You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User icon (login picture)

My user icon has suddenly changed by itself (I did not change it myself via the system settings). In addition the new icon (a chess piece with low resolution) showed up in the standard list of suggestions (second row last picture in the added screenshot). How could it happen? How can it be removed from the standard list? Has my computer been hacked?


Posted on Oct 12, 2022 3:30 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 12, 2022 3:43 AM

To change the User Account Picture - Mouse over the offending image and should appear the " Edit " like in the Owl I use


As for being Hacked - that would require the Hacker to have Direct and Physical Access to this computer.


They would also have to bypass the User chosen Password that is normally used to start up the computer.


That is unless the user Enable the " Automatic Log In " , then all bets are off as anyone can access this computer at any time.


refer to below


5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 12, 2022 3:43 AM in response to A-pen

To change the User Account Picture - Mouse over the offending image and should appear the " Edit " like in the Owl I use


As for being Hacked - that would require the Hacker to have Direct and Physical Access to this computer.


They would also have to bypass the User chosen Password that is normally used to start up the computer.


That is unless the user Enable the " Automatic Log In " , then all bets are off as anyone can access this computer at any time.


refer to below


Oct 12, 2022 7:57 AM in response to PRP_53

Thanks a lot, P. Phillips!

Changing the icon was not the real problem.


It's still strange that an obscure icon showed up on my user account and in the standard folder with suggestions of Apple, without any action of mine. On my other Macbook (same model and OS) the icon is not present at all. (Both computer have a login-password).

Oct 12, 2022 8:09 AM in response to A-pen

Welcome and to compare if I may .


Have an ancient Mac mini from 2011 stuck on High Sierra and using the Owl Avatar and iCloud.


Purchased a new M1 MBA 2021 and during first Setup as New - It ( Computer ) decided to give the User Account some ghastly Avatar.


But, once iCloud was added to the M1 MBA and about a day or some - Puff - my Owl synced back to the new machine


Same thing may or may have occurred regarding your machine and nothing to concern yourself with Unless it Auto Changes Again

User icon (login picture)

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.