Deleting a Mac account removes that user from your computer, but your choice of what to do with the account's files happens during deletion
When you delete a Mac account, you are removing a user profile from your computer entirely. The account will no longer appear on the login screen, and that person cannot sign in. During the deletion process, macOS asks you what to do with the files stored in that account's home folder — you can keep them, delete them, or save them to another location first. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are deleting your own account or someone else's.
You need administrator access to delete any account, including your own. If you are the only administrator on the Mac, you cannot delete your own account without first creating a second administrator account. If you are deleting someone else's account and you have admin access, the process takes about two minutes.
Key Takeaways
- You must have administrator access to delete any account on a Mac, and you cannot delete the last administrator account on the computer.
- When deleting an account, macOS gives you three options: keep the files in a folder on the desktop, delete the files permanently, or save them to an external drive before deletion.
- Deleting an account does not affect other user accounts on the same Mac or any files stored in shared folders.
- If you are deleting your own account, you must first create a second administrator account and sign into it before you can proceed.
- Once deleted, an account cannot be recovered — the login will not work and the account will not reappear on the login screen.
How to delete another person's account on your Mac
Open System Settings and click on General in the left sidebar. Then click Users & Groups (or Users in some macOS versions). You will see a list of all accounts on the computer. Click the account you want to delete, then click the minus button (−) below the list. macOS will ask what you want to do with the files in that account's home folder.
Choose one of three options: "Keep the account's home folder" saves all files to a folder on your desktop named after the deleted account. "Delete the account's home folder" removes all files permanently and cannot be undone. "Save the account's home folder in another location" lets you choose where to store the files — useful if you want to back them up to an external drive or network storage before deletion. Select your choice and click Delete Account. The account will be removed when ready.
How to delete your own account
You cannot delete the account you are currently signed into. If you are the only administrator on the Mac, you must create a second administrator account first. Go to System Settings, click General, then Users & Groups. Click the plus button (+) and create a new account with administrator access. Sign out of your current account and sign into the new administrator account.
Once you are signed into the new account, go back to System Settings and Users & Groups. Click your original account and click the minus button. Choose what to do with your files using the same three options described above. Click Delete Account. Your original account will be removed, and you will remain signed into the new administrator account.
What happens to files and folders after deletion
If you chose to keep the account's home folder, macOS creates a folder on your desktop with a name like "username (deleted)" containing all the files that were in that account. You can then move, copy, or delete these files as needed. This option is safest if you are unsure whether you need the files later.
If you chose to delete the home folder, all files are permanently removed. This includes documents, photos, downloads, desktop files, and anything stored in that account's Library folder. Permanent deletion cannot be undone, so use this option only if you are certain the files are not needed. If you chose to save to another location, the files are copied to that location before the account is deleted, and you can access them from any account on the Mac or from another computer.
Accounts on other Macs and iCloud are not affected
Deleting a Mac account only removes it from that specific computer. If the same person has an account on a different Mac in your home, that account remains unchanged. Deleting a Mac account does not affect an iCloud account or Apple ID — those remain active and can be used to sign into other devices or services.
If the account was linked to iCloud, deleting the Mac account does not sign you out of iCloud on other devices. The person can still access their iCloud email, photos, and other services from an iPhone, iPad, or another Mac. If you want to remove their access to iCloud services entirely, you would need to change their Apple ID password or remove the device from their Apple ID account settings on iCloud.com.
What to do if you need to recover a deleted account
Once a Mac account is deleted, it cannot be restored through macOS. The login will not work, and the account will not reappear on the login screen. If you saved the files to a folder or external drive before deletion, you can copy those files back into a new account, but the original account itself is gone.
If you deleted an account by mistake and need the files, check your desktop or the location where you saved them. If you chose the "delete the home folder" option and need to recover files, you may be able to use data recovery software, though this is not may provide to work. The best protection is to keep backups of important files before deleting any account.
Deleting a guest account or managed account
Guest accounts and managed accounts (parental controls accounts) delete the same way as standard accounts. Open System Settings, go to Users & Groups, click the account, and click the minus button. You will see the same three options for handling files. Guest accounts typically have few files, so you can usually choose to delete the home folder without concern.
Managed accounts may contain files you want to keep, so choose "keep the account's home folder" unless you are certain deletion is appropriate. Once deleted, a managed account no longer appears in parental controls settings, and the restrictions you set no longer explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete an account if I forgot the password?
Yes. You do not need the account's password to delete it — you only need administrator access on the Mac. Sign into a different administrator account and delete the account from System Settings. The files will be handled according to your choice during deletion.
What if the account is linked to FileVault encryption?
If the account you are deleting is the only one with FileVault enabled, you may be prompted to disable FileVault before deletion. If multiple accounts have FileVault, you can delete the account normally. The encryption remains on the Mac for the other accounts.
Will deleting an account remove it from Family Sharing?
Deleting a Mac account does not automatically remove the person from Family Sharing. You must remove them from Family Sharing separately through iCloud.com or System Settings on another Mac. This prevents accidental loss of access to shared purchases or subscriptions.
Can I delete an account without choosing what to do with the files?
No. macOS requires you to choose one of the three file options before deletion completes. You cannot skip this step or delete an account while leaving files in place on the Mac.
What happens to email and calendar data when I delete an account?
Email and calendar data stored locally on the Mac (in Mail and Calendar apps) will be deleted along with the account's home folder if you choose that option. If the account was synced with iCloud, the data remains in iCloud and can be accessed from other devices. Downloaded attachments and local copies are deleted only if you delete the home folder.