Want to allow a friend or family member to use your Mac but don’t want them to have access to all your personal data? Then you are going to want to set them up on a guest account. In this article, I will show you How to Create a Guest Account on Mac.
- In the top left-hand corner click the Apple Menu ()
- From the Apple menu select System Preferences
- On the system preferences select Users & Groups
- Click the Padlock in the bottom left corner to unlock the page
- Select Guest Account
- Tick the checkbox “Allow guests to log in to this computer“
It is not always easy following along with a how-to with a simple list. So I have the how-to with pictures and, if you look below, even video instructions.
How to Create a Guest Account on Mac
Basically, a guest account lets friends, family, or coworkers use your Mac. Without them having access to any of your private data.
In most cases, they will only have access to Public and Desktop folders. When the guest uses files or folders and downloads files these will be deleted when they log out.
While in practice that is true you do have other options. That allows your guests to access some files but more on that below.
But first, we should get on with setting up a guest account on the Mac.
Step 1. In the top left-hand corner click the Apple Menu ()
Step 2. From the Apple menu select System Preferences
Step 3. On the system preferences select Users & Groups
Step 4. Click the Padlock in the bottom left corner to unlock the page
Step 5. Select Guest Account
Step 6. Tick the checkbox “Allow guests to log in to this computer“
So above you have the following options:
- Allow guests to log in to this computer
- Limit Adult Websites
- Allow guest users to connect to shared folders
It would always be recommended to turn the “Limit Adult Website“. But the one that gets a little tricky is the “Allow guest users to connect to shared folders“
Turning this on can give your guest access to more of the Mac. You will want to make sure you know what you are sharing.
We do this by changing the sharing setting.
Configure Guest Sharing
A basic guest account can be very limiting and you may want to allow your guest to have a little more access.
But with that said may still want to limit access to certain parts of your Mac
Here’s how to change what’s available:
Step 1. From system preference select Sharing
Step 2. Select File Sharing from the left-hand box
Step 3. Select a File or Folder from the Shared Folders section
Step 4. With the file/folder selected, you can change the permission from the Users
The guest user account is the “Everyone” from the Users box. When Following the above guide.
You need to make sure “Allow guest users to connect to shared folders” is ticked. So that your guest can access these files and folders.
Once the guest has finished using the account I would remove it. I will show you How to Remove Guest Users on Mac here. While the risk is low there is still a risk so removing is always the best practice.
How to Enable a Guest User Account on Your Mac Video
If you prefer video, then I have you covered. With this simple-to-follow video on Enabling a Guest User Account on Your Mac.
