- First click on the application menu in the bottom left (where the Start menu is in Windows), then in the text box type “users”. You can then hit Enter on your keyboard or you can select Users with your mouse.
- The Users - System Settings window will come up. Here, you can Change Your Password, but to add a new user you can select the + Add New User button near the bottom left of this window.
- The window will be divided, and in the top right you’ll be presented with text boxes where you can detail your new user account.
- Name: whatever name you want Linux to identify this account as
- Username: this is a short name that will be used to identify your account in system commands. You might not ever use this, but if you do, brevity is nice. I suggest using simply your first name.
- Account type: If this account is for your kid, or someone who you don’t want to have full access to change every setting on the computer, you can set this to Standard so that your admin account password is still needed for installing things and making big changes. If trust them and want them to be self-reliant, you can set them to Administrator.
- Password: this is something unique to the user for their privacy and security. If siblings are likely to be pranking each other, the privacy of this password can be important 😄
- An Authentication Required window will pop up asking for your administrator password to make sure that it’s you instead of a nefarious malcontent who is trying to create a new user on your computer.
- You’ll now see something a little like this, although likely not with this name unless you’re creating an account for Ean to use while he’s visiting and eating your freshly baked cookies.
You’re done! Now when you log out of this user account, or when you restart your computer, you’ll be greeted with multiple user accounts to log into. Now your spouse, kid, or Ean can use the computer on their own account, customizing whatever they like, and it won’t affect the look of your account.
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