How Do I Delete My Apple Admin Account?

To delete your Apple admin account, you need to first ensure you have another admin account available. You cannot delete the only administrator account. Assuming you have another admin account, here's how to proceed:

1. Log in to a different administrator account. You can't delete the account you're currently logged into.

2. Open System Preferences: Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select "System Preferences."

3. Navigate to Users & Groups: Look for "Users & Groups" (or potentially just "Users" in older macOS versions) within System Preferences and click on it. It's often located in the bottom row.

4. Unlock the Settings: Click the padlock icon in the bottom-left corner of the Users & Groups window.

5. Enter Your Password: You'll be prompted to enter the administrator password for the account you are currently logged into (not the account you want to delete).

6. Select the Admin User to Delete: In the list of users on the left, select the admin account you want to delete.

7. Remove the User: Click the minus (-) button located near the bottom of the user list. This is the button to remove a user.

8. Choose a Deletion Option: You will be presented with a few options regarding the user's home folder:

   • Save the home folder in a disk image: This creates an archive of the user's home folder, preserving all their files and settings in a .dmg file. This is the safest option if you might need the data later.
   • Delete the home folder: This permanently deletes the user's home folder and all its contents. Be absolutely sure you don't need anything from that folder before choosing this option.
   • (Rare option, depending on account type) Convert the home folder to a standard shared folder: This might be available if the user's home folder is on a network drive.

9. Confirm Deletion: Click "Delete User" (or similar wording depending on your macOS version) to finalize the deletion.

Important Considerations:

• Data Loss: Deleting the home folder is permanent. Make a backup before proceeding if you have important files.
• Administrative Privileges: Ensure you have another account with administrator privileges before deleting the admin account. Otherwise, you may lock yourself out of certain system settings.
• iCloud Data: Deleting the account does not delete the user's iCloud data. It only removes the local account from your Mac.
• FileVault: If FileVault is enabled, deleting the user may also remove their access to the encrypted disk. Ensure another user has recovery access if needed.