Buzz
Your computer stores important personal data, including browsing history, personal files, documents, and more. In the event of lending or sharing your computer with others, they may potentially access this data without authorization.
By creating and activating a Guest account, you can rest assured that your data is securely protected. For more information, continue reading the article below to learn the 3 reasons why using a Guest account on macOS is crucial, brought to you by Mytour.
Understanding the Guest Account on macOS
When sharing or lending your computer to others, the Guest account is a way to protect your personal data such as browsing history, installed applications, system configurations... securely, keeping them away from prying eyes.
With the activated Guest account, users are limited to using pre-installed software and powering on/off the computer. This allows you to confidently lend your computer to others without worrying about unauthorized access to personal data. Direct threats to system integrity are also reduced.
However, some data may still be visible after logging in without authentication, such as browsing history, notes, and certain third-party applications like Evernote or Slack.
Guest accounts provide an ideal solution in shared office environments or coworking spaces, facilitating computer sharing and collaboration.
3 reasons why using Guest accounts on macOS is beneficial
Security and privacy concerns are the most apparent benefits when utilizing Guest accounts. However, there are other advantages you might not be aware of. Here are 3 reasons why using Guest accounts on macOS is advantageous:
1. Safeguarding user's personal data
In cases where others borrow or share your computer, they may access and view data such as web browsing history, visited websites, notifications, and other important personal data.
By using a Guest account, you can rest assured that your data is securely protected, keeping it safe from the prying eyes of other users.
If logged into a Guest account with Admin privileges, guests only have access to the /Users/[username]/Public and /Users/[username]/Desktop directories to save files and data before logging out.
Furthermore, browsing sessions are not shared, so guests cannot view the tabs you have open, browsing history, or search queries.
2. Disk Space Optimization
If user accounts occupy disk space, whenever users log out, their personal information is still stored on the shared drive, including files in the Documents folder, temporary files, browser cache, or other application data (such as Photoshop). This data occupies considerable disk space, especially on MacBooks with limited internal memory.
With a Guest account, when guests log out, all data in their user account is completely wiped, effectively saving system disk space. If you find your disk space running low, you can try tidying up your MacBook system and optimizing MacOS with CleanMyMac 3 to increase disk space and improve overall Mac performance.
3. Enhancing System Security
The ultimate reason to use a Guest account on macOS is to enhance system security. Guest accounts allow limited access on the system, including accessing pre-installed software and toggling the machine on and off.
Additionally, anti-theft software like Prey or security feature Find My Mac, which aids in locating lost Macs, also require the Guest account to be activated.
Moreover, for tools like Prey or Find My Mac to function, the Mac needs to be connected to the internet and in an open state. If only a single account is created and a protective password set, thieves cannot use your device. Activating a Guest account can make it easier for you to locate your lost Mac.
How to enable / disable Guest account on macOS
By default, the Guest account is not activated on macOS, so to enable it, you will need to use an Admin account.
Step 1: Access System Preferences => Users and Groups.
Step 2: Click on the padlock icon at the bottom corner of the window, then enter the Admin password.
Step 3: Click on Guest User, then check the box next to Allow guests to log in to this computer.
Step 4: Make other desired changes, such as restricting network sharing access or activating Parental Control.
Note: If automatic login is enabled in the Login Options section, you should turn it off.
Additionally, if you check the Enable parental controls box, you can customize the entire experience.
Restrict Guest Account with Parental Control
If you wish to limit system access and services, you can manage the Guest account with Parental Control. After activating the Guest account, click on Open Parental Controls or go to System Preferences => Parental Controls and select Guest User.
Some settings you can adjust include:
- In the Apps section, you can restrict guests from using the webcam (though note that this may prevent Prey from capturing photos of potential Mac thieves) or create a whitelist for allowed applications.
- On the Web tab, you can limit adult content or set up a whitelist for permitted websites. This can be useful for restricting access to intranet networks in offices, companies, etc.
- In the Time section, you can set specific time limits.
- In the Privacy tab, you can restrict access to account information like location.
- In the Other section, you can disable Siri or prevent guests from adding or changing printer and scanner settings.
To quickly log out of your account on macOS, you can use the shortcut Shift + Cmd + Q.
This article has just explained to you 3 reasons why you should utilize a Guest account on macOS as well as how to enable/disable the Guest account. If you have any queries or questions needing clarification, readers can leave them in the comments section below, and Mytour will respond to your queries as soon as possible. In case you're using Windows 10, you can refer to how to create a Guest account on Windows 10 here.
