The fastest way to add a user on Mac

Open System Settings, go to General, then select Users & Groups. Click the lock icon in the bottom left, enter your admin password, then click the plus sign to create a new account. Choose whether the account is Standard or Admin, enter a name and password, and click Create User. The new account appears on your login screen the next time anyone restarts the Mac.

If you want someone to use your Mac without giving them access to your files or settings, create a Standard user account instead of an Admin account. Standard users can install apps and change their own password, but cannot modify system settings or access other users' folders.

Key Takeaways

  • You must be logged in as an Admin user to add new accounts on your Mac.
  • Standard user accounts are safer for family members or guests because they cannot change system settings or access your files.
  • Admin accounts have full control over the Mac and can modify any setting, so only create them for people you trust completely.
  • New users see their own login screen after restart and can set their own password on first login if you leave that field blank.
  • You can delete a user account later from the same Users & Groups panel if you no longer need it.

Standard vs. Admin accounts — what each one can do

A Standard user account can use apps, create files, change their own password, and adjust their own display and sound settings. They cannot install system updates, modify network settings, change the Mac's name, or access files in other users' folders. This is the right choice for children, temporary users, or anyone who should not be able to change how the Mac works.

An Admin account can do everything a Standard user can do, plus install apps system-wide, change network and security settings, create or delete other user accounts, and access files throughout the Mac. Only create Admin accounts for people you trust with full control of the device. Most households need only one or two Admin accounts.

Step-by-step: creating a new user account

Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select System Settings. Click General in the left sidebar, then scroll down and click Users & Groups. You will see a lock icon in the bottom left corner — click it and enter your admin password when prompted.

Once the panel unlocks, click the plus sign button below the list of users. A dialog box appears asking for the account name, short name (usually auto-filled), password, and account type. Type the full name you want to appear on the login screen. The short name is what appears in file paths and should be lowercase with no spaces — the Mac usually fills this in automatically based on the full name.

Choose Standard or Admin from the dropdown menu. Enter a password, or leave the password field blank if you want the new user to set their own password on first login. Click Create User. The new account is now ready to use.

What happens when a new user logs in for the first time

When the new user logs in, they see a setup screen asking them to choose a profile picture and set preferences for Siri, privacy, and iCloud. If you left the password blank when creating the account, they will be asked to create one during this first login. This setup takes a few minutes but only happens once.

The new user's home folder is created automatically in /Users/ with their short name. Their Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and other standard folders are empty and belong only to them. They cannot see inside your home folder or any other user's home folder unless you specifically share a folder with them.

Switching between user accounts

Click the Apple menu and select the user name at the top of the menu to see a list of all accounts on the Mac. Click the account you want to switch to. The Mac will log out the current user and log in the other user. Any apps the previous user had open will remain open but paused — they resume when that user logs back in.

You can also use Fast User Switching to keep multiple users logged in at the same time without closing their apps. This is useful if multiple people share the Mac and want to switch back and forth quickly. Each user's session stays active in the background.

Changing or removing a user account later

Go back to System Settings > General > Users & Groups and unlock the panel with your admin password. Click any user account to see options to change their password, convert them between Standard and Admin, or delete the account entirely. If you delete an account, the Mac asks whether to keep or delete that user's home folder and files.

If you want to prevent a user from logging in without deleting their account, click the account and check the box that says "Disable this user account." They will not appear on the login screen, but their files remain on the Mac and can be re-enabled later.

Parental Controls for child accounts

If you create an account for a child, you can set up Screen Time and parental controls from System Settings > General > Users & Groups. Click the child's account, then click Open Family Settings. From there you can set app limits, restrict which apps they can use, control what websites they can visit, and set downtime hours when the Mac locks automatically.

Parental controls work only on Standard user accounts, not Admin accounts. The child cannot disable these restrictions without knowing your admin password. You can monitor their activity and adjust restrictions anytime from your own account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a password to create a new user account?

You need your own admin password to unlock the Users & Groups panel, but you can leave the new user's password blank if you want them to set one on their first login. If you create a password for them, write it down or tell them what it is so they can log in.

Can I change someone's account from Standard to Admin later?

Yes. Go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, unlock the panel with your password, click the account, and change the dropdown from Standard to Admin. They will have full control of the Mac after you make this change.

What happens to a deleted user's files?

When you delete an account, the Mac asks whether to keep or delete the home folder. If you choose to keep it, the folder stays on the Mac but no user account can access it through the normal login screen. You can still access those files from an Admin account by navigating to /Users/ in Finder.

Can multiple people be logged in at the same time?

Yes, with Fast User Switching enabled. Each user's session stays open in the background, and you can switch between them without closing apps. Go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups and make sure "Show the login window as a list of users" is checked to see the switch menu.

How do I reset a forgotten password?

If an Admin user forgets their password, restart the Mac and hold Command + Q at the login screen to open password reset options. If a Standard user forgets their password, an Admin user can reset it from System Settings > General > Users & Groups by clicking the account and selecting "Reset Password."