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Require an administrator password for system-wide Mac settings

Turn on Require an administrator password to access system-wide settings if non-administrator users or an unattended session should not be able to change locked system settings without administrator approval.

macOS 13 and later

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
  2. Click Privacy & Security in the sidebar.
  3. Scroll down and click Advanced.
  4. Turn on Require an administrator password to access system-wide settings.
  5. Authenticate when macOS asks you to confirm the change.

macOS 10.11 through 12

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
  2. Unlock the preference pane and click Advanced.
  3. Select Require an administrator password to access system-wide preferences.

Security and functional limits

  • Apple describes this as protection for locked system settings. It does not force administrator authentication for every personal or application preference.
  • It does not protect an already authenticated administrator session or make an administrator password safe to share.
  • Device-management profiles, command-line tools, installers, and privileged processes can follow different authorization paths.
  • For routine work, a standard user account provides a clearer privilege boundary than using an administrator account all day.

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