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

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

@Amanda
Try checking the keychain and in Safari preferences.

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?

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.

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

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

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..

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

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?

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

Apparently, there's a freeware program called ChangeShortName that will change a user's short name. Haven't used it (yet), but thought I'd post before I forget.

Thanks a lot for your help in changing the ownership name on my MAC. The man i bought it from just wanted to fill it up with microsoft! I helped him out and bought it cheaply from him. THanks again.

hi

i've been trying to change the same thing on my macbook but i cant find the sharing page that was talked about i have changed everything else i just cant find that any help please

Hey! Thanks soooo much. I just got this macbook 3 hours ago from a friend, and I am trying to change her name to mine for 2.5 hours now. Checked out all the helpful sites on the web. Tried everything but can't change one - the hard drive's name. Until from your very very simple instruction - which did it! Thanks again. I can sleep now.

HI,
I bought a used macbook and the home's name is under the first owner, also with log in's of mobile me and more, an the registration to the site is also under his, what can i do about this?

thnks a lot!

There is also the "Me" Card that is made when you first register your computer. I inherit Macs regularly through the company I work through. If you click on the "Address Book Card" Open button. This pulls up the contact that is registered with the Mac.

I don't see a way to change the "Me" card to another contact, but you can edit this special card to fit your own name and contact information.

Once you do this, then Software Registration, iCal events, etc will all be correct.

-Scott.

There is actually way to change the name of the home directory without re-installing the mac os x. You have to log in as root instead of a normal administrator log-in.

To do that, go to the utilities folder and open the 'Directory Utility'. Once there go to Edit (on the upper task bar) an press 'Enable Root'. It will ask you to create a password. Once done, log out.

When logging in select other user and write the following:
username: root
password: (the one you created)

once logged in, go to home>users and highlight the folder that you would like to change the name (which is the one of the home directory). Once you highlight it, go to File>Get Info>Name & Extension there you will see that you can change the name.

After you do that, Log out and log in as administrator user (not Root). Check that you changed the name of the directory. Once your happy with the name, follow the first step to Disable Root
in the 'Directory Utility'

Note To Self:
This method only works with the Mac Os X, for earlier version is some what a different method if I'm correct.

Hello Dave

Here is my problem, A friend of mine old me some money I loan him to fix his car, well that's been 9 months ago. So for payment he gave me a nice MacBook Pro, well this was also given to him by his ex-girlfriend, so all he has his her name and every time I try to do something her name always pops up and below ask for a password, How can I change all this and put this in my name, I have always been a windows user but this mac is growing on me and I would love to keep it, your help would be great. Thanks so much..

Hi Braxton. Honestly, here's what I'd do: I'd go to the Apple Store and buy a copy of the latest version of Mac OS X. In addition, I'd buy an external hard drive: you can get a 1TB for about $60 on sale. Now copy everything from the computer onto the external drive, then do a clean, wipe-the-disk, start-from-scratch install of the operating system. Finally copy your documents, music, etc, back on and you have a nice, new, pristine system...

Hi Dave,
I have a mac with OSX but it was under my ex's name. I followed one of the suggestion on this page (the one by Jose R. Gonzales). I created a root account and logged in through there and then changed the name. it seemed to work at first but when i logged back in to my personal account all my original settings were gone. I had programs such as word and iWork installed in my computer and now there no where to be found. Is there any way I can undo what was done? i would rather have my ex's name on the computer than all my programs and original setting deleted.
Thanks.

Thanks dude... just what I needed!!!

I have changed all the settings to my Name. How do I get the 'Home' folder to change? It still has the previous owners name?

Thank you

Dear DAve
, i changed my short name in system settings, and now I CAN NOT log in to my user( ADMIN), how can I recover it, but I know Admins password:(( It's only 1 day, and now my user is blocked! PLSSSSS! Heeeeeelp met) waiting for answer:::(

Mika, you've created a pretty big problem, sorry to report. I think the easiest solution would be to change the name back, but since you can't get into the administrator account, you can't do that. Instead you might just reinstall the OS from the original DVD. I will hope you have a backup for good luck: an install should leave all the user files alone, theoretically, but...

Dave, my mom died in May and my family gave me her computer. I thought I knew her password but it isn't working. When I tried the above measures it didn't work because in order for anything to be changed it required her password. How do I change the computer to my name and get around this? Please help. I keep typing in what I thought her password is but it doesn't work - is it case sensitive too?

I have been able to change the password of the administrator, but cannot for the life of me figure out what the name of the administrator is!!!! i have changed the password and password hint somehow. I am clearly not mac savvy. PLEASSSEEE HEELLPP ME!! i can't update my computer at all because i dont know the admin name. and everything is locked so i couldnt create a root user.

Thank you, very helpful !! was able to find it in 2 seconds , Thanks again :)

I recently bought an used Imac. I replaced all names and passwords to my name, however whenever i save a file it still has the old owners name in the file name. How can i change this? Computer is currently running lion. Thank You

Eric, I'm wondering what program you're talking about that automatically puts your account name in the filename? is that something to do with Microsoft Office or similar? if so, it has its own preferences / settings area where you specify default account name, etc...

Dave,

Thanks for the reply...yes it is actually microsoft office I noticed still carried the old owners name when saving files. Is this easily changed?

Hi Dave your site does help very much thank you. However, I have a prob that was so stupid of me and I have been trying to figure out what exactly I did and how to fix. There were many other users listed on my iMac and I just wanted to have myself and 1 called other.... but I believe stupid me deleted all files in for instance the guest user home folder. So there is no applications, downloads or documents on the user - other. Please help me if you can ..very much appreciated.

Dave, thanks for all your help, This is exactly what I was looking for. I do have one thing to add to Jose Gonzalez's post.

I am running OX Lion (10.7.2) I was unable to find directory utility in the utilities folder, but after searching around for a bit I found that a different way to get into directory utility.

"system preferences/users and groups/ login options/ join/ then click to the right of network account server/ open directory utility/"

from there you can click edit in the apple menu bar at the top of the screen/ enable root access/ and change your password.

also, for all yalls having password issues, see:
http://www.spy-hill.com/~myers/help/apple/EnableRoot.html#menu

Below is Gonzalez's original post:
There is actually way to change the name of the home directory without re-installing the mac os x. You have to log in as root instead of a normal administrator log-in.

To do that, go to the utilities folder and open the 'Directory Utility'. Once there go to Edit (on the upper task bar) an press 'Enable Root'. It will ask you to create a password. Once done, log out.

When logging in select other user and write the following:
username: root
password: (the one you created)

once logged in, go to home>users and highlight the folder that you would like to change the name (which is the one of the home directory). Once you highlight it, go to File>Get Info>Name & Extension there you will see that you can change the name.

After you do that, Log out and log in as administrator user (not Root). Check that you changed the name of the directory. Once your happy with the name, follow the first step to Disable Root
in the 'Directory Utility'

Note To Self:
This method only works with the Mac Os X, for earlier version is some what a different method if I'm correct.

Addendum: after enabling root access sign out of the administrator account and sign into "other." type "root" as the username, and then enter whatever password you set for the root account. in finder search for the folder called "users" and open it up.

the subfolders in "users" should be named according to the accounts on the mac (for example, "Admin," and "guest") click on the user account folder for whose name you want to change. clicking the name again about a second later will allow you to change the name of the folder, but before you do, read the following:

WARNING: changing the name of your "short" or your "account name" will ERASE all saved preferences on that account (ie the backround, dock preferences, default widgets on the dashboard, folders on the desktop, etc...) and set the everything back to default. I did not know this before i changed my user name. It DOES NOT, however, change files and folders (such as documents and music)