How to Delete a User on Mac in 2 Easy Steps

If you have an unused account on your macOS, you can delete it, though managing user data and permissions might seem complex. A user account defines individual settings and preferences and is necessary for logging in.

Macs can support multiple accounts, enabling users to maintain separate data and settings. This setup is useful for shared devices and allows for parental controls on children’s accounts. This guide will help simplify the process of deleting a user account on your Mac.

Method 1: System Settings

The easier and more straightforward method is to use the System Settings. It gives you a graphical user interface, and unless you know the basics of how user accounts work, it is advisable not to tinker around with the other method and use this one instead.

Step 1: Accessing User Controls in System Settings

The first step is to essentially access the user control page where you will find details on all the accounts associated with the device. To do this,

1. Head to System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).

   

2. In the sidebar, scroll to find “Users & Groups” and click on it.

   

Step 2: Deleting the User Account

After you open Users & Groups, you’ll see a list of user accounts, each with different permissions (like Admin, Standard, or Guest). Remember that you need to be logged into an Admin account to delete any account on the system.

1. Click on the user you want to remove.
2. Look for a small “info” icon (i) on the right side and click it.

   

3. Here, you’ll see a list of options to change the username, password, or account type.
4. On the bottom left corner of this dialog box, click “Delete User.”

   

5. You will now be prompted to authenticate your current account. In this step, Touch ID is unavailable; you will need to enter your password instead. In the dialog box that appears, enter your password and click “Unlock.

   

6. A confirmation dialog box will then appear, asking if you want to save the files from your deleted account to a disk image. You can also choose to delete the user’s home folder entirely. Choose the appropriate option and click “Delete User.”

Method 2: Terminal

The second method involves using the Terminal to delete a user account on macOS. The Terminal gives you a command line interface (CLI) to work with and easily communicate with the system software.

Step 1: Access the List of Users on your Mac

To list the total users on your Mac, run the following command on the Terminal. You can open this by searching for it in the Spotlight Search (which can be invoked by pressing Command + Space) or using the Launchpad and searching for “Terminal.”

Use the command below to list all the users on your Mac.

/usr/bin/dscl . -list /Users

Step 2: Delete the User Account

Once you’ve entered the command to list all users on your Mac, you’ll see a huge list of environments and permissions. Ignore them and scroll down to the bottom where you’ll find the username to your actual physical account.

Identify the username and then run the command below in Terminal to delete the specified account.

sudo /usr/bin/dscl . -delete /Users/[username]

After you enter this command, the Terminal will prompt you to authenticate your current account. Once you do that, the specified account will automatically be deleted. If you see your current account name, know the process has been completed.