Log In or Out automatically
Mac Tip #429, 24 March 2010

What happens when you turn on your Mac? Do you have to enter a password to access all your stuff? Or does it just let you straight in? And do you have to log in again if you walk away for a while? Here’s how to control logging in and logging out.

The System Preferences Security Pane

The System Preferences Security Pane – General tab.

The System Preferences Security Pane allows you to keep your Mac safe from all kinds of ‘threats’. The only setting we’re looking at today though is logging in and logging out.

To locate the settings shown in the screenshot go to the Apple menu and choose System Preferences. Once the System Preferences window opens up click on Security in the top row.

To control Logging In and Logging Out click on the General tab.

Unlock the Preference Pane

You may find that you cannot change any settings in this window. If so, click on the padlock in the bottom left corner of the window.

A window appears into which you must enter your Username and the password for your computer.

Once you have successfully unlocked the Preference Pane you can change any settings.

Users and Accounts

Every User on your computer has an Account. For example, on my Mac I have two:

• Miraz Jordan
• Guest Account

You may have more on your Mac if family members, for example, each have their own login.

There are a couple of choices for what should happen when you start up your Mac:

• Automatically log in to a specific account.
• Present a login window.

Disable automatic login

Check the box beside Disable automatic login in the Security — General System Preference pane to force a login window to appear when you start up your Mac.

To control how that login window is presented — a list of users, or a list of names and passwords — go to the Accounts section of the System Preferences and click on the Login Options line at the bottom of the list of Accounts. When you do that, the right-hand side of the window gives you options for the Login window.

Log in one user automatically

Automatically log in as Miraz Jordan.

To automatically log in as a particular user when you start up your Mac deselect the checkbox beside Disable automatic login in the Security — General System Preference pane.

When you deselect that checkbox a window appears that lists the users and asks for the password for the user you select.

Add the correct password and click OK. Next time you restart your Mac no login window will appear; instead the computer will automatically log in as the selected user.

Automatic Logout

Auto logout cancelled.

If you’d like your computer to be logged out if it is unused for a period of time check the box beside Log out after [n] minutes of inactivity in the Security — General System Preference pane.

Enter a number for how many minutes the computer should wait before logging out. The minimum appears to be 5 minutes.

Be careful: this automatic logout may not work if one or more applications put up an alert or dialog box before quitting.

Now, if all goes well, the computer will automatically log out if it’s left idle for the specified amount of time.

The Mars Edit dialog box.

In my testing I returned to find that the automatic logout had been cancelled.

I was in the middle of writing this Tip using the Mars Edit software. When logout was attempted Mars Edit quite rightly presented a dialog box about saving my work. Because I didn’t respond to the dialog box, logout was cancelled.

While I was very glad not to lose this Tip, it was a useful lesson about needing to ensure the machine is ready for logout.

Tell us in the Comments how you use the Log In and Log Out preferences, and why those settings are the best for you.