On a Mac that’s used by multiple people, it’s advisable to set up different user profiles. Apple offers an easy way to add and remove user profiles from macOS and even the ability to set up a guest profile. Having multiple user profiles comes in especially handy when a Mac is used as a household computer. It might be used by parents, kids, and other family members, in which case having just a single user profile can cause unnecessary clutter.

The advantage of having separate user profiles is that each person’s information stays private, including login credentials for different apps and websites such as social media and email. It also adds a layer of security if a user’s credit card information is saved on the shared Mac. Separate profiles also let individual users customize their desktop the way they want and keep their documents and files separate from other users. If a user doesn’t need to share the device any longer, macOS offers the option to easily delete the profile.

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Keep in mind that to modify user profiles, Administrator access will be required. To add a user profile, click on the Apple menu (Apple icon) at the top left corner of the menu bar. Go to System Preferences and click on Users & Groups. A lock button will be displayed on the bottom left of the pane. Click to unlock it and then enter the administrator password. Below the list of current users, click on the ‘+’ icon to add a new user. When filling in the details, first select the type of user account from the dropdown, choosing between Standard, Administrator, Sharing Only, and Group. Apple explains the differences between the accounts on its website. After this, enter the user’s full name, account name (this is automatically generated and can only be modified at the time of creation), and finally the password and password hint. Click on ‘Create User’ to complete the process.

Managing Multiple Users On Mac

To delete a user on Mac, click on the Apple menu, then go to System Preferences and Users & Groups. Click on the lock at the bottom left corner and unlock it after entering an administrator password. From the list of users on the left, select the user account that needs to be deleted and then click on the ‘-‘ icon. Note that users who are still logged into the system cannot be deleted and will need to log out first. After this, a window will appear with three options. If ‘Save the home folder as a disk image’ is selected, all the user’s documents and information will be archived and can be restored later. If selecting ‘Leave the user’s home folder as is,’ the user’s information and data remain on the home folder and can be restored later. Finally, if selecting ‘Remove the user’s home folder from the computer,’ all the data stored in the user’s account will be deleted, freeing up storage space on the Mac.

A Mac also has the option to create a guest account for occasional use. A guest account can be created via Users & Groups by clicking on the Guest User option and ticking the check box. This type of account doesn’t require a password to log in. Any files created by the guest are stored temporarily and deleted after they log out.