How to change Mac username

Alright, firstly I want to apologize for having two threads up here at the same time, but their two different questions which still need answering.

So you know the folder with a house for an icon that's in the users folder? Well when you first startup your mac you choose a name for it, but is there anyway to change it? I looked around, but I can't find a way.

Thanks in advance.

IIRC, system preferences > Accounts

Select your account from the list on the left and that will have a box with your username in it where you can change it.

Yffum said:

Alright, firstly I want to apologize for having two threads up here at the same time, but their two different questions which still need answering.

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No apology necessary for multiple threads at the same time, for different questions. Just don't post the same thing in multiple forums on this site. In fact, you may get better results by separating the unrelated issues.

If you change your home folder name, you may have trouble locating items, and it can (will) really mess up your privilages/permissions.
So, follow this article.
Mac OS X: How to change user short name or home directory name

6string said:

If you change your home folder name, you may have trouble locating items, and it can (will) really mess up your privilages/permissions.
So, follow this article.
Mac OS X: How to change user short name or home directory name

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Oh, thanks that's exactly what I was looking for. I'm probably not going to change it because it's not a big deal and I don't want to mess anything up, but would the Mac OS 10.5 part of the tutorial apply to OS 10.6 too?

It would still apply, however, you can create a new admin account, move everything you want in there, and then once you know that it is fully functioinal, tried and tested, delete your old admin account.

People finding this thread with a view to changing the short user name (the "Home Folder" name) should be aware that this involves SIGNIFICANT risk if you don't follow Apple's directions carefully.

In Leopard and Snow Leopard, Apple actually has a way for you to change these names safely, but in earlier versions of Mac OS X (Tiger, Panther et al) it is EXTREMELY complicated and STRONGLY not advised. Simply renaming the Home Folder not only won't work, but will divorce you from your data and require some SERIOUS expertise to marry things back together. DON'T DO THAT WHATEVER YOU DO.

chas_m said:

Simply renaming the Home Folder not only won't work, but will divorce you from your data and require some SERIOUS expertise to marry things back together.

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Why didn't they (Apple) make that impossible?!!!

Well, changing mine isn't that important and I don't have anything to back up my data, so I'm just gonna stay put like this. Thanks for the help and the advice everyone! Answered my question and any other I might of had perfectly.

toMACsh said:

Why didn't they (Apple) make that impossible?!!!

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They couldn't.

It's a weakness of the UNIX foundation, not anything to do with Apple.