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How do I change the owner's name on my Mac?

Hopefully you can help me. i was in a divorce and the name of my laptop is x y's computer. I have a white apple laptop running os x. unfortunately, for the life of me, I can't figure out how to change it so i won't be reminded that i was married everytime i go to log into my computer or when i poke around my computer... thanks for your help

Dave's Answer:

That's a good question, and certainly one that I can see is going to be important to you! :-)

As far as I can tell, the main place to change the system name is in the Sharing section of System Preferences. If you look at that area (by the way, you can get to "System Preferences" off the Apple menu) you'll see the key field on the top of the window:

Change that and close the window and you should change the computer name.

There's a second area, however, that you need to address, and that's the name of the default logged in user: it's quite possible that is your ex's name. Not good. So in this case, go back into "System Preferences" and choose "Accounts" this time:

You'll want to set yourself up as an admin account if you don't already have that, and you can also click on the "Login Options" and change it so that it's your account that's the default login account when you start up the computer. If you just have a regular user account, I would suggest you set up a second account that's an admin account.

Anyway, between these two areas, you should be able to purge your computer of their identity and finally have it all to yourself!

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Categorized: Mac OS X Help (Article 7520)
Tagged: identity, mac os x
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Comments

Hi Dave,

I recently married and changed my name but my Apple dseems not to realize that. I have changed my name in the Sharing section and under Accounts, but it still seems to think my maiden name is the primary name. For example, I recently set up a secondary account on my .mac email and it automatically filled it in as my maiden name. It took me two weeks to realize! And when I fill in forms on web sites, it automatically fills them in with my maiden name too.

Any advice?

Thank you!

Amanda

Posted by: Amanda Baltazar at August 17, 2007 2:14 PM

@Amanda
Try checking the keychain and in Safari preferences.

Posted by: Outlaw at September 1, 2007 12:49 PM

Here's a related question - I want to change my user "home" address. I was too quick with the OK and now the computer thinks my home is in Washington. Also, if I move...you get the idea. Any thoughts?

Posted by: Joe at December 3, 2007 3:27 PM

Thanks to you for answering my own question, and to Google for helping me find this webpage! I'm setting up an old G4 to try to sell, and didn't know how to get my name off of the thing.

Posted by: Don Coplen at January 20, 2008 10:07 AM

BRILLIANT work. Did not know how to do this. Thank you.

Posted by: Adam at April 1, 2009 3:32 PM

Great Stuff, Quick Easy and always get the answers im looking for. Cheers Dave!!

Posted by: matt jones at June 22, 2009 12:03 PM

okay so i did what you said in this but i don't have the option to change the short name from my name to my dads, see i gave my macbook to my dad, cuz he has been helping me alot. And i already had a hp notebook, i just need to know how to change from ym name to my dads name when i don't have the option to change the short name????? please help..

He doesn't want any of my files deleted he wants to keep them..

Posted by: Aly at June 30, 2009 2:11 PM

hi Dave!!
thank you soooooo much!!! you are so helpful! how did you learn so much about the mac? I really am hoping to become a master at using the Macand I was hoping you can teach me some things:D
~anna

Posted by: anahita at July 16, 2009 3:46 PM

i bought a used macbook I can set up account with me as admin changed book name thanks to you but I too have the original owners name and shortname that icant change is it ok to just deleat the user with the old short name? it seems to pop up like a ghost every where how important is it?

Posted by: blayne ludwig at October 8, 2009 5:10 AM

Thank you so much for the above wanting to give my computer away and now I can take my details off and put new ones on!!! Many many thanks!!!Ruth

Posted by: Ruth at October 20, 2009 8:25 AM

I have a lot to say, but ...

I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!