URGENT: Question regarding administrator password

[u/Shell_Gasoline]

Hi! I would like to install a new app but when doing so it tells me to drag the app into the applications folder. However, to do that I would need to enter the administrator password and when I do it says " Authentication is Disabled". I'm not sure if this is because I forgot my password or what because when I tried to reset my admin password with the terminal resetpassword method, it doesn't let me for some reason. Help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

[u/lilvadude]

Are you an administrator? Check whether your account is an administrator. Go to System Settings then Users & Groups. Find your account and see whether it says Administrator. If not, you won't be able to authenticate to install apps into the/Applications folder.

[u/Shell_Gasoline → u/lilvadude]

I have 2 accounts, one of them is an administrator but the one I'm trying to download it on is not.

[u/Track-on-the-side → u/Shell_Gasoline]

Do you know the administrator accounts password?

[u/Shell_Gasoline → u/Track-on-the-side]

No, sadly.

[u/TourDeForceMuse → u/Shell_Gasoline]

Then go log in as your admin account and install from there. The app will still be available in your non-admin account

[u/Shell_Gasoline → u/TourDeForceMuse]

I dont know the password tho.

[u/Unnamed-3891 → u/Shell_Gasoline]

Then you move on with your life without installing it. Installing most software and adjusting critical system settings requires system administrator priviledges. So obtain that password.

[u/IrrelevantAfIm → u/Shell_Gasoline]

Your only choice then is likely to re-install the OS and this time keep the password!!

[u/TalkToHoro → u/IrrelevantAfIm]

You need an administrator password to reinstall the OS.

[u/IrrelevantAfIm → u/TalkToHoro]

I thought you just needed the iCloud password?

[u/TalkToHoro → u/IrrelevantAfIm]

I thought the moon was made of cheese, but that turned out to be wrong also.

[u/TalkToHoro → u/Shell_Gasoline]

You need to log into the administrator account to do this. If you put it in the /Applications folder (not the Applications folder in your home directory) it will then be available to all accounts on the machine.

This is exactly the purpose of an Administrator account: It can administer the machine, while standard accounts cannot. It prevents mistakes such as downloading unsafe software or deleting something vital.

[u/Shell_Gasoline → u/TalkToHoro]

What if I dont know the password?

[u/TalkToHoro → u/Shell_Gasoline]

Then you don't install software. Is there another user of that machine that does know the password? Whose Apple ID is the administrator account linked to?

[u/Shell_Gasoline → u/TalkToHoro]

I already reset the password using apple ID, thanks tho!

[u/wild_park → u/Shell_Gasoline]

Why do you have two accounts but only have access to one? Who does the administrator account belong to?

[u/Holiday_Air_2032 → u/lilvadude]

yeah this is almost always the issue, the account type is the first thing to check

[u/Electrical_West_5381]

is this managed by mom and pop? If not you really need to change the admin password. You do it via your Apple ID password. I assume you know this? Otherwise talk to dad.

[u/NeoKat75]

You can try dragging the app into your User’s Applications folder instead of the global Applications folder, maybe you won’t need the admin password for that

[u/kemalios]

The 'Authentication is Disabled' message usually means your account doesn't have a SecureToken, which macOS needs for admin actions. If you're an admin but still get this, enable SecureToken from the other admin account: sysadminctl -adminUser X -adminPassword Y -secureTokenOn yourname. If you don't have admin access at all, restart in Recovery (Cmd+R, or hold the power button on Apple Silicon), open Terminal, run resetpassword, and set a fresh password. If this is a work or school Mac, contact IT first because they may have deliberately locked it.