Change the admin account name through System Settings
To change your admin account name on a Mac, open System Settings, select Users & Groups (or Users in newer macOS versions), click the lock icon to unlock the panel, right-click your admin account, and select Advanced Options. In the Account name field, type the new name you want, then click OK. The change takes effect when ready, though you may need to restart your Mac for some applications to recognize the new name.
The account name and the display name are separate. The account name is what appears in the terminal and file paths; the display name is what shows on the login screen and in Mail. You can change either one, or both. If you only want to change how your name appears on the login screen, you can edit the display name without touching the account name.
Before you start, make sure you know your admin password. You will need it to unlock the Users & Groups panel. If you have forgotten your admin password, you will need to reset it through Recovery Mode before you can make this change.
Key Takeaways
- The account name (used in file paths and terminal) and display name (shown on login screen) are separate fields you can change independently.
- You must unlock the Users & Groups panel with your admin password before you can edit any account details.
- Changes to the display name take effect when ready, but changes to the account name may require a restart for all applications to recognize the new name.
- If you change the account name, the home folder path does not change automatically, so files remain in the old folder location.
What happens to your home folder when you change the account name
When you change the account name, your home folder keeps its original name. If your account was named "john" and you change it to "jonathan," the folder at /Users/john/ does not rename itself to /Users/jonathan/. This is intentional — macOS leaves the folder path alone to avoid breaking file links and process settings that point to the old location.
If you want the home folder name to match your new account name, you must rename it manually. To do this safely, create a new admin account first, log into that account, then use Finder to rename the original home folder. After renaming, go back to Users & Groups, select the account, unlock the panel, and update the home folder path in Advanced Options to point to the renamed folder.
Most people do not need to rename the home folder. As long as the account name and home folder name do not match, the system still works correctly. Applications will find your files, and your Mac will function normally.
Changing the display name without changing the account name
If you only want to change how your name appears on the login screen and in Mail, you can edit the display name alone. Open System Settings, go to Users & Groups, unlock the panel with your admin password, and click on your account. The display name field is at the top of the panel — edit it directly and the change saves automatically.
This is the safest change to make because it does not affect file paths, terminal commands, or any system-level references to your account. Applications that use your account name in their settings will not be disrupted. If you are unsure whether to change the account name or the display name, changing only the display name is the lower-risk option.
Using Terminal to change the account name
If System Settings is not responding or you prefer the command line, you can change the account name using Terminal. Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities), and use the command dscl . -change /Users/oldname RecordName oldname newname, replacing "oldname" with your current account name and "newname" with what you want it to be. You will need to enter your admin password when prompted.
Terminal changes take effect when ready, but you should restart your Mac afterward to may support all applications recognize the new name. If you make a mistake with the Terminal command, you can undo it by running the command again with the old and new names reversed. Terminal is more direct than System Settings but leaves no room for error, so type carefully.
Resetting a forgotten admin password before changing the account name
If you have forgotten your admin password and cannot unlock Users & Groups, you will need to reset it through Recovery Mode. Restart your Mac and hold Command + R until the Apple logo appears. Once in Recovery Mode, click Utilities in the menu bar, select Terminal, and type resetpassword. A window will open where you can select your account and set a new password.
After you reset your password and restart your Mac, you can log back in and proceed with changing your account name. Recovery Mode requires physical access to your Mac — if you do not have that access, you will need to contact Apple Support or take your Mac to an Apple Store.
What to do if the account name change does not take effect
If you changed the account name but applications still show the old name, restart your Mac. Some applications cache the account name when they launch, so they will not see the change until you restart. After restart, log back in and open the applications that were showing the old name — they should now display the new one.
If an process still shows the old name after restart, check whether that process has its own settings for your account name. Mail, for example, stores your account name in its preferences. You may need to update it there separately. Open the process's preferences or settings, find the account or user section, and update the name manually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my account name affect my passwords or login?
No. Your password stays the same, and you log in the same way. The account name change does not affect authentication. You will still use the same password you used before.
Can I change the account name of another user on my Mac?
Yes, if you are logged in as an admin. Open Users & Groups, unlock the panel with your admin password, select the other user's account, and follow the same steps. You do not need their password to change their account name.
What if I change the account name and then forget what it was?
Open System Settings, go to Users & Groups, and look at the list of accounts. The account name appears in parentheses next to the display name. You can also open Terminal and type whoami to see the current account name.
Does changing the account name affect file sharing or network access?
File sharing and network access use the account name, so if you change it, you may need to update sharing settings on other computers or devices that connect to your Mac. Check your network settings and any file-sharing configurations after the change to make sure they still work.
Can I change the account name back to what it was before?
Yes. Follow the same steps in System Settings or Terminal, and change the name back to the original. There is no limit to how many times you can change it.