With macOS Catalina and many recent macOS - the built in tools guide everyone how to reset admin permissions without needing any of the single user mode boot tricks of old (left at the bottom for posterity and people running OS that were shipped before 2015).
The user account named ”root” is a superuser with read and write privileges to more areas of the system, including files in other macOS user accounts. The root user is disabled by default. If you can log in to your Mac with an administrator account, you can enable the root user, then log in as the root user to complete your task.
The root user account is not intended for routine use. Its privileges allow changes to files that are required by your Mac. To undo such changes, you might need to reinstall your system software. You should disable the root user after completing your task.
- Disable System Integrity Protection (High Risk). This feature, introduced in Mac OS 10.11 El Capitan, limits access to important files even for the root user. If you are unable to make the desired changes, you can disable SIP.
- The warning about the application being able to launch applications as the GUI user is true. When you double click on an application from a sanbox user's Finder.app, the app launches as the GUI user.
- It is open source and free, for this portable VPN to work you will need to have your VPN provider digital certificates. PortableVPN ($/€): This application allows to establish a VPN connection while using a computer without admin rights. You do not need to configure anything other that the portable VPN, it also allows for a portable PPTP.
- If you're in charge of multiple Macs in a lab, the easiest thing to do is run an update service on OS X Server, but it's going to cost you. Buying one of the new Mini Servers is one way of doing it but you could also buy OS X server and put it on a dedicated Mac.
It's safer to use the
sudo
command in Terminal instead of enabling the root user. To learn about sudo
, open the Terminal app and enter man sudo
.Enable or disable the root user
- Choose Apple menu () > System Preferences, then click Users & Groups (or Accounts).
- Click , then enter an administrator name and password.
- Click Login Options.
- Click Join (or Edit).
- Click Open Directory Utility.
- Click in the Directory Utility window, then enter an administrator name and password.
- From the menu bar in Directory Utility:
- Choose Edit > Enable Root User, then enter the password that you want to use for the root user.
- Or choose Edit > Disable Root User.
Log in as the root user
When the root user is enabled, you have the privileges of the root user only while logged in as the root user.
- Choose Apple menu > Log Out to log out of your current user account.
- At the login window, log in with the user name ”root” and the password you created for the root user.
If the login window is a list of users, click Other, then log in.
How To Open Apps On Mac Without Administrator
Remember to disable the root user after completing your task.
Change the root password
Open Iphone Apps On Mac
- Choose Apple menu () > System Preferences, then click Users & Groups (or Accounts).
- Click , then enter an administrator name and password.
- Click Login Options.
- Click Join (or Edit).
- Click Open Directory Utility.
- Click in the Directory Utility window, then enter an administrator name and password.
- From the menu bar in Directory Utility, choose Edit > Change Root Password…
- Enter a root password when prompted.