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I tried to change the admin username on my Mac, but it accidentally changed the account to Standard, how can I get the admin account back? It’s refusing to take the old and the new user name
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Earlier Mac models
Here is an article written by a respected forum contributor which should allow you to do what @PeterChrisM was suggesting:
Restarting Setup Assistant to create Admin user account - Apple Community
If these instructions don't help to create a new admin user account, then you will need to perform a clean install of macOS as mentioned by @PeterChrisM.
FYI, after creating a new macOS user account, you will then need to fix what you broke on the old admin user account by using the instructions in this Apple article as a guide:
Change the name of your macOS user account and home folder - Apple Support
Keep in mind a clean install of macOS will destroy all data on the drive, so make sure you have a backup of your data. If you don't have a current backup, then you will have to do a lot more work to be able to access the data to back it up now that you don't have a valid admin user anymore. How this can be done may depend on the exact model of Mac involved since it may be impossible to access that data on a 2018+ Mac if you are unable to authenticate when accessing Recovery Mode.
Here is an article written by a respected forum contributor which should allow you to do what @PeterChrisM was suggesting:
Restarting Setup Assistant to create Admin user account - Apple Community
If these instructions don't help to create a new admin user account, then you will need to perform a clean install of macOS as mentioned by @PeterChrisM.
FYI, after creating a new macOS user account, you will then need to fix what you broke on the old admin user account by using the instructions in this Apple article as a guide:
Change the name of your macOS user account and home folder - Apple Support
Keep in mind a clean install of macOS will destroy all data on the drive, so make sure you have a backup of your data. If you don't have a current backup, then you will have to do a lot more work to be able to access the data to back it up now that you don't have a valid admin user anymore. How this can be done may depend on the exact model of Mac involved since it may be impossible to access that data on a 2018+ Mac if you are unable to authenticate when accessing Recovery Mode.
You need to create a new admin user,
reboot into Single User mode:
Boot to single user mode while powering up hold down (⌘-S)
Launch Terminal and type exactly
sbin/fsck -fy and press run or return
/sbin/mount -uw / and press or return
m /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
Restart
Setup Assistant should display and prompt you to create a new user. New user will automatically have admin rights. Should work for you.
A clean install,
Follow all the prompts
and you'll create an Admin account
Migrate all your files. (hoping you have a backup)
You should have 3 accounts, your old, the Admin (new) and a User. (No privileges)
but give your original account Admin privilages
It's a pain, however, but that should do it for you.
it didn’t help is there another option?
Make my MacBook Air user account admin again
