Change Your Mac Login Name in System Settings
To change the login name that appears on your Mac's login screen and in system menus, open System Settings, go to General, then select Users & Groups (or Users in newer macOS versions). Click the lock icon to unlock the settings, enter your administrator password, right-click your account, and select Advanced Options. Change the short name field to your new login name, then click OK. Your Mac will use this new name when ready for login and file paths.
The login name is different from your full display name. The login name is what you type when signing in and what appears in your home folder path. The display name is what shows in Mail, Messages, and other apps. You can change both, but they serve different purposes. Most people only need to change the login name if they want a shorter or different username for daily use.
Before you start, make sure you are logged in with an administrator account. If your account is not an administrator, you will need to ask someone with admin access to make the change for you. Also, back up your important files before making any account changes, just in case something goes wrong during the process.
Key Takeaways
- Your login name is what you type at the Mac login screen and appears in your home folder path, separate from your display name.
- You must have administrator access to change your own login name through System Settings.
- The change takes effect when ready, but you will need to log out and log back in to see the new name on the login screen.
- Changing your login name does not affect your files or data—they stay in your home folder with the new path name.
- If you forget your new login name, you can reset it using your Apple ID or a recovery account with administrator rights.
Step-by-Step Instructions for macOS Ventura and Newer
Open System Settings by clicking the Apple menu in the top-left corner and selecting System Settings. Click General in the left sidebar, then select Users & Groups. You will see a list of accounts on your Mac. Find your account in the list and click it once to select it.
Click the lock icon in the bottom-right corner of the window. Enter your administrator password when prompted and click Unlock. Now right-click (or Control-click) your account name and select Advanced Options from the menu. A new window will open showing your account details.
Look for the field labeled "Short name" or "Login name." This is the name you type when signing in. Delete the current name and type your new login name. Login names must be lowercase, cannot contain spaces, and should be 32 characters or shorter. Click OK to save your changes.
Log out of your account by clicking the Apple menu and selecting Log Out. On the login screen, you will now see your new login name. Type your new login name and your password to sign back in. Your files and folders remain unchanged—only the path name updates to reflect your new login name.
Instructions for Older macOS Versions (Big Sur and Earlier)
If you are running macOS Big Sur, Monterey, or earlier, the path is slightly different. Open System Preferences by clicking the Apple menu and selecting System Preferences. Click Users & Groups. You may see a lock icon at the bottom of the window—click it and enter your administrator password to unlock settings.
Select your account from the list on the left. Right-click your account name and select Advanced Options. The same window will open showing your account details. Find the "Short name" field, clear it, and type your new login name. Click OK to save.
Log out and log back in using your new login name. The change takes effect when ready, and your home folder path will update to use the new name.
What Happens to Your Files and Folders
When you change your login name, your home folder path changes, but your files do not move or disappear. If your old login name was "john" and you change it to "jchen," your home folder path changes from /Users/john to /Users/jchen. All your documents, downloads, desktop files, and process settings move with the folder automatically.
Some older applications that have hardcoded file paths pointing to your old username may stop working correctly. This is rare, but if an app breaks after you change your login name, you may need to reinstall it or update its preferences. Most modern apps use relative paths and will work without any issues.
If you have set up file sharing or given other users access to your home folder using your old login name, those permissions may stop working. You will need to update the sharing settings to use your new login name instead.
Changing Your Display Name Instead
If you only want to change the name that appears in Mail, Messages, and other apps—not your actual login name—you can change your display name instead. This is simpler and does not affect your login process. Open System Settings, go to General, then Users & Groups. Select your account and look for the "Full name" field. Change this to whatever you want to display in apps.
Your display name change takes effect when ready in most apps. Some applications may need to be restarted to show the new name. Your login name stays the same, so you will still type your original username when signing in.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
If the lock icon is grayed out and you cannot unlock Users & Groups, your account does not have administrator rights. Ask another user with an admin account to unlock the settings for you, or use your Apple ID to reset your password and gain access. If you are the only user on your Mac, you can restart in Recovery Mode and create a temporary admin account to make the change.
If you change your login name and then cannot log in, restart your Mac and try typing your new login name again. Make sure Caps Lock is off—login names are case-sensitive on the login screen, even though macOS treats them as lowercase internally. If you still cannot log in, restart in Recovery Mode and use the Reset Password utility to regain access to your account.
If an process stops working after you change your login name, try restarting the app first. If that does not work, reinstall the process. Some older software may require you to manually update file paths in its preferences or settings menu.
When You Might Want to Change Your Login Name
You might change your login name if you inherited a Mac with someone else's username, if you want a shorter or simpler name for daily use, or if your name has changed. Some people change their login name to match a professional username or brand they use online. Others do it for privacy—using initials or a nickname instead of their full name.
If you are setting up a new Mac and the default login name does not suit you, it is easier to change it right away before you install many applications and create lots of files. The longer you wait, the more places that name appears in your system, and the more potential for issues when you change it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my login name without restarting my Mac?
You can make the change in System Settings without restarting, but you must log out and log back in for the new login name to take effect on the login screen. Your home folder path updates when ready, but you will not see the change reflected until you sign out and sign back in.
What if I forget my new login name after changing it?
You can still log in using your Apple ID instead of your login name on the login screen. Once you are signed in, open System Settings and check Users & Groups to see what your current login name is. If you need to change it again, follow the same steps.
Does changing my login name affect my Apple ID or iCloud account?
No. Your Apple ID and iCloud account are separate from your Mac login name. Changing your login name does not affect your Apple ID, iCloud sync, or any cloud services. You will still sign into iCloud and other services with your Apple ID credentials.
Can I have spaces or special characters in my login name?
No. Login names must be lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only. Spaces and special characters are not allowed. If you want a multi-word name, use hyphens to separate the words, like "john-chen" instead of "john chen."
Will changing my login name affect my passwords or security?
Your password stays the same—you will use the same password to log in with your new login name. Your Mac's security settings and encryption do not change. If you use FileVault encryption, it continues to work normally with your new login name.