When I go to system preferences, I literally cant open users and groups its just grey, I cant even click it someone please help me
What do you see in the Edit menu? Do you see "Root User" greyed out by any chance? If you do then click the lock and provide your password. Make sure you've followed the given instructions carefully. I guarantee it is there.
When clicking the '+' icon at the bottom of the Users & Groups Preference Pane you'll be presented with a window:
Where it says "Standard" click on it and from the pull down menu select "Administrator"
Fill in the rest of the details and when you're done click "Create User".
There may be a short delay whilst the system prepares the account. If you're not seeing any of the above or its simply not playing ball then I suggest a reinstall of the OS:
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT204904
Consider the options in Point 2 carefully.
Before doing the above invest in a suitably large enough external drive and use Time Machine to back-up any data important to you:
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201250
Good luck.
Try this:
Click on the Finder Menu and select Preferences. In the "General" section where it says "Show these items on the desktop:" tick the "Hard disks" box. Your hard drive (probably named "Macintosh HD") will magically appear on the desktop. Double-click on it.
Do you see it now?
Yes! Another question, when you said "Click the padlock and when prompted provide the password you use to login to your Mac. Click on the Edit menu and select "Enable Root User". When prompted create a password. Keep it secret to yourself and there's no need to make it complex or anything else as only you will be using it this once. In other words keep it simple." I was in the edit menu but didnt see anything related to "Enable Root User" Which thing do I have to select?
No need for that malarkey.
Can you see all the icons at the bottom of the window you use to type your response? If you hover the mouse over the icons it will helpfully tell you want each one does. The one you want is "Image Insertion". It's the second from the end moving left to right. The picture below should help?
If you'd followed the instructions given previously you will see this:
Yay! It worked, but I want to add a new user thats an admin! But I cant select the setting? "Would you like this account to administrate this computer" I can't click it for some reason, could you also help me with this? Sorry for the struggle.
Hey I dont see a folder called system do you mind telling me where this folder is? Also i did not install MacKeeper or CleanMyMac.
Are you saying you don't see "Enable Root User" in Directory Utility's Edit menu?
Do you have any social media platform where I can send you screenshots?
Try this:
Click on the folder named "System" and navigate your way through the "Library" folder to the CoreServices folder. In there you'll see a folder named "Applications". Click on it and double-click the Directory Utility application.
Don't fiddle or mess with anything else in there.
Click the padlock and when prompted provide the password you use to login to your Mac. Click on the Edit menu and select "Enable Root User". When prompted create a password. Keep it secret to yourself and there's no need to make it complex or anything else as only you will be using it this once. In other words keep it simple.
Now quit all applications and log out. At the login window you should see the "Other" account. Click on it and type in the name "root" and the password you've just created. If all you see is the password entry field then just type in the password. Once logged in can you access Users & Groups now?
If you can create another admin account following these instructions:
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mtusr001/mac
Once you've done that, log out again and log in with the account you've just created. Disable the root account by reversing the steps given to enable it. Can you still access Users & Groups?
If you can log out again and log in with your account. Can you access Users & Groups? If you can then happy days! If you can't then there's something amiss with your account. Possibly a damaged/corrupted preference file in your User/Library/Preferences folder. But it could also be something else.
Is yours a stock/default macOS install with nothing else added? Or have you installed 3rd-Party software? What exactly? Perhaps you've fiddled with or added bits to the OS without fully understanding what you've done? Have you installed any A/V or anti-nastyware software?
And please don't tell us you've installed MacKeeper or CleanMyMac.
On my macbook air I cant open users and groups
