Mac OSX: Delete a user account

Contributor Icon Contributed by Rex Date Icon October 7, 2005  
Tag Icon Tagged: Mac system administration

Deleting a user account is neat and clean with Mac OS X. This recipe describes the procedure and consequences of deleting a user.


To delete a user, click System Preferences, then Accounts and select the user to delete. Click on the minus sign under the Login Options button, authenticating as the administrator if needed.

When a user is deleted in this manner, the contents of the user’s directories are stored in a disk image (/Users/Deleted Users/userid.dmg). This file can be deleted (by an administrator) or kept (just in case).

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  • d
    thanks!!
  • Simple, and everything I needed to know. Thanks!
  • renim
    Wow, that was certainly easy? My comment is I went looking for the "Deleted Users" directory before I tried this procedure. There was none to be found. It gets created once you perform the above actions.
    My question is: Can you restore this deleted users account from the disk image it creates?
  • Pune Grimsley
    woot! thanks.
  • lewisj
    when i switch my apple g4 on i dont get the option to select user (even though i set it all up to show them etc.). All that happens is that it shows a page to select a language and then once i select english it logs straight into system administrator. Does anyone know why this is happening and why once I am logged in as system administrator I can not log back out, switch user or even shut down the computer (nothing happens). I can use the internet and change some settings but that is all.


    Im new to apples and do not know what to do.

    Facts: Computer was bought second hand, I dont have any discs, also I had to reset passwords in command and then delete user account in system administrator account.

    Help would be much appreciated. Thanks all :)
  • Anonymous Person
    can you delete an account from the account itself? like, if you're logged on to the account, can you click the minus button, delete the saved files, and then log off and the account will be gone?
  • ABC
    Hi, no you can't. But you can create another admin account and do it from there. Of course, one admin has to remain for the machine.
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