How to Add a New User Account on a Mac

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

Adding a New User Account on a Mac

Open System Preferences:
- Click on the Apple menu in the top left corner and select “System Preferences.”
Go to Users & Groups:
- In the System Preferences window, click on “Users & Groups.”
Unlock the Settings:
- Click the lock icon in the bottom left corner and enter your administrator password to make changes.
Add a New User:
- Click the “+” button below the list of users.
Choose Account Type:
- Select the type of account you want to create (Standard, Administrator, Managed with Parental Controls, or Sharing Only).
Enter User Information:
- Enter the new user’s full name, account name, and password.
- Optionally, you can add a password hint.
Create the Account:
- Click “Create User” to add the new account.
Set Up the Account:
- Log out of your account and log in to the new user account to set it up.
- Follow the setup assistant to configure the user’s preferences.
Customize User Settings:
- Customize the new user’s desktop, applications, and other settings as needed.
Set Up Parental Controls (if applicable):
- If the account is for a child, set up parental controls by selecting the user and clicking “Open Parental Controls.”
Manage Accounts:
- Return to “Users & Groups” to manage user accounts, change passwords, or delete accounts as needed.

If you are still having trouble, refer to the Step-By-Step Guide below, or Contact Support.Com for Personalized Assistance.

In This Guide

You'll Learn:

How to create additional user accounts on your Mac for each person to customize their own settings and options without affecting the others.

Click the lock icon to unlock it, then enter an administrator name and password.

Click the New Account pop-up menu, then choose a type of user.
Administrator: An administrator can add and manage other users, install apps, and change settings. The new user you create when you first set up your Mac is an administrator. Your Mac can have multiple administrators. You can create new ones, and convert standard users to administrators. Don't set up automatic login for an administrator. If you do, someone could simply restart your Mac and gain access with administrator privileges. To keep your Mac secure, don't share administrator names and passwords.
Standard: 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.
Managed with Parental Controls: Users who are managed with parental controls can access only the apps and content specified by the administrator managing the user. The administrator can restrict the user's contacts and website access, and place time limits on computer use.
Sharing Only: Sharing-only users can access shared files remotely, but can't log in to or change settings on the computer. To give the user permission to access your shared files or screen, you may need to change settings in the File Sharing, Screen Sharing, or Remote Management panes of Sharing preferences.

Enter a full name for the new user. An account name is generated automatically. To use a different account name, enter it now as you canâ€™t change it later.
Enter a password for the user, then enter it again to verify. Enter a password hint to help the user remember their password.
Click Create User.
Click the user you just created.
Depending on the type of user you create, you can also do any of the following:
For an administrator, select "Allow user to administer this computer."
For a child or other managed user, select "Enable parental controls." Click Open Parental Controls, then set up restrictions for the user.
Use Sharing preferences to specify whether the user can share your files and share your screen.
The new user is now ready to be used. Log off and then log back in to get started.