How to Change Username on Mac (macOS) (2025)

How to Change Username on Mac (macOS) | Safely Rename Your User Account & Home Folder

Need to update your Mac's username? Whether you want to fix a typo, reflect a name change, or just tidy up your Mac’s user accounts, this tutorial shows you exactly **how to change the username on macOS**—step by step.

Changing a username on Mac is a bit more involved than it looks. It’s not just about the display name—you also need to safely update the *account name (short name)* and the *home folder path* to avoid login issues or data loss.

In this clear and easy-to-follow guide, you’ll learn how to:

Understand the difference between *Full Name**, **Account Name**, and **Home Folder*
Use a second *admin account* to make the changes
Rename the user’s *home directory* properly
Change the *account name* in *System Settings - Users & Groups - Advanced Options*
Prevent issues like broken logins, missing files, or incorrect permissions
Reboot and verify that the changes were successful

✅ What’s Covered:

How to prepare your Mac for a username change
What to back up before proceeding
Step-by-step instructions with safety tips
How to reverse changes if something goes wrong
What to avoid when editing advanced account settings

💻 Works with:

macOS Sonoma, Ventura, Monterey, Big Sur, and older
MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio
Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3) and Intel Macs

📌 Quick Steps:

1. Log into a *different admin account*
2. Go to *Users - Rename the user’s home folder* in Finder
3. Open *System Settings - Users & Groups*
4. Right-click the user - *Advanced Options*
5. Change the *Account Name* and *Home Directory Path*
6. Restart and log in with the updated credentials

⚠️ Warning: Making mistakes in the Advanced Options can lock you out. Follow the steps carefully and consider backing up with Time Machine first.

👍 Like the video if it helped, 🔔 subscribe for more macOS tutorials, and 💬 comment below if you need help recovering a broken account or want to know how to rename a user in Terminal.

📺 Watch our full playlist on *macOS settings, security, and user management* for more pro-level tutorials.

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