Adding a user account on your Mac takes about five minutes and requires you to open System Settings

Every person who uses your Mac can have their own account with separate files, settings, and passwords. When you add a new user, that person logs in with their own name and password, and their documents and preferences stay separate from everyone else's on the machine.

The steps are the same whether you're adding a family member, a roommate, or a work colleague. You'll need administrator access to your Mac — that means you need to know the password for an account that has admin rights. If you're the person who set up the Mac originally, you almost certainly have this.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings, click Users & Groups (or Users in newer macOS versions), and click the lock icon to unlock the settings with your admin password.
  • Click the plus button to create a new account, choose whether it's a Standard or Administrator account, and enter the new user's name and password.
  • A Standard account is safer for most people because it prevents accidental system changes; use Administrator only if the person needs to install software or change settings.
  • The new user can log in immediately by clicking their name on the login screen or using fast user switching from the top-right corner of the screen.
  • You can delete an account later by opening Users & Groups, clicking the account name, clicking the minus button, and choosing what to do with their files.

Open System Settings and find the Users section

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings (on newer Macs) or System Preferences (on older ones). The window that opens shows different categories on the left side.

Look for Users & Groups or just Users depending on your macOS version, and click it. You'll see a list of accounts that already exist on your Mac, with your own account highlighted. At the bottom of the window, you'll see a lock icon — this lock prevents changes without a password.

Unlock the settings with your admin password

Click the lock icon at the bottom left of the Users window. Your Mac will ask you to enter the password for your account (the one you use to log in). Type it in and click Unlock. The lock icon will now appear open, and the buttons for adding and removing accounts will become clickable.

If you don't know your own password, you cannot add new accounts — you'll need to reset your password first through Apple ID or Recovery Mode. This is a security feature to prevent someone from adding accounts without permission.

Click the plus button and enter the new user's details

With the settings unlocked, click the plus button (it looks like a +) below the list of accounts. A new window will open asking you to set up the account. You'll see a dropdown menu that says New Account Type — leave this set to Standard unless you have a specific reason to choose Administrator.

In the Full Name field, type the person's name as you want it to appear on the login screen — for example, "Sarah" or "Sarah Martinez". In the Account Name field, your Mac will automatically suggest a short version (like "sarah"), but you can change it to anything without spaces or special characters. This is the name the person will sometimes see in file paths and system messages.

In the Password field, enter a password the new user will type when they log in. You can make this simple — they can change it themselves later. Click Create User when you're done. The new account will appear in the list immediately.

Understand the difference between Standard and Administrator accounts

A Standard account is the safer choice for most people. Someone with a Standard account can use all the programs on your Mac, create and edit their own files, and change their own password. They cannot install new software, delete other users' files, or change system-wide settings. This prevents accidental damage or unwanted changes to how the Mac works.

An Administrator account has full control — the person can install software, change settings that affect everyone, and delete files from other accounts. Use this only if the person genuinely needs to manage the Mac or install programs. Family members and casual users should have Standard accounts.

You can change an account type later by opening Users & Groups, clicking the account name, unlocking with your password, and clicking the checkbox next to "Allow user to administer this computer." This change takes effect the next time that person logs in.

Help the new user log in for the first time

The new account is ready to use immediately. The person can log in by restarting the Mac and clicking their name on the login screen, then typing the password you created. They can also log in without restarting by using fast user switching — click the user icon in the top-right corner of the screen, and their name will appear in the dropdown menu.

When they first log in, the Mac will take a moment to set up their account folder and default settings. They should see a desktop that looks clean and empty, with their own Documents, Downloads, and Desktop folders. They can change their password immediately by opening System Settings, clicking Users & Groups, unlocking with their password, and clicking Change Password.

Remove an account if you no longer need it

If you need to delete an account later, open System Settings, click Users & Groups, unlock with your admin password, click the account you want to remove, and click the minus button. Your Mac will ask what you want to do with that person's files — you can save them in a folder, delete them, or leave them on the Mac for now.

Deleting an account does not immediately erase the person's files from the hard drive. If you choose to save them, they'll be stored in a folder you can access later. If you choose to delete them right away, they'll be removed permanently. You can always change your mind about this choice within a few days — contact Apple Support if you need to recover files from a deleted account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a user account without knowing the admin password?

No. You must unlock the Users & Groups settings with an administrator password before you can add accounts. This is a security feature. If you've forgotten your admin password, you can reset it using your Apple ID or by restarting in Recovery Mode and using the Reset Password utility.

What's the difference between a local account and an iCloud account?

A local account uses only a username and password on that specific Mac. An iCloud account lets the person sign in with their Apple ID, which syncs their files, photos, and settings across all their Apple devices. You can set up either type when creating the account, but most people prefer iCloud if they own other Apple devices.

Can the new user change their own password?

Yes. Once they log in, they can open System Settings, click Users & Groups, click their own account, and click Change Password. They'll need to enter the old password first, then type the new one twice. They don't need admin access to change their own password.

What happens to a user's files if I delete their account?

When you delete an account, your Mac asks whether to save the files, delete them, or leave them on the Mac. If you choose to save them, they'll be stored in a folder on your desktop that you can access anytime. If you delete them immediately, they're gone permanently. You have a few days to change your mind if you saved them.

Can I prevent a user from seeing other users' files?

Yes. Each user's Documents, Desktop, and Downloads folders are private by default — other users cannot see inside them. If you want to share specific files, the owner can put them in a shared folder or change the permissions on individual files. Standard accounts cannot access system files or other users' Library folders.