The fastest way to remove an account from your Mac
To delete a user account on your Mac, open System Settings, go to General, then Users & Groups, select the account you want to remove, and click the minus button. The system will ask whether to keep or delete the home folder associated with that account. If you are deleting your own account, you must first switch to a different administrator account, since you cannot delete the account you are currently logged into.
The process takes about two minutes and does not require restarting your Mac. However, deleting an account is permanent — the home folder and all files inside it will be gone unless you choose to save them first. If you are unsure whether you need the files, back them up before you start.
Key Takeaways
- You cannot delete the account you are currently using; you must switch to a different administrator account first.
- System Settings stores the account deletion option under General > Users & Groups, not in a separate security menu.
- When you delete an account, macOS asks whether to keep the home folder as a file or delete it permanently.
- Deleted accounts and their files cannot be recovered, so back up any important documents before removing the account.
Step-by-step: Deleting an account you do not use
If you are deleting a different person's account or an old account you no longer use, the steps are straightforward. First, make sure you are logged into an administrator account — if you are not, you will not see the delete option. Open System Settings by clicking the Apple menu in the top-left corner, then select System Settings.
Click General in the left sidebar, then select Users & Groups. You will see a list of all accounts on your Mac. Click the account you want to delete, then click the minus button below the list. A dialog box will appear asking what to do with the home folder. Choose either "Delete the home folder" if you do not need the files, or "Keep the home folder" if you want to save them as a separate folder on your Mac. Click Delete Account to confirm.
Deleting your own account: The extra step
If you want to delete the account you are currently logged into, you must first create or switch to a different administrator account. This is a safety feature — macOS does not allow you to delete an account while you are using it, because the system needs an active administrator to complete the deletion.
If you have another administrator account on your Mac, log out of your current account and log into that one instead. If you do not have another administrator account, you will need to create one first. Go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, click the plus button, and follow the prompts to create a new administrator account. Once you have created it and logged in, you can then delete your original account using the steps above.
What happens to your files when you delete an account
When you delete an account, macOS gives you two options for the home folder — the folder that contains all of that account's documents, downloads, desktop files, and settings. If you choose "Delete the home folder," everything inside it is removed permanently. If you choose "Keep the home folder," it stays on your Mac as a folder you can access from any account, but the account itself is gone.
Keeping the home folder is useful if you want to preserve files but do not need the account anymore. The folder will appear in your Users directory with the original account name, and you can move files out of it or delete them later. If you delete the home folder by mistake, there is no way to recover it, so think carefully before confirming the deletion.
When you cannot delete an account
If you see the minus button but it is grayed out, or if the delete option does not appear at all, one of a few things is happening. The most common reason is that you are not logged into an administrator account — standard user accounts do not have permission to delete accounts. Switch to an administrator account and try again.
Another reason the delete button might be unavailable is if the account you are trying to delete is the only administrator account on your Mac. macOS requires at least one administrator account to exist at all times. If this is the case, create a new administrator account first, then delete the old one. You can also check whether an account is an administrator by looking at its details in Users & Groups — it will say "Admin" next to the account name if it has administrator privileges.
Removing a managed or parental control account
If the account you want to delete is a child account set up with parental controls, or a managed account created by your organization, the deletion process is slightly different. Open System Settings > General > Users & Groups, select the managed account, and look for an option that says "Allow user to administer this computer" or similar language. Uncheck that box first, then click the minus button to delete the account.
If the account is managed by your workplace or school, you may not have permission to delete it at all. In that case, contact your IT department or system administrator. They can remove the account from their end, or they can give you the permissions you need to do it yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo deleting an account?
No. Once you delete an account, it is gone permanently. If you chose to delete the home folder as well, all files in that folder are also gone. If you chose to keep the home folder, the folder remains but the account itself cannot be recovered. Always back up important files before deleting an account.
What if I forgot the password to the account I want to delete?
You do not need the password to delete an account — you only need to be logged into a different administrator account. If you have another administrator account on your Mac, log into that one and delete the account with the forgotten password from System Settings. If you do not have another administrator account, you will need to create one first.
Will deleting an account affect other people's files on my Mac?
No. Each account on a Mac has its own separate home folder and settings. Deleting one account does not touch files or settings belonging to other accounts. Only the files inside the deleted account's home folder are affected.
How do I delete an account if I am the only administrator?
Create a new administrator account first. Go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, click the plus button, and set up a new account with administrator privileges. Log into that new account, then go back to Users & Groups and delete your original account. You can delete the new account later if you want to go back to having just one account.
What is the difference between logging out and deleting an account?
Logging out simply signs you out of your account — the account still exists on your Mac and you can log back in anytime. Deleting an account removes it completely from your Mac. If you just want to stop using an account temporarily, log out instead of deleting it.