Set up local macOS accounts

You can configure a local administrator account on Mac computers using mobile device management (MDM) during Automated Device Enrolment through Apple School Manager, Apple Business Manager or Apple Business Essentials. When the account is configured in your MDM solution, the user proceeds through the account setup portion of the macOS Setup Assistant and the behaviour depends on the options selected. Mac account set-up options are as follows:

Create an administrator account: The user creates an administrator account on the Mac.
Create a standard account: The user creates a standard account on the Mac. You must also create a managed administrator account.
No option to create an account: The user doesn’t create any account using Set-up Assistant. You must also create a managed administrator account. The user logs in using a network account or another account created outside of Set-up Assistant.
The full name or username for the default account (macOS 10.15 or later): Fills the local account’s full name or username in Setup Assistant when the initial account is being created. The user can override these values if they wish.
Lock the default account’s full name or username (macOS 10.15 or later): The local account is created using the full name or username provided by the MDM solution. The user can’t override the values.

If you create a managed administrator account, you can hide that account in the Users & Groups pane in System Settings (for macOS 13 or later) or in System Preferences (for macOS 12.0.1 or earlier) so that users of a Mac don’t interfere with the managed administrator account.

Note: Unlike passwords for regular administrator accounts, passwords for managed administrator accounts can be changed remotely using your MDM solution. However, if the account becomes secure token–enabled, the change from MDM updates the login password and not the secure token password.

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Apple Platform Deployment

Set up local macOS accounts