How To Enable The Root User On Mac – Step-by-Step

Enabling the root user on a Mac grants you the highest level of access to the system, allowing you to perform tasks that require deep system modifications. However, this powerful account is disabled by default for security reasons, and it should only be used when absolutely necessary.

Why Enable the Root User?

Before diving into the steps, it's crucial to understand why you might need to enable the root user. This account provides read and write privileges to every file on your Mac, which can be essential for advanced system administration tasks, such as accessing files in other user accounts or making system-wide changes that are not possible with a standard administrator account.

Alternative to Enabling Root User: Using sudo

Before enabling the root user, consider using the sudo command, which allows administrators to temporarily act as the root user without logging in as root. This is generally safer and recommended for most tasks. To use sudo, open the Terminal application and preface your Unix command with sudo, followed by your administrator password.

Enabling the Root User via Directory Utility

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open System Preferences:

   • Choose the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
   • Go to Users & Groups.

2. Unlock Users & Groups:

   • Click the lock icon and enter the administrator username and password.

3. Access Login Options:

• Select Login Options, then click Join or Edit if applicable.

4. Open Directory Utility:

   • Click the Open Directory Utility button. The Directory Utility window will appear.

5. Unlock Directory Utility:

   • Click the lock icon in the Directory Utility window and enter the administrator username and password.

6. Enable Root User:

• From the menu bar, choose Edit > Enable Root User.
• Enter the password you want to use for the root user and verify it.

Enabling the Root User via Terminal

For those who prefer using the Terminal, you can enable the root user with the following steps:

1. Open Terminal:

   • Launch Terminal from Applications > Utilities or use Spotlight to search for it.

2. Enable Root User:

   • Type dsenableroot and press Enter.
   • Enter your administrator password when prompted.
   • Create and verify the root user password.

Logging in as the Root User

Once the root user is enabled, you can log in to the root account from the login screen:

1. Log Out:

   • Choose Apple menu > Log Out to log out of your current user account.

2. Log In as Root:

   • At the login window, select Other.
   • Enter root in the Name field and the password you created for the root user.

Important Considerations

• Security Risks: The root user has the power to modify any file on the system, which can lead to unintended consequences if not used carefully. Always disable the root user when not in use.
• Automatic Login and FileVault: To log in as the root user, ensure that automatic login and FileVault are disabled.

Disabling the Root User

After completing your tasks, it's essential to disable the root user to maintain system security:

Using Directory Utility

1. Open Directory Utility:

   • Follow the same steps as above to open Directory Utility.

2. Unlock Directory Utility:

   • Click the lock icon and enter the administrator username and password.

3. Disable Root User:

• From the menu bar, choose Edit > Disable Root User.

Using Terminal

1. Open Terminal:

   • Launch Terminal from Applications > Utilities or use Spotlight to search for it.

2. Disable Root User:

   • Type dsenableroot -d and press Enter.
   • Enter your administrator password when prompted.

Changing the Root User Password

If you need to change the root user password, follow these steps:

1. Open Directory Utility:

   • Follow the same steps as above to open Directory Utility.

2. Unlock Directory Utility:

   • Click the lock icon and enter the administrator username and password.

3. Change Root Password:

• From the menu bar, choose Edit > Change Root Password.
• Enter the new password and verify it.

By following these steps carefully, you can enable, use, and disable the root user on your Mac, ensuring that you have the necessary access for advanced tasks while maintaining system security.