Applies to: macOS Sonoma and later

How to Set Up a New Mac Account

Add a new standard, administrator, or Screen-Time-managed user account on a Mac running macOS Sonoma or later.

What You'll Need

Click the Apple menu, then System Settings.
Select Users & Groups in the sidebar.
Click the + button to add a new user — you'll be asked for the admin password to confirm.
Choose the account type: Standard (everyday use), Administrator (can install software and change settings), or Managed with Screen Time (for a child's account).
Enter the full name, account name, and password, then confirm the password.
Click Create User.
Log out or switch users from the Apple menu to access the new account, then sign in with an Apple ID (Settings > Sign in with Apple ID) if you want iCloud, App Store, and syncing.

The new macOS user appears at the login screen and signs in successfully to its own desktop.

Admin password not accepted? Double-check Caps Lock and your keyboard layout, or type it into a text field first to confirm it's correct.
Apple ID sign-in failing? Confirm your internet connection, then check appleid.apple.com to make sure the account isn't locked.
"+" button grayed out? You need to be signed in with an administrator account to add users — check Users & Groups to confirm your own account type.

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