Automatic Login on Mac: What It Is and How to Enable it

Mac users, particularly those with a Mac Admin account, typically set up a password to secure their sensitive files from prying eyes. Every time the Mac machine starts up or wakes up, anyone attempting to log in will be prompted to provide the right password.

However, if your Mac is in a secure location, for example, your home office, you may want to be allowed to log in to a Mac automatically without password. Thankfully, macOS provides an automatic login feature to help you achieve that.

What is automatic login on Mac?

For Mac users, automatic login is a time-saving convenience function. With no authentication, Touch ID, or password needed, the user can just open the Mac laptop or desktop and have complete access to all of its systems and contents. 

However, the auto-login on Mac can bring serious security concerns for those who casually use their MacBook Air or MacBook Pro and carry them around. Because the auto-login is turned on, anybody can access your computer for files, emails, photos, etc. Therefore, it is highly advised that you use this feature only when your Apple computer is in a secure environment and you are the only person with access to it.

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How to turn on automatic login on Mac?

There are two different scenarios where you want to log in to your Mac without entering a password - during startup or wakeup. 

How to login automatically during Mac's startup

To enable auto-login on Mac when the computer powers on, follow the steps below to free yourself from entering the passcode on Mac. 

On macOS Ventura or later:

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo to find the Apple menu and select System Settings.

Step 2: Click Users & Groups in the sidebar. 

Step 3: Choose your account from the Automatically log in as menu.

Step 4: Enter the account password.

On macOS Monterey or earlier: 

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo to find the Apple menu and select System Preferences.

Step 2: Click Users & Groups.

Step 3: Click the yellow lock, enter your account password, and click Unlock to allow changes.

Step 4: Click Login Options.

Step 5: Choose your account from the Automatic login menu. 

Step 6: Enter the account password again. 

Login automatically after sleep or screen saver

Even though you set up your account to be automatically logged in, you might still need to log in after logging out, locking your screen, or switching back from another user account. 

If you want to be able to get into your Mac without entering a password after it wakes up from sleep or a screen saver, here is the process. 

On macOS Ventura or later:

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo to find the Apple menu and select System Settings.

Step 2: Click Lock Screen in the sidebar. 

Step 3: In Require password after screen saver begins or display turns off menu, select Never. 

On macOS Monterey or earlier: 

Step 1: Click on the Apple logo to find the Apple menu and select System Preferences.

Step 2: Click Security & Privacy and click the General tab.

Step 3: Click the yellow lock, enter your account password, and click Unlock to allow changes.

Step 4: Uncheck the box next to Require password after sleep or screen saver begins.

Step 5: When asked Are you sure you want to turn off screen lock, click on Turn Off Screen Lock.

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Automatic login on Mac is dimmed or unavailable, what to do?

According to Apple, there are three circumstances where the automatic login setting is greyed-out or doesn't display your user account:

• FileVault is turned on to encrypt your Mac's startup disk. 
• Your company uses a profile to monitor your Mac and forbids automatic login.
• The account on Mac is set up to use an iCloud password to log in. 

Therefore, if you want to turn on auto-login on a Mac you have full administration. You need to turn off the FileVault. Perhaps, you turned on FileVault later causing the Automatic Login disabled, so that Sonoma will not automatically log in. You can change your login password by not using the iCloud password for login. 

Final words

If it is likely your Mac computer could fall into wrong hands, you probably won't want to turn on automatic login on your Mac device. You will remove the guard that protects your privacy and the encryption that locks out data thieves. 

Now that you know how to remove the password on Mac with the automatic login feature, you can disable it by going to the same settings. You can switch the settings anytime based on the environment you're in.