Can't delete admin user in High Sierra

SOLUTION!!!

Log in with the account you wish to keep

Go on the Terminal App and type the following:

sudo /usr/bin/dscl . -delete "/Users/$user"

Where it says $user" replace “user” with the username you wish to delete, make sure to keep the $ sign.

The methode for me was to change the UUID of admin using the Directory Utility, restart (important) en after this i could delete the admin account which was the first one before migrating an older iMac's data.

For those who haven't been able to get the UUID trick to work, which I wasn't able to at first, I have a possible tip.

When first attempting to delete the original account, I unchecked "Allow user to administer this computer" thinking it'd make it able to be deleted. It didn't of course, so I came to this thread and discovered the UUID (or GenID) trick. But alas, that too didn't work.

After a full shutdown and restart, hoping to flesh out the gremlin, I logged into the original account. I went into Users & Groups and clicked the padlock. Since I previously removed Admin access to this account, I had to login with the new admin account credentials. I then re-checked "Allow user to administer this computer".

I logged out, logged in as the new admin account, went to Users & Groups...then BOOM. The "-" minus button was no longer greyed out.

I don't believe the checking/unchecking itself was responsible, but perhaps it needed to be Admin again for the GenID/UUID trick to work.

Worth a shot.

Thank you, Stefan!

This worked for me on High Sierra. Like others, I had to set up a temp Admin account for installing High Sierra. Then I imported my prior account via Time Machine. But I could not subsequently delete the original temp admin account. Stefan's solution worked for me. Notably, when I reached step 8 in his instructions (logging back in to the account I wanted to keep), I had to re-authorize my iCloud account in System Preferences. Happy to finally be rid of that temp account.

I had success accessing the greyed out Guest User options in System Preferences by using Stefan's previous work around but I still have a phantom guest user pop up as an option when I would restart my MBP in High Sierra. Well, I just ran the last update for the OS on the app store and low and behold, phantom guest user disappeared. Restarted a bunch of times and its true. No phantom guest. Hope that helps anyone still with this issue.

Tr3nton

Not sure if this will help, however, after spending a lot of time searching the Apple forums for the answer for wanting to delete an Admin in MacBook Air. Not sure, but am assuming it will work for Pro as well. It actually is quite simple. Hope this helps.

If you have 2 Admin accounts and you are wanting to delete one:

First, you must restart your computer so that your Login page pops up showing both Admin avatars.

Both Admins are going to appear and will have red check marks under them. (This is why skipping this step will only bring you to the "grayed box" in Users and Groups). MAC thinks both are in use.

Uncheck to Admin you wish to delete.

Now go to Apple Menu>System Preferences>Users & Groups>Unlock the padlock down at the bottom left of the screen>Since the Admin is now not in use you will see it is black>Click on it>Go to the bottom of the page and click on the minus sign ➖ to remove it.

I then restarted my computer so changes would be sure to take effect.

Once again, I hope this helps someone having the same issue, if not, please disregard.

Hello,

I came across the same problem and was about to use PepeMac suggestion, then I tried again to delete the original account, but waited about 2 or three minutes before closing the Users and Groups window, so the confirmation message appeared and it worked out!

After everything else failed, including the PepeMac answer, I could not change the GeneratedUID digit (got some error, can't remember). I did the most simple thing.

Went to MacHD/users/ (replace MacHD with whatever you named you hard disc) and simply moved the user I wanted to the trash.

Then, after restart, I went back to System Preferences and was able to remove the user (placeholder leftover really) from the System Preferences with the ➖ sign.

It is simply U N B E L I E V A B L E to get stuck like this. Shame!!

Spent hours trying to remove personal account from a work computer. Just terrible.

This works so well!! It's the gen-id. https://medium.com/@ambroselittle/cant-delete-original-admin-user-on-macos-high- sierra-1d79fb438246

I finally found a solution here.

Can't install programs and unlock settings

Thank you for the suggestion, unfortunately, at least in my case, I did not help. Still, the delete button is greyed out and delete the user is not possible.

Hi Stefan,

Sorry, it didn't work for me.

I tried many other suggestions - this is the only one that worked perfectly. Thank you!