Fast User Switching Click to see a larger image

If you have multiple user accounts on your Mac, you have two choices for managing them:

• One user must log out before another user can log in, or
• Use Fast User Switching.

Fast User Switching allows multiple accounts to be logged in at once and puts a menu item on the right side of your menu bar that shows the short user name of the current user. Drop down the menu and you will see the names of all the other users.

When you select a name from the list, you are switched directly to that user account without logging out of the first user account. You can use the Fast User Switching menu to switch back and forth between users as much as you want.

Turn on Fast User Switching Click to see a larger image

To turn on Fast User Switching:

1. Go to System Preferences from the Dock or the Apple Menu.
2. Go to the Accounts area.
3. Click on the padlock on the lower left to authenticate. An Administrator's user name and password are required.
4. Choose Login Options.
5. Check the box Enable fast user switching.

See all the tips in the User Accounts series