Administrator Rights (Mac)

Rights (privileges) on a computer determine the tasks a user can perform and how much control they have. The computer administrator, who has all rights, can make system-wide changes, including installing software, accessing all files, and creating, modifying, and deleting user accounts.

To view your rights on Mac OS X, follow these steps:

1. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences.

   

2. In the System Preferences window, under System, select Accounts.

   

3. Select your user account, and then view the right panel. If Allow user to administer this computer isn't checked, you don't have admin rights.

   

If you want to check the box but can't because it's dimmed, you'll either need to log on as an administrator (if you have a different account with those rights) or ask a user with admin rights for assistance. For more info, refer to your built-in Mac Help or consult Apple's support site.