Mac - How to convert a mobile account to a local account and vice a versa

Updated: 03/14/2025
Article #: 222


Convert mobile to network/local account

 

  1. Login as a local admin. 
  2. Unbind the mac (System Settings > Users and Groups > Network Account Server click on the Edit button
  3. Unbind the mac (System Settings > Users and Groups > Network Account Server click on the Edit button then select the SAUSC Active Directory and press the - button then Enter admin credentials
  4. Reboot the mac and log back in as the local user
  5. Go to System Settings > Users & Groups and open the Users folder in the Finder application (Finder > Locations > hard drive name > User's home folder
  6. Select your mobile account in User's and Groups in the System Settings and press the (-) button or Delete Account to delete the user account
    1. Enter local admin credentials
  7. Select the option Don’t change the home folder and select Use Existing Folder button or The home folder remains in the Users folder
    1. Then press the Delete Account button
    2. The mobile account should now says Ex: Michael.LaMantia (Deleted)
  8. Rename the old user folder. Go the user folder and delete the '(Deleted)' and any spaces from the folder name. The name of the user folder needs to match the AD username.
  9. Press enter and type the local admin password
  10. Go to System Settings > Users and Groups > Create account
    1. Make sure that the user name is first name.last name
    2. Enter the password that they use to login into Microsoft365
    3. Prompt will appear say name already exist and choose the option Use existing folder
  11. Reboot the mac and login as the user with the new standard account
  12. All the data should be intact

 

 

Local to mobile Account with Mac Bound to Domain Already

 

**Make sure the Mac is connected to Trusted_01 network

 

If you have already added the computer to the domain and configured option to create mobile account at login, close Directory Utility and go back to Users & Groups in System Preferences and continue to next step.

1) Select the local user account that you want to delete to and choose Delete (-).

At the Delete prompt, select option to 'Don't change the home folder (the home folder remains in the user folder). This will rename the user folder by adding '(Deleted)' at the end of the folder. Click 'Delete User'

2) Rename the old user folder. Go the user folder and delete the '(Deleted)' and any spaces from the folder name. The name of the user folder needs to match the AD username.

a  Enter local admin credentials to make the change

b  Restart the PC and login as the user with the same credentials

c  All the data should have been saved

d  Go to the User and Groups in the System Settings

e  Click on the info button of the user

f   There should be an option to convert to mobile and press the slider to convert to mobile enter admin credentials and the mac will reboot

g  Enter the user’s credentials then enter their AD password then enter a local admin account then the account should be mobile again

Now whatever feature (icloud, touch ID, etc) should work again

 

 

 

https://community.spiceworks.com/how_to/120667-convert-local-mac-user-into-active-directory-network-user-no-terminal-tasks-required

 

 







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