The fastest way to delete a user on Mac
To delete a user account on your Mac, open System Settings, go to General, then Users & Groups (or just Users on newer macOS versions), select the account you want to remove, and click the minus button. You will need an administrator account to do this. The system will ask whether you want to keep or delete the files in that user's home folder — choose based on whether you need those files later.
If the account you want to delete is currently logged in, you cannot remove it directly. You must switch to a different administrator account first, then return to Users & Groups to delete it. On some older Macs, you may see a "Delete User" button instead of a minus sign, but the process is the same.
Key Takeaways
- You must be logged into an administrator account to delete any user, including other administrators.
- If the account you want to delete is currently active, log out of it and into an admin account before attempting removal.
- When you delete an account, macOS asks whether to keep or delete that user's files — choose carefully because deletion is permanent.
- Deleting a user account does not affect other users on the same Mac or their files.
Step-by-step deletion on 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 sidebar, then scroll down and click Users. You will see a list of all accounts on your Mac.
Find the user account you want to delete and click it once to select it. A minus button will appear below the list. Click that minus button. A dialog box will appear asking what you want to do with the files in that user's home folder. If you want to save those files, select "Keep the home folder" — macOS will move it to a folder called "Deleted Users" on your Mac. If you do not need the files, select "Delete the home folder" to remove everything associated with that account.
Click Delete to confirm. The account will be removed immediately, and you will no longer see it in the Users list.
How to delete a user on older macOS versions
On macOS Big Sur, Monterey, and earlier, the process is similar but the menu location differs. Open System Preferences (not System Settings), then click Users & Groups. You may need to click the lock icon in the bottom-left corner and enter your administrator password to make changes.
Select the user account you want to delete from the list on the left side. Click the minus button below the list. Choose whether to keep or delete the home folder, then click Delete User to confirm. The account will be removed from your Mac.
What happens to files when you delete a user
If you choose "Keep the home folder," macOS creates a folder called "Deleted Users" in the main Users directory. Inside that folder, you will find a subfolder with the deleted user's name containing all their files — Desktop, Documents, Downloads, and everything else from their account. You can access these files from any administrator account on the Mac.
If you choose "Delete the home folder," all files associated with that user are permanently removed from your Mac. This includes documents, photos, downloads, email, browser history, and any other data stored in that account. This action cannot be undone, so only choose this option if you are certain you do not need anything from that account.
Deleting an administrator account
You can delete an administrator account the same way you delete a standard user account, but you must be logged into a different administrator account to do it. Every Mac must have at least one administrator account, so if you only have one admin account, you cannot delete it — you would need to create a second admin account first.
To create a second administrator account before deleting the first, go to Users in System Settings, click the plus button, create a new account, and make sure to select "Administrator" as the account type. Once that new admin account is set up, log out of the original admin account, log into the new one, and then delete the old account.
Removing a user who is currently logged in
If you try to delete a user account that is currently active (logged in), macOS will not allow it. You must first switch to a different user account. Click the Apple menu, select the current user's name at the top, and choose a different user from the list. Enter that user's password and wait for the Mac to switch accounts.
Once you are logged into a different administrator account, return to System Settings or System Preferences, go to Users, and delete the account that was previously logged in. The account will now be removable because it is no longer active.
What you cannot recover after deletion
Deleting a user account removes access to that account's login credentials, email passwords stored in Mail, saved passwords in Safari, and any data encrypted with that user's security key. If you delete the home folder as well, these items are gone permanently and cannot be recovered through normal means.
If you think you might need access to the account later, always choose "Keep the home folder" instead of deleting it. You can always delete the folder manually later if you change your mind, but you cannot restore it once the account is removed and the folder is deleted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete my own user account?
No. You cannot delete the account you are currently logged into. You must switch to a different administrator account first, then delete your original account from that admin account. After deletion, you will no longer be able to log into the original account.
What if I forgot the password for the account I want to delete?
You do not need the password for the account you are deleting. You only need to be logged into an administrator account. From there, you can delete any other user account regardless of whether you know its password.
Does deleting a user account affect other people's files on the same Mac?
No. Each user account on a Mac has its own separate home folder and files. Deleting one user account does not touch any files or settings belonging to other users on the same computer.
Can I undo a user deletion?
If you kept the home folder, you can recreate the account and restore access to those files. If you deleted the home folder, the files are permanently gone. There is no undo function for user deletion on Mac.
Why does my Mac say I need an administrator password?
Deleting user accounts is a system-level change that affects how your Mac operates. macOS requires administrator permission to prevent accidental or unauthorized account removal. If you are the only person using the Mac, you are the administrator and can proceed.