How to Change Username on Mac

Sue Wayne

Dec 16, 2024 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

Whether you just want to change your username because you are bored or you misspelled it, changing the Mac user name is not that hard. No matter what the reasons are, here you are going to learn how to change the Mac username.

Part 1: Basics of Mac User Account Name:

Luckily, Mac usernames are not permanent. You can change them whenever you want. Before we get to how to change the username on MacBook Pro/ Air part, it is vital that you have some basic information about the user accounts. The information you must have about the user accounts is given below:

• Full Name: This section contains the user’s full name. It is also used as a login name.
• Account Name: It is called a short name as it is a short version for the full name. Mac suggests the account name based on the name you enter. But you don’t have to go with the suggestion. Users can choose any name they want. This name will be used as the home directory name and the login name too.
• Home Directory: It is the same as that of the account name. But you have to make sure that they remain the same so that there is no problem with the system. Typically, the Home directory is located inside the User directory of the startup drive.

So, if you have decided that you want to change the username, it is important that you also know where you can find it.

Part 2. How to Find Username on Mac:

As you are about to change the user name on Mac, you will have to follow up on certain things. At first, create a backup of data and rename the home folder. For this, you will have to follow the steps below:

Step 1: Log out of the account you are using and log in using the administrator account. In case you don’t have an account, you will have to create one in the Users & Groups preferences.

Step 2: Now open the Users folder on the startup disk and there you will find the Home folder for each user. You can also search the folder in the Go To Folder by entering /Users.

Step 3: Rename the user’s home folder without any spaces. You will again get prompted to enter the admin username and password to confirm the change.

Make sure that you have disabled the File sharing option for the home folder otherwise you won’t be able to change the username.

Part 3. How to Change Username on Mac:

Now, it is time that you learn how to change the username on Mac. As this process is going to make fundamental changes in the user account, the data is at risk. If you want to make sure that your data stays intact, create a current backup with Time Machine or make a copy of the startup drive. Once the backup finishes, follow the steps given below:

Step 1: Open the Apple menu and click on the System Preferences option. There you will find the Users and Groups option.

Step 2: A small window will appear on the screen. At the bottom of the window, there is a lock sign. To make any change in the user account, you will have to click on the Lock icon and enter the Admin username and password.

Step 3: From the left side panel, select the username and control-click on the user. Then select the user Advanced options.

Step 4: Tap on the Account Name field to match the new name with the home folder. Remember to leave no spaces in between. The account name that appears in the Home directory should also be changed.

Step 5: In case you want to change the Full name associated with the account, you will have to update the name in the Full name field. You are free to choose any name for the user account you wish to use to log in to your Mac.

Step 6: Click on the Ok button and restart your MacBook. Log in with the new username or account and verify that the old files and folders are available or not.

If you can’t log in but you can access the home directory, this means that you’ve made a mistake and the names you entered don’t match. As a result, you’ll have to follow the procedure once more and make 100% sure that the names in the home directory and Users and Groups Preferences are identical.

Part 4. Tips for Changing Mac User Name:

You might think that it is easy to learn how to change Mac user name, but it has some impending risks too. So, if you are about to change the username of Mac, it is important that you take care of some things during the procedure. Here are some tips that you need to follow to avoid problems as you change the username on Mac.

• It is a fair warning that changing the user name can lead to several problems with saved data, network logins, etc. These types of data are associated with the full user name and hence, attempting to change the username also affects them. As the older login information won’t work if you messed up the process, it is important that you take the guide seriously and not mess up the process.
• The short name and home directory name should match at all costs. If they don’t, then you will have bigger problems on your hands. So, while you are setting up the name, keep this in mind to keep the permission section checked. If you leave the permission section unchecked, there is a possibility that the data will become inaccessible from the user account.
• If you want to change the full username of the account, you will have to follow some different steps. So, before you begin with the steps, make sure that you are carrying out the methods on the right version of macOS.
• Never try to change the user account information in which you are logged in. Always log out of the user account before you wish to make any kind of change in the Mac user account. This rule also applies to the Administrator account. If you only have one Admin account, start by creating a new admin account and then make changes to the one you want.
• Keep in mind to change the name in the Users folder. The name of the home folder should be changed first otherwise the data stored in the account won’t be accessible. Write down the name as you will need it later in the Advanced Settings.
• Don’t simply focus on the name field when you are changing the username information. Look out for the full name or password and other fields too. Also, don’t leave any space between the username.

From now on, whenever someone asks you how to change a user on Mac, you can point them in the right direction. But if you run into an error and end up losing your data files, then you can use Recoverit data recovery to get them all back at once. After all, it is the most reliable and trustworthy data recovery tool for Mac.

Now, you know how to change a user on Mac. Even though it is a complicated process, you need to stay focused on following the exact steps. One little mistake can cost you a big pile of data. So, make sure that you have backup software that can recover the files with just one click. Lucky for you, Recoverit Data Recovery for Mac can deal with the loss situation very well. Recommend the software to your family and friends so that they’ll know what to do if changing the username has some unwanted aftereffects. It will always come in handy in unfortunate situations.