If a Mac user account is missing from the login screen, the account may still exist. Common causes include automatic login, a login-window setting that hides user accounts, a disabled account, or a problem with the account’s home folder. Start by checking Users & Groups, then review the login-window settings and restart the Mac.
Quick Answer
- Sign in to another administrator account. 2. Open Apple menu > System Settings > Users & Groups and confirm the missing account is listed and enabled. 3. Check Login Options and set Display login window as to List of users. 4. Restart the Mac. 5.
Before You Begin
You need an administrator account to inspect or change most user-account settings. If the missing account is the only account on the Mac, you may need to use macOS Recovery to reset an administrator password or repair the startup volume.
Also identify whether the account is:
- A standard local user account
- An administrator account
- A guest account
- A work or school account managed by an organization
- A network account supplied by a server or directory service
A work or school administrator may intentionally hide or restrict accounts. In that situation, contact the organization’s IT department before changing settings.
1. Confirm That the User Account Still Exists
The login screen cannot display an account that has been deleted, so first check the account list.
- Sign in to an administrator account.
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
- Select Users & Groups.
- Locate the missing user in the list.
If the account appears, continue to the next section.
If it does not appear:
- Check whether you are looking at the correct Mac.
- Ask whether another administrator recently deleted or renamed the account.
- Look for the user’s home folder in Finder > Go > Computer > Macintosh HD > Users. Your startup disk may have a different name.
- Do not create a new account with the same name yet. A new account can receive a different internal user ID and may not automatically regain access to the original files.
If the user’s home folder exists but the account is absent from Users & Groups, the account may have been removed while its files were left behind. Preserve those files and consider getting professional help before changing ownership or deleting anything.
2. Check Whether the Account Is Disabled
A user can remain listed in Users & Groups but be unable to sign in if the account is disabled or restricted.
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > Users & Groups.
- Click the Info button next to the affected account.
- Review the available account controls.
- If macOS offers an option to enable the account, select it and authenticate with an administrator password.
The wording and available controls differ between macOS versions. You may instead see options related to changing the password, allowing the user to administer the computer, or restricting automatic login.
If the account was created by an employer or school, local changes may be blocked by a configuration profile. Do not remove management profiles unless the organization instructs you to do so.
3. Change the Login Window to Show User Accounts
macOS can show a list of users or require someone to enter a username and password manually. A configuration that uses manual entry can make an account appear to be missing even though it is available.
- Open Apple menu > System Settings.
- Select Lock Screen.
- Find the setting for how the login window displays users. Depending on your macOS version, it may be labeled Display login window as.
- Choose List of users.
- Restart the Mac.
On older versions of macOS:
- Open Apple menu > System Preferences.
- Select Users & Groups.
- Click Login Options.
- Set Display login window as to List of users.
If you prefer Name and password, the account will not appear as a clickable icon. The user must type the account’s short name or full name, depending on how macOS is configured.
When manual login is intentional
Manual username-and-password entry can be useful on a shared Mac or a Mac with hidden administrative accounts. Do not change it if your organization requires that configuration. Instead, enter the missing account’s credentials manually at the login screen.
4. Check Automatic Login
Automatic login skips the normal user-selection screen. This can make it seem as if other accounts have disappeared.
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > Users & Groups.
- Find Automatically log in as.
- If a user is selected, turn automatic login off or choose the appropriate account, if macOS permits the change.
- Restart the Mac.
You may need to enter an administrator password. Automatic login may also be unavailable when FileVault is enabled, when a Mac is managed by an organization, or when other security settings require authentication at startup.
Security warning: Automatic login lets anyone who can start the Mac access the selected account without entering its password. It is generally unsuitable for a portable Mac or a computer used by multiple people.
5. Sign In Manually With the Account’s Short Name
If the login window is set to Name and password, try entering the account’s short name rather than its full display name.
An account may have:
- A full name, such as
Alex Johnson - A short name, such as
alexjohnson
The short name is commonly used for the home-folder name and command-line operations. An administrator can check it in the account’s details, or compare it with the affected user’s home-folder name in /Users.
Enter the username and password carefully. If the user recently changed a password, try the current password rather than an older one. If the Mac is connected to an organization’s network account, confirm whether the Mac requires a network connection for the first sign-in.
6. Reset the User’s Password
A damaged or out-of-sync password can prevent login, even when the account is shown.
Before resetting the password, warn the user that changing it can affect saved passwords, login keychain access, encrypted files, and credentials stored by apps. The user may need to create a new login keychain or re-enter passwords afterward.
To reset a local account password from an administrator account:
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > Users & Groups.
- Click the Info button next to the affected user.
- Select Change Password.
- Enter the new password twice.
- Add a hint only if it will not reveal the password.
- Confirm the change and restart the Mac.
If the user’s files are protected by FileVault or another encryption feature, resetting a password may not immediately restore access to every encrypted item. Keep recovery keys and existing credentials available.
7. Restart the Mac and Check for a Temporary Login Problem
A restart can reload the login window, user database, and account-related services.
- Save work in every open app.
- Choose Apple menu > Restart.
- Wait for the login screen to reappear.
- Check whether the account is now listed.
If the Mac is frozen, press and hold the power button only as a last resort. Forced shutdown can cause unsaved work to be lost and may interrupt disk operations.
If the account disappears again after a restart, continue with Safe Mode and disk checks rather than repeatedly changing account settings.
8. Test the Mac in Safe Mode
Safe Mode starts macOS with limited software and performs startup checks. It can help identify login items, extensions, or other software that interferes with the normal login window.
First determine whether the Mac has Apple silicon or an Intel processor:
- On an administrator account, choose Apple menu > About This Mac.
- If the overview shows Chip, the Mac has Apple silicon.
- If it shows Processor, it is an Intel-based Mac.
Apple silicon Mac
- Shut down the Mac.
- Press and hold the power button until Loading startup options appears.
- Select a startup volume.
- Press and hold the Shift key.
- Click Continue in Safe Mode.
- Sign in and check whether the affected account appears.
Intel-based Mac
- Shut down the Mac.
- Turn it on and immediately press and hold the Shift key.
- Release the key when the login window appears.
- Check the account list.
If the account appears in Safe Mode but not during a normal startup, investigate recently installed login items, system extensions, security tools, and management software. Remove or disable only software you recognize, and restart normally to test the change.
9. Check the Startup Disk in macOS Recovery
A disk error can prevent macOS from reading account information correctly. Use Disk Utility from macOS Recovery to check the startup disk.
Warning: Disk repairs and recovery operations change the disk’s structure. Back up important files first if the Mac can still start normally. Do not erase the disk.
Apple silicon Mac
- Shut down the Mac.
- Press and hold the power button until startup options appear.
- Select Options, then click Continue.
- Open Disk Utility from the recovery utilities window.
- Choose View > Show All Devices.
- Select the internal startup disk or its volumes.
- Click First Aid and follow the prompts.
Intel-based Mac
- Shut down the Mac.
- Turn it on and immediately press and hold Command-R.
- Release the keys when the Apple logo or a spinning globe appears.
- Open Disk Utility.
- Choose View > Show All Devices.
- Select the internal startup disk or its volumes.
- Click First Aid and follow the prompts.
Run First Aid on the volumes first, then the container and physical disk if they are shown separately. If Disk Utility reports that the disk cannot be repaired, stop before erasing anything and make a backup or consult a repair professional.
10. Look for Account Restrictions or Management Profiles
Some Macs use configuration profiles to control who can sign in. These settings are common on employer-owned, school-owned, and public computers.
Check Apple menu > System Settings > General > Device Management if that section is available. Older versions may show profiles in System Preferences.
A profile may:
- Hide particular users
- Require network authentication
- Restrict local account changes
- Set a login-window policy
- Prevent automatic login
- Require a particular account type
Do not remove a profile just to restore a missing account. Removing management controls can violate workplace policy, disable required security protections, or cause the Mac to lose access to organizational services.
Troubleshooting
The account is listed, but its icon is not shown
Set the login window to List of users, restart the Mac, and confirm that automatic login is disabled. If the window uses Name and password, enter the account’s short name manually.
The user gets a “wrong password” message
Confirm the keyboard layout, Caps Lock status, and the account name. If necessary, reset the password from another administrator account, remembering that keychain data may need attention afterward.
The account appears, but login immediately returns to the login screen
Try Safe Mode. Disconnect unnecessary peripherals, and check whether recently installed security software, login items, or extensions are interfering. Disk Utility’s First Aid may help if the startup disk has errors.
The user sees a blank desktop or an error about the home folder
Do not delete the account or its home folder. The home folder may have incorrect permissions, may be stored on a disconnected volume, or may have been renamed. Back up the folder and seek assistance before changing ownership or permissions.
The account vanished after a macOS update
Check Users & Groups, restart, and review management profiles. If the account is absent but its home folder remains, avoid creating a replacement account until the original account’s files and ownership have been assessed.
FileVault asks for a different account at startup
FileVault’s pre-boot screen is not always identical to the normal macOS login window. An account may be allowed to use macOS but not authorized to unlock the encrypted startup disk. Sign in with an authorized FileVault user, then review disk-encryption users in the Mac’s security settings or contact the administrator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make a hidden Mac account appear on the login screen?
Usually, yes, if you are an administrator and the account is allowed to log in.
Will deleting and recreating the account restore access to the files?
Not automatically. A recreated account may have a different internal user ID, so it may not own the existing files. Back up the home folder and determine whether the original account can be restored before creating a replacement.
Why is the account visible in Users & Groups but missing at startup?
The login window may be using manual username entry, automatic login may be enabled, the account may be disabled, or FileVault may show only users authorized to unlock the disk.
Can I fix this without another administrator account?
Some checks are possible, but changing account settings usually requires administrator access.
Will resetting the password delete the user’s files?
Resetting a local password normally does not intentionally delete the home folder, but it can disrupt access to login-keychain items and encrypted data. Back up the account before making changes whenever possible.
Final Thoughts
A missing account is often a login-window setting rather than a deleted user.