How to enable the Root User on macOS

Description: This article describes how to enable to root user in macOS. The root user has greater privileges on the system for certain operations that may require deeper access than a standard account.

  1. Choose the Apple menu and then select System Preferences.
    Apple desktop, Apple menu, System Preferences
  2. Go to Users & Groups.
    System preferences, Users & Groups
  3. Select the lock icon and enter the administrator username and password.
    Users & Groups preferences, administrator lock button
  4. Choose login options then select Join or select Edit if applicable.
    Users & Groups preferences, login options, join button
  5. Select Open Directory Utility.
    Users & Groups preferences, Open Directory Utility
  6. Select the lock icon in Directory Utility and enter the administrator username and password
    Directory Utility, administrator lock button
  7. From the menu bar at the very top, choose edit and then enable root user. Create a password for the root account when prompted.
    Apple desktop, Apple menu, Edit menu, enable root user button
  8. Once enabled, log out of the Mac and sign back in with the username root and the password you just created for the root user. Once your work with the root user is finished, to disable it go back through the same steps and choose disable root user at the end.

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