Managing user profiles on macOS involves handling user accounts, permissions, and settings to ensure a secure and personalized experience for each user. Unlike some other operating systems, macOS does not use the term "profiles" in the same way, but it does offer robust user account management features. This article will guide you through managing user accounts on macOS, including creating, modifying, and deleting user accounts.

Creating a New User Account

To create a new user account on macOS, you can use the System Preferences GUI or the Terminal. Here’s how to do it via Terminal:

1. Open Terminal: You can find Terminal in Applications > Utilities, or search for it using Spotlight (Cmd + Space, then type "Terminal").

2. Create a New User: Use the sysadminctl command to create a new user. Replace username, full name, and password with the desired values.

   sudo sysadminctl -addUser username -fullName "Full Name" -password password

   This command creates a new user with the specified username, full name, and password.

Modifying User Accounts

To modify user accounts, such as changing passwords or user details, you can use the following commands:

• Change Password:

  sudo dscl . -passwd /Users/username newpassword

  Replace username with the user's account name and newpassword with the new password.

• Change User Details:

  To change user details like the full name, use:

  sudo dscl . -change /Users/username RealName "Old Full Name" "New Full Name"

  Replace username, Old Full Name, and New Full Name with the respective values.

Deleting a User Account

To delete a user account, use the sysadminctl command:

sudo sysadminctl -deleteUser username

Replace username with the account name you wish to remove. This command deletes the user account and its home directory.

Managing User Permissions

macOS allows you to manage user permissions through the System Preferences GUI or by using Terminal commands. For example, to grant admin privileges, use:

sudo dseditgroup -o edit -a username -t user admin

Replace username with the account name you want to grant admin privileges to.

Examples

• Create a new user with admin privileges:

  sudo sysadminctl -addUser johndoe -fullName "John Doe" -password securepassword
  sudo dseditgroup -o edit -a johndoe -t user admin

• Change a user's full name:

  sudo dscl . -change /Users/janedoe RealName "Jane Doe" "Jane A. Doe"

• Delete a user account:

  sudo sysadminctl -deleteUser janedoe