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How Do I Duplicate a User Account On My iMac?

HI, we own two iMacs which are networked in our house via Time Machine. I am the one with some
smarts re the Mac environment, hence both computers are logged in under my administration name. My husband only works in MS word writing a manuscript, and we have found that when I cut and paste on my Mac (in any program) it gets pasted into the document he is working on and vice versa. I now understand the problem is likely to be because I am logged into both iMacs under my name. If I set him up as a new account, he loses all the documents and settings he has been working with for years. As this inability to cut and paste without impacting the other’s work is totally frustrating, how do I duplicate the account settings under my name and establish those settings under his own login account, without losing his files etc please? He does have his own Apple ID which is never used. Both iMacs are up-to-date in all programs in Catalina. Thank you.
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Bente Andermahr

Comments: One Response to “How Do I Duplicate a User Account On My iMac?”

    4 years ago

    You can't duplicate an account like that. But you don't really need to. One option is to simply just create a new account for him, then move thie files there. That sounds like your main need. As for other settings, just take care of them as needed. For instance, if he needs to set up his email account, do that. There shouldn't be too much to do, really.

    The important thing is you don't have to rush. You can set up that new account, he can use it, and you can make sure over days or weeks that it is working OK while still leaving the other account there as-is in the meantime.

    You could also just sign that account out of iCloud and into his iCloud account. Then maybe create a second account for you on that machine.

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