Renaming a Mac mini user can break home folder and FileVault setup
A case involves a managed with after the owner changed their first name. The goal is to update the user account name, , and user to match the new name by running a script from . Simply changing the user name in created a new and added a new account.
The existing files and app setup did not move into that new account. The old user name also remained on the Mac, leaving the system in a mixed state.
Key points
- Changing the user name in can create a new instead of renaming the existing one.
- The new account may not include the old files or app settings.
- The old user name can remain on the Mac after the attempted change.
- scripts may break if the path changes.
- adds extra risk because disk access is tied to approved users.