Annoyed by typing the password again and again whenever your Mac wakes from the sleep or while you power it on? Here’s what you can do to automatically log into the user account and head directly to the desktop once you start your Mac.
Login Automatically To The Desktop On Your Mac
Set your Mac to automatically log in during startup. If you turn on automatic login for a user account, your Mac automatically logs in to that account during startup.
To enable auto-login, follow these steps.
- Click on the Apple menu -> System Preferences from the menu bar and select Users & Groups.
If you aren’t logged in as an administrator, you will be asked to enter an administrator’s name and password. Enter the user account password to make changes to your system.
- Click on the lock icon and enter the password of the user account to unlock Users & Groups preferences.
- Click Login Options at the bottom of the left pane.
- On the right side, click on the drop-down menu and select your account to automatically login.
The account is now set for auto-login when your Mac starts up. You may still be asked to log in manually after logging out, switching back from another user account, or locking your screen.
What If The Automatic Login Is Unavailable?
Can’t access the automatic login option? When manual login is needed, the Automatic login menu is dimmed or disabled.
If your user account uses an iCloud password to log in, manual login is required for that account. You may also see the message A user with an encrypted home folder can’t log in automatically. You can choose not to use the iCloud password when changing the account password.
Another reason why you can’t auto-login is that your FileVault is turned on. Turning off the FileVault will enable the automatic login.
Want to lock folders and encrypt your data? Take a look at how to encrypt and password-protect a folder on Mac.
Auto-Login After Sleep Or Screen Saver Begins
When your Mac goes to sleep or stops using a screen saver after the system is waked from the idle state, you may still need to enter your password. But you can override this setting from the System Preferences.
- Go to Apple icon -> System Preferences -> Security & Privacy.
- Under the General tab, remove the tick where it says Require password after sleep or screen saver begins. You can also choose a time interval from the pop-up menu.
Since the automatic login doesn’t ask you for authentication, this might be a security risk if you are on a shared computer. Someone could log into your user account directly without letting you know, so it’s just good for those who are the only user on the Mac. Keep your Mac at a safe location or anyone could access it and log into your account with the automatic login feature.
That was it, you’ve just customized one of your login preferences on Mac. You may also want to check out how to customize the login screen on your Mac. Want more stuff related to your Mac? Here are some more tips and tricks, guides, and tutorials for your Mac.
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