Login screen shows User called Other after High Sierra upgrade

Question

Login screen shows User called Other after High Sierra upgrade

During the process of the High Sierra upgrade on MacBook Air and updating iCloud, I was instructed to enter a new User password as it said a User and iCloud could no longer have the same password. After shutting down and logging back in, the login screen now shows three Users: me, with my name; Guest; and Other. I could login under me with my original password but cannot log into Other as I don't know the User Name for Other's account. Also, this "Other" User is not listed in Users and Groups in System Preferences So I can't remove it or find any info on this User. It seems to have something to do with when the iCloud process made me create a new password but that's just an assumption based on timing. Any solutions or explanations?

MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015), OS X El Capitan (10.11.4)

Posted on Oct 6, 2017 12:02 PM

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Answer 1

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Barney-15E

Level 10

112,500 points

Oct 6, 2017 6:02 PM in response to mission minded

Other isn't an account. It allows you to log in using username and password as opposed to picking a user from the list.

It is most often encountered when you enable the root user as it would then allow you to log in as root.

Here are the instructions for enabling the root user, but you only need to use them to check to see if it is enabled. You should disable it if it is.

How to enable the root user on your Mac - Apple Support

Another reason for it appearing is hidden users. There are various methods of creating a hidden user, but I'm not sure that is the issue. There have been other posts about seeing Other without having enabled the root user. I'm not sure if anyone has found a solution.

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

112,500 points

Nov 28, 2017 7:33 PM in response to jetcomputer

jetcomputer wrote:

This works for me:

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow SHOWOTHERUSERS_MANAGED -bool FALSE

Not really. It only hides the fact that the root user is enabled, likely without a password. So, you can be easily hacked.

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Answer 3

tygb

Level 9

64,588 points

Oct 6, 2017 11:48 PM in response to mission minded

To erase the " other " account on the login window enter in verbose mode or single user mode Start up your Mac in single-user mode or verbose mode - Apple Support

Then enable robot user account How to enable the root user on your Mac - Apple Support

After that delete the " other " accounts .

Second method is entering into recover mode and erasing the hard drive .

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Answer 4

Barney-15E

Level 10

112,500 points

Oct 7, 2017 5:22 AM in response to tygb

tygb wrote:

To erase the " other " account on the login window enter in verbose mode or single user mode Start up your Mac in single-user mode or verbose mode - Apple Support

Then enable robot user account How to enable the root user on your Mac - Apple Support

After that delete the " other " accounts .

Second method is entering into recover mode and erasing the hard drive .

This is absolutely wrong.

Enabling the root user will place "Other" in the login window.

"Other" is also not an account, so there is nothing to delete.

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Answer 5

Oct 7, 2017 5:44 AM in response to Barney-15E

Thank you. I followed the instructions in your link and disabled root, which removed Other from the login screen.

While awaiting answers to my post here, I discovered the probable reason root was enabled when, as I understand it, it should have been disabled by default. I have 2 ISPs, one primary and one a backup. While the Mac upgrade was installing, I connected my iPad through the backup ISP. The Mac upgrade automatically turned on Blutooth and viewed the iPad as a linked device. When the "Let's get started with iCloud" process began iCloud advised me of this device and asked for code and then gave me another code. I believe that completing this process for the now-linked iPad somehow enabled the root user.

Anyway, thank you for your assistance. I definitely learned some basic information that individual users should know but I suspect don't if they are not techies but purchased Macs to escape Windows. Hope this thread helps someone else.

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Answer 6

Barney-15E

Level 10

112,500 points

Oct 7, 2017 5:55 AM in response to mission minded

I discovered the probable reason root was enabled…

I have seen some random posts on other forums that root somehow gets enabled during the install process.

Your iPad experience should not have enabled the root user, but it could be somehow related.

It seems it is only a very small number of users who experience the root user being enabled.

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Answer 7

Oct 7, 2017 6:46 AM in response to Barney-15E

I know the initial login screen after the upgrade completed did not show Other. It was only after logging in as me, then completing the "Let's get started with iCloud" process (which called for my iPad codes as I have 2-step verification enabled), then shutting down and starting the Mac again, that Other appeared on the login screen. I know I did not myself ever enable root (I wouldn't have known how) nor do I think someone else did. But Other has departed my login screen and, hopefully, there will be no more upgrades for awhile.

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