What you need to do to make someone else the main admin

To change who has administrator control on your Mac, you open System Settings, go to General, then Users & Groups, and promote a different account to admin status. The person whose account you're changing must already exist on the Mac — you cannot create a new account and make it admin in the same step. You'll need to know the current admin password to make any changes.

The process takes about five minutes. You can demote the old admin to a standard user account at the same time, or leave them with admin access. Either way, the change takes effect when ready.

Key Takeaways

  • Open System Settings, click General, then select Users & Groups to see all accounts on your Mac.
  • Click the lock icon at the bottom of the Users & Groups window and enter the current admin password to unlock changes.
  • Right-click or Control-click the account you want to promote, select "Make Admin", and confirm your choice.
  • The new admin can change passwords, install software, and modify system settings when ready after the change.
  • If you forget which account is the admin, check the Users & Groups window — the admin account has "Admin" written next to its name.

Step-by-step: promoting a standard user to admin

First, make sure you're logged in as the current administrator. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, then select System Settings. In the sidebar, click General, then scroll down and click Users & Groups.

You'll see a list of all accounts on your Mac. At the bottom of the window is a lock icon. Click it and enter the current admin password when prompted. The window will unlock, and you can now make changes to account permissions.

Find the account you want to make an administrator. Right-click or Control-click on it, and a menu will appear. Select "Make Admin" from the menu. A confirmation dialog will pop up asking if you're sure — click "Make Admin" again to confirm. The change happens when ready. The account will now show "Admin" next to its name in the Users & Groups list.

Removing admin access from an old administrator

If you want to take admin rights away from the old administrator, stay in the Users & Groups window. Make sure the lock is still unlocked (if it locked again, click it and enter the password once more).

Right-click or Control-click the account you want to demote, and select "Make Standard User". Confirm the change when prompted. That account will now be able to use the Mac normally but won't be able to install software, change system settings, or create new user accounts without entering an admin password.

You must have at least one admin account on your Mac at all times. If you try to demote the only admin, the system will stop you and ask you to promote another account first.

What an admin account can do that a standard account cannot

An administrator can install and remove software, change system settings like network and security preferences, create or delete user accounts, reset passwords for other users, and modify files outside their own home folder. A standard user can use installed software, change their own password, and modify files in their own home folder, but cannot do any of the above without entering an admin password.

If you share your Mac with family members or colleagues, you might want most people to have standard accounts and only one or two people to be administrators. This prevents accidental changes to system settings and makes it harder for someone to install unwanted software.

If you're locked out and cannot remember the admin password

If the current administrator is no longer available and you don't know their password, you have limited options. On newer Macs with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3 chips and later), you cannot bypass the admin password without the original Apple ID that was used to set up the Mac. You would need to contact that person or use Apple's account recovery process.

On older Intel-based Macs, you might be able to restart into Recovery Mode and reset the admin password, but this requires physical access to the Mac and knowledge of the original Apple ID. If you're in this situation, contact Apple Support — they can walk you through your options based on your specific Mac model and setup.

Transferring files when you change administrators

Changing who is the administrator does not affect files, photos, or documents. Each user account keeps its own home folder with all their personal files intact. The new administrator will have the ability to access or modify files in other users' folders if needed, but day-to-day files stay where they are.

If you're setting up a new administrator because someone is leaving, you might want to back up their files first. You can do this by copying their home folder to an external drive while you still have admin access, or by using Time Machine to create a full backup of the Mac.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have more than one administrator on my Mac?

Yes. You can promote as many accounts as you want to admin status. Each one will have full administrator privileges. It's common to have two admins on a shared Mac so either person can make system changes if needed.

What happens to the old admin's files when I demote them?

Nothing. Their files stay in their home folder exactly as they are. Demoting someone from admin to standard user only changes what they're allowed to do going forward — it doesn't touch their personal files or data.

Do I need to restart my Mac after changing administrator status?

No. The change takes effect when ready. The new administrator can start making system changes right away without restarting.

Can a standard user change themselves to an administrator?

No. Only someone who already has administrator access can promote another account to admin. A standard user cannot elevate their own permissions.

What if the Users & Groups window is grayed out and I can't click anything?

The lock at the bottom of the window is still locked. Click the lock icon, enter the current admin password, and the window will unlock so you can make changes.