Make a New User
Mac Tip #122/08-Oct-2003

In Permissions and Users, MacTip #109/09-July-2003, I mentioned that in OS X you might like to set up a new user — say for a visitor called Alice. Here’s how you do that.

First go to System Preferences under the Apple menu and click on the Accounts panel. Now click on the New User button.

The screen which appears next asks you to enter a Name (eg Cousin Alice), a Short Name (eg alice), and to twice enter a password (eg 157ca9). If you wish you can enter a password hint. You can also choose a picture which will be displayed on the login screen.

If your new user is simply a visitor and you don’t want them installing software or changing things on your Mac don’t check the box which makes them an Administrator. Now click Save.

[Update 2009: later versions of Mac OS X makes this even easier with a Guest user.]

Once you’ve set up Alice as a user you can select her in the list of users and click the Capabilities button. Under Capabilities you can check and uncheck a wide range of options ensuring that your visitor is able to carry out only a limited range of activities on your Mac.

When you no longer need Alice’s login go back to the Accounts System Preference, select the user in the list and click Delete User.