[Fix] Can't Disable / Remove “Guest User” in macOS Big Sur / iMac

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"Guest User"There is nothing abnormal about an operating system macOS. However, this "guest" / "invited" user is rarely used, especially on Macs where only one person has access. If you still want to leave someone on the Mac, using the “Guest User”Is very indicated. Logged in to this account, the visitor will not have access to your files. to applications and in addition, all data stored in a "guest" session will be automatically deleted after authentication.

However, this account can also give some headaches to users who want to deactivate it. "Guest User" does not want to be easily removed from the login screen.
Normally, the "Guest User" can active, disable si administers from “System Preferences”→“Users & Groups"→ click on"Guest User".

From this screen you can change (theoretically) the password for "Guest User", it can be activated and deactivated.
Unpleasant surprise occurs when this account / user is disabled, it still appears in login screen when we start the Mac.

How to disable "Guest User", if this is not possible in "Users & Groups"

First of all, let's see the characteristics of this "Guest User":

- belongs to the user group "_guest"
- account name is "Guest"Guest User" is just the full name.
- has User ID 201, which means that the files under this ID do not belong to a specific person, but to a visitor.
- UUID: FFFFEEEE-DDDD-CCCC-BBBB-AAAA000000C9

By default, the authentication password for the "Guest User" should not be required. However, I encountered situations in which this account appeared suddenly activated, with the password and everything. Unknown.
Before we can completely disable "Guest User", we need to set a new password.

How to change the "Guest User" password on Mac

1. Open the utility Port and execute the command line:

sudo passwd Guest

2. Enter the password of the administrator user on macOS

3. Enter and re-enter the new password for the "Guest" user.

In this way, the password for the "Guest User" account on macOS will be changed to the one you chose.

Furthermore, for those who already have "Guest User" disabled, but it does not disappear from the "login screen", the solution is the following:

1. go to System Preferences”→“Users & Groups”→  activate  "Guest User".

2. 'Log Out"From the administrator user and we log in to the account"Guest User".

As I said above, on the user's "Guest" session, the data will not be saved until misidentification. This user will create a "Guest" folder in "/ Users".

3. "Log Out" from the "Guest" user and log in to the administrator account.

4. Go to "/ Users /" and delete the "Guest" folder.

5. Go to “System Preferences”→“ Users & Groups ”and disable“ Guest User ”.

After this step, at the next restart of the Mac, the "Guest User" account will no longer be present on the login screen.

It seems that the impossibility of disabling "Guest User" is a bug present on both older versions of macOS, as well as Big Sur.

I am happy to share my experiences in the field of computers, mobile phones and operating systems, to develop web projects and to bring the most useful tutorials and advice. I like to "play" on the iPhone, MacBook Pro, iPad, AirPort Extreme and on operating systems macOS, iOS, Android and Windows.

1 thought on “[Fix] Can't Disable / Remove “Guest User” in macOS Big Sur / iMac"

  1. Hallo,
    ich habe das mit dem Ordner Gast löschen gemacht und bei mir ist leider immer noch der Gastbenutzer bei der Anmeldung da. Was kann ich jetzt machen? Gleich in den nächsten Apple Store?

    Reply
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