Setting Up a New Administrator Account with an Apple ID on a Mac

• Posted on April 17, 2025
• by umbie
• in Support
• No Comments.

Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide

If you currently have only a local administrator account on your Mac and want to set up a new administrator account linked to an Apple ID (either new or existing), follow these steps:

1. Open Users & Groups Settings

• Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner.
• Select “System Settings” (or “System Preferences” on older macOS versions).
• In the sidebar, click “Users & Groups.” You may need to scroll down to find it158.

2. Unlock to Make Changes

• Click the lock icon in the lower-left corner of the window.
• Enter your local administrator password to unlock the settings8.

3. Add a New User

• Click the “Add User” (+) button below the list of users58.
• In the dialog that appears, select “Administrator” from the “New Account” dropdown menu58.

4. Enter New Account Details

• Fill in the full name for the new user.
• The account name will be generated automatically (you can change it now, but not later).
• Enter a password and verify it. Optionally, add a password hint58.

5. Link the Account to an Apple ID

• After creating the user, you can link it to an Apple ID:
  • Log in to the new administrator account.
  • Go to “System Settings” > “Apple ID” (or “iCloud” on older versions).
  • Sign in with the desired Apple ID, or create a new one if needed.
  • Follow the prompts to complete the setup and enable iCloud services as desired56.

6. Optional: Allow Password Reset with Apple ID

• In “Users & Groups,” select the new user and enable “Allow user to reset password using Apple Account” if you want this feature. Note: This option may not be available if FileVault is on, or for certain account types5.

7. Finish and Secure Your Mac

• Log out and test the new account to ensure administrator privileges are working.
• For best security, use the new Apple ID-linked account for day-to-day admin tasks and consider downgrading your original local admin account to a standard user if you prefer to minimize risk310.

Complied by perplexity.ai April 2025

Useful Apple Support Resources

• Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac
  Official guide on creating and managing user accounts on macOS.
• Change your Apple ID password
  Instructions for managing your Apple ID password.
• Create an Apple ID
  Step-by-step guide to creating a new Apple ID.
• Sign in with your Apple ID on your Mac
  How to sign in and use your Apple ID on a Mac.
• If you forgot the password for your Mac user account
  Tips on resetting your Mac user account password, including using Apple ID.
• Use parental controls on Mac
  Manage user privileges and restrictions, useful for admin account management.

Feel free to explore these links for detailed, official instructions and troubleshooting tips!