you through that process now.

  1. From the Users & Groups page, click Guest User in the side navigation.

    add guest user to mac
  2. Check the box in from of Allow guests to log in to this computer.

    go to settings to add guest user to mac
  3. Click the lock icon to save your changes.

    save changes to guest user on mac

And that's how you add or delete a user to your Mac. This is very nice for families that share multiple computers, but each child wants a different desktop background or apps in their Mac Dock. It's also great for employees who may be sharing a computer to organize files and keep things separate. Be sure to sign up for our Tip of the Day for more cool tips on how to make the most of your Mac!

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Author Details

Rachel Needell's picture

Author Details

Rachel Needell

Rachel Needell is a Feature Writer at iPhone Life, and a poet and author. With 10-plus years of experience working with Apple devices, she specializes in all-things iPad and is a Notes App expert, having worked on both the 2023 iPad Guide and the Notes App Guide. You can usually find her writing in the Daily Tip newsletter as one of our senior Tip writers. Rachel received her Master’s degree in English Literature in 2021 and her most recent work appears in the Winter ’21 edition of New Note Poetry. When she’s not obsessing about Apple products, you can find her voraciously reading fantasy books with her cat in Asheville, North Carolina.