How to Create a New Account on Your Mac

When you get a new Mac, your user account gets set up for day-to-day use, whether for work or play. But adding a second user account has some real benefits. And while it may sound complicated, it is straightforward to do.

1. Open System Settings > Users & Groups.
2. Click Add User (you may need to authenticate with your admin password).
3. Choose an account type. For technical support or your own use, we recommend using an Administrator account. For family, employees, etc., use Standard.
4. Enter the Full Name (which appears as the login) name. You can accept the automatically suggested Account Name (the name of the home directory) or change it.
5. Enter and verify the Password for the account login, then click Create User.
6. Optionally, enable Fast User Switching in the Menu Bar settings. This makes it easy to move between user accounts as needed.
7. Log into the new account and set it up. macOS prompts you to sign in with an Apple ID, but it’s optional. You can skip it or use a different Apple ID for this account.

So when is this actually useful?

• Troubleshooting: If an app misbehaves, log into the new account and check whether the problem occurs there. If it doesn’t, the issue is likely confined to your original user account (preferences, caches, or user-level settings). A separate administrator account can also be useful if you need to take your Mac to someone for hardware maintenance.
• Personal/Professional Separation: If you’re using your Mac for business and personal use, designate the new account for one of those uses. If you have a work-related Apple ID, sign into it, and keep your work and life documents separated.
• Multiple Users: In business settings where employees share Macs between shifts, each employee can have their own user account on the same Mac. At home, you can make an account for your family members or a guest account. In such cases, it’s common to create a Standard account and implement stricter controls on things like installing applications or the amount of screen time.

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