Creating a new user account on your Mac
To add another user to your Mac, open System Settings, go to General, then select Users & Groups. Click the lock icon in the bottom left, enter your password, then click the plus sign to create a new account. You will choose whether the account is a Standard user (limited permissions) or an Administrator (full control), give it a name and password, and finish. The new user can then log in from the login screen.
The process takes about five minutes and does not affect your existing files or settings. Each user gets their own separate desktop, documents folder, and process preferences. This is useful if you share a Mac with family members, colleagues, or roommates — everyone can keep their own work and browsing history private.
Key Takeaways
- You access user settings through System Settings > General > Users & Groups, and you must unlock the panel with your password before making changes.
- Standard user accounts have limited permissions and cannot install software or change system settings, while Administrator accounts have full control.
- Each user account has its own separate login, desktop, documents, and browser history — nothing is shared unless you deliberately put files in a shared folder.
- You can delete a user account later, and you have the option to keep or delete the files associated with that account.
Standard vs. Administrator accounts — which one to choose
A Standard user account is the safer choice for most people you add to your Mac. Standard users cannot install software, change system settings, or modify security features. If someone logs into a Standard account and a malicious website or email tries to install something, the Mac will ask for an Administrator password — which the Standard user does not have. This is the account type to use for children, guests, or anyone who should not be able to change how the Mac works.
An Administrator account has full control. Administrators can install programs, change settings, create or delete other users, and modify security features. You need at least one Administrator account on your Mac (usually yours). Only give Administrator access to people you trust completely, because they can see and change almost everything on the machine.
You can change an account from Standard to Administrator later, or vice versa, by going back to Users & Groups and clicking the lock to unlock the panel.
Setting up the password and account name
When you create the account, you will enter a full name (this appears on the login screen) and a short account name (this is used for the home folder and file permissions). The short name is created automatically based on the full name — for example, "Sarah Chen" becomes "sarahchen" — but you can edit it before finishing. Keep the short name straightforward: lowercase letters and numbers only, no spaces or special characters.
You will also set a password. This password is what the user types at the login screen. Make it something the user can remember but not something obvious like their birthday. If you are setting up an account for a child, you might use a straightforward password they can type, or you can leave the password blank and set one later. If the password is blank, the user can log in by just clicking their name on the login screen.
Write down the password somewhere safe if you are setting it up for someone else. If the user forgets it later, you can reset it from Users & Groups — but only if you are logged in as an Administrator.
What happens to files and folders when you add a new user
Each new user account gets its own home folder, which contains their Documents, Downloads, Desktop, and other personal folders. Files in one user's home folder are not visible to other users unless you deliberately move them to a shared location. This means if you add a user account, they start with a completely empty Mac — no documents, no browser bookmarks, no email accounts.
If you want to share specific files between users, put them in the Shared folder, which is located in the Users folder (you can access it from Finder by pressing Command-Shift-K). Any user can read and write to the Shared folder. Alternatively, you can give one user permission to access another user's folder, but this requires changing file permissions in the Get Info panel — a more advanced step.
Logging in and switching between users
Once you have created the account, the new user will see their name on the Mac login screen. They click their name, type their password (if one is set), and press Enter. Their desktop and settings load — completely separate from any other user's setup.
To switch between users without logging out, click the Apple menu in the top left, then click the current user's name at the top of the menu. A list of other users appears. Click the user you want to switch to, and their session opens. The previous user's session stays open in the background — when they log back in, everything is exactly as they left it. This is called Fast User Switching and is useful if multiple people use the Mac throughout the day.
Removing a user account you no longer need
If you need to delete a user account, go back to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, unlock the panel with your password, click the user you want to remove, and click the minus sign. The Mac will ask whether you want to keep or delete the files in that user's home folder. If you choose to keep the files, they are moved to a folder on your desktop called "Deleted Users" so you can recover anything important. If you choose to delete the files, they are removed permanently.
You cannot delete the account you are currently logged into. If you need to delete your own account, you must log into a different Administrator account first, then delete your account from there.
Parental Controls and limiting what a user can do
If you are setting up an account for a child, you can use Parental Controls to restrict what they can access. Open System Settings > General > Users & Groups, click the child's account, then click "Parental Controls" (this option only appears for Standard accounts). You can limit which apps they can open, restrict web browsing, set screen time limits, and control whether they can change their password.
Parental Controls are not a substitute for supervision, but they do prevent accidental or intentional access to apps or websites you want to block. You can adjust these settings at any time from the same panel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add a user account without giving them a password?
Yes. When you create the account, leave the password field blank and click Create. The user can then log in by clicking their name on the login screen without typing anything. You can add a password later if needed by going to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, clicking the user, and entering a new password.
What if someone forgets their password?
If you are logged into an Administrator account, go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, click the user whose password you want to reset, and click the password field. Click the reset button (it looks like a key icon) and follow the prompts. If you forget the Administrator password and no other Administrator account exists, you will need to restart your Mac in Recovery Mode and reset it from there.
Can two people use the same account?
Technically yes, but it is not recommended. If two people log into the same account, they see each other's files, browser history, and email. It is better to create separate accounts for each person so their data stays private. The only exception is if you are sharing a Mac with someone temporarily and do not care about privacy.
Does adding a user account slow down my Mac?
No. Additional user accounts take up very little space and do not affect performance. Each account is independent, so one user's open programs do not slow down another user's session.
Can I change an account from Standard to Administrator later?
Yes. Go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, unlock the panel, click the account you want to change, and check or uncheck the "Allow user to administer this computer" box. You must be logged into an Administrator account to make this change.