If your Mac has multiple users, you should set up an account for each person so each can personalise settings and options without affecting other users. You can let occasional users log in as guests without access to other users’ files or settings. You can also create groups and choose automatic login options. You must be an administrator of your Mac to perform these tasks.
Both standard users and administrators can join network account servers.
Click the Info button next to a group name to view details and make changes. See Change Group settings.
Add account
Create a new user or group.
Click the New Account pop-up menu (you may be asked to enter your password), then choose a type of account.
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.
Sharing Only:Sharing-only users can access shared files remotely, but can’t log in to the computer or change settings. To give the user permission to access your shared files or screen, you may need to change options in File Sharing, Screen Sharing or Remote Management settings. See Set up file sharing and Share the screen of another Mac.
Group:Groups allow multiple users to have the same access privileges. You control a group’s access to your shared folders by setting access permissions in the File Sharing options in Sharing settings.
Choose whether to have a specific user logged in automatically.
Use automatic login: Choose a user, enter the password, then follow the on-screen instructions. Automatic login takes effect the next time you restart the Mac, then whenever the Mac starts up, that user is automatically logged in.
Turn off automatic login: Choose Off. At startup, the Mac opens a login window showing all the users.
Note: Automatic login allows anyone to access your Mac simply by restarting it. If automatic login is enabled, make sure your Mac doesn’t automatically log in an administrator. When FileVault is turned on, automatic login is disabled.
You can also customise the options that are available in the login window, such as password hints, the user list and the Sleep, Restart and Shut Down buttons. See Change Lock Screen settings.