Guide to change your Mac username

For many people their name is everything. But for others, their name keeps on changing, due to any reason. Like, the name gets changed after marriage, wanting to keep the more stylish name to get attention or have many names which can be used by a person as per their requirement at different places. So you have perfect option to change your username on Mac whenever you want. Below is a guide to change a Mac username and the associated Home directory name.

1. Launch System Preferences.
2. Users & Groups.
3. Press on unlock and type your password.
4. Control-press or right-press the user that you want to rename.
5. Select Advanced.
6. Change the name in the full name field.
7. Reboot the Mac for the changes to take place.

Important: It will allow you to change the username, but not the Home directory name, or your Short Name.

Guide to change the Home folder name

Changing of Home folder name (and your account name, which is linked to it) is more complicated.

1. Press on the Apple logo in the list and Log off from the account you want to change the name.
2. Log on with a different administrator account (you must be logged off from the account to rename it) you might have to create a new administrator account. Log on to that account.
3. Visit the user folder on the startup drive (to see it open the Finder and press onGO> Computer> Macintosh HD).
4. Launch the Users folder – Just inside of it you will see the Home directory for the account you’re renaming.
5. Press on the folder and rename it (remember to notice the old and new name because later you will need it once more).
6. Type the password for the admin account you are using when prompted.

Guide to change your Username

After successfully changing the Home folder name you might require to change your Username.

1. Launch System Preferences > Users & Groups.
2. Press on unlock and type the password for the admin account you log on.
3. Control-click or right-click the user that you want to rename from the list of users.
4. Choose Advanced Options.
5. Change Account Name field to the new name.
6. To match the new name you gave the Home folder change the Home directory field.
7. Click Ok.
8. Close System Preferences.
9. Reboot the Mac.
10. Log in to the renamed account.

Important: If there is any problem to Log on, check the account and one directory names are the same.

Edward Lewis is a creative person who has been writing blogs and articles about cyber security. He writes about the latest updates regarding mcafee.com/activate and how it can improve the work  experience of users. His articles have been published in many popular e-magazines, blogs and websites.