Mac: How to log in as different user when Mac requires password to wake from sleep?

4

If your Mac is set up to require a password when being awoke from sleep or the screen saver is it possible to log in as a different user? If so how?

Meltemi

Posted 2011-08-18T04:12:04.257

Reputation: 5 707

Answers

10

If you enable "Show fast user switching menu" in System Preferences → Accounts, then the lock screen gains a new button "Switch User..." which will take you to the login screen.

On Mac OS X Snow Leopard and previous, the Switch User button appears on the password dialog:

Mac OS X Snow Leopard Switch User button

On Mac OS X Lion, the button appears at the bottom of the screen:

Mac OS X Lion Switch User button

Stephen Jennings

Posted 2011-08-18T04:12:04.257

Reputation: 21 788

Thanks! That's what I thought but had to look a bit harder for it in Lion. It's no longer in the dialog as you've shown. It's now at the bottom of the lock screen. – Meltemi – 2011-08-23T06:08:25.863

Ah, so you're right. I don't have Lion so I didn't know they moved it. I added that detail to my answer, thanks! – Stephen Jennings – 2011-08-23T13:53:55.367

1

FYI- there is a related bug in Mountain Lion if there is only one Local user account and a Network user wants to log in from the lock screen.

– Meltemi – 2013-02-06T23:37:03.887