If you wish to have a user account on your Mac that is discrete so others using your Mac cannot see that user, then you can do so by the classic methods of changing the user ID for the account and then adjusting some hidden system settings to manage those accounts at the login window. While these approaches are the most compatible across different OS X versions and still work for the latest ones, if you have OS X Yosemite or later on your Mac, then there is an easy two-step approach for hiding user accounts. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Accounts
How to find group membership in OS X
Groups in OS X are special account entries that act as umbrellas under which user accounts may exist, allowing single adjustments of access permissions to immediately apply to numerous users. As a result, the use of groups when setting up a multi-user Mac can be exceptionally useful, but then again may also leave open security holes if not done correctly. Continue reading
How to create hidden administrative accounts in OS X
If you have a system that is used by other people, you may want to give them managed user accounts and then reserve a separate administrative account for installing apps and changing system settings. This is especially true for situations where many people may be using one computer, such as in classrooms. While you can always create an administrative account, by default such accounts will show up along with others at the login window, in the Fast User Switch menu, and other locations; however, you can set this up to be hidden from most of these locations. Continue reading
How to combine two accounts in OS X
If you have a second user account on your Mac in which you have done some significant work, you might at some point wish to combine it with your main one. Unfortunately there is no quick way to do this, and will require some manual transferring of files, contacts, and other information, as well as remembering which of these you need to transfer. Continue reading
Isolate issues using a new user account
When troubleshooting problems with your Mac, it is a good idea to try to isolate it as much as possible. Even if you cannot pinpoint the problem, finding out where and when it crops up can help if you need to seek guidance from others.
One of the steps in doing this is to see if the problem you are experiencing is an account-based issue, or one that is perhaps more global in nature. Continue reading
How to fix home folder permissions in OS X
If you run into odd slow-downs or problems with loading specific programs and services, then sometimes this can be caused by the inability of the program or service to access a necessary resource on disk, be it a preference file, or a core resource like a framework, font, or audio unit. In these cases you might see an error, but also might just see the problematic behavior. Continue reading