Delete Unbound Users on Mac Devices

An admin may remove an unbound suspended user from a macOS device to enhance security, free up storage, and simplify user management. Suspended users with intact data can pose security risks and take up disk space, so removing them helps ensure compliance and optimize device performance.

To safely delete the older user account:

  1. Open Directory Utility
    • On the device, open spotlight and search and select Directory Utility.
    • Click the padlock in the lower-left corner to unlock it. Authenticate with your admin password.
  2. Locate the User in Directory Editor
    • Once unlocked, click Directory Editor.
    • Search for the users Full Name You should see two entries.
    • Identify the entry to delete by noting the NFSHomeDirectory path. The record we want to remove will show:
      NFSHomeDirectory: /Users/<USERNAME>.
  3. Delete the User Record
    • Select the unwanted record and click the minus (-) button in the lower-left corner.
    • Confirm the deletion by entering your admin password.
  4. Remove the User’s Home Folder
    • Open Finder.
    • Navigate to the Users folder by pressing Command + Shift + G on your keyboard and entering /Users in the search box.
    • Locate the <USERNAME> folder.
    • Drag the folder to the Trash Bin or press Command + Delete to remove it.
    • Authenticate with your admin password to confirm.
  5. Empty the Trash
    • Right-click the Trash Bin and select Empty Trash to completely remove the folder.
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