How users and passwords work in QuickBooks for Mac

Learn how users and passwords work in QuickBooks for Mac.

QuickBooks for Mac will require you to enter a password when you:

• open a company file.
• setup permissions like replacing the admin and Data Entry passwords.
• set a Closing Date for your company file.
• update a company file to a newer version of QuickBooks for Mac
• move between QuickBooks for Mac and QuickBooks Desktop for Windows.

How users and passwords work when you upgrade from a prior version

When you upgrade from a prior version, normally all your users and passwords are brought over. In QuickBooks for Mac 2024, data security is updated to support enhanced, industry-leading AES-256-bit encryption. These changes require all non-admin user passwords be automatically reset during the upgrade process and will need the administrator to update their passwords.

Administrator-assigned user passwords in QuickBooks for Mac 2024 are now single-use. Each user is required to update the password for their account after logging in with the single-use password.

We’ve updated our password policy in QuickBooks for Mac 2024 R5. Passwords are now required to be complex with a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and at least one special symbol. After you update or upgrade, if your current password doesn't meet the revised policy, you’ll receive a prompt to meet the enhanced password requirements.

How Users and Passwords work when you move from QuickBooks Desktop for Windows to QuickBooks for Mac

When you move your file, QuickBooks doesn’t move the users. A user named Migrated Administrator is created with the admin password from the original file.

Locate your password if it is stored in the OS X keychain

1. Go to Finder, select Go, then Utilities.
2. Double-click Keychain Access.
3. Select Passwords.
4. Locate the keychain with the name QuickBooks User Password. Double-click to open.
5. Select Show Password.
6. When prompted, enter your OS X user account password, then select Allow.
7. Take note of the password.

Sign in to your company file

Once you have your password, you can sign in to your company file as the admin user. Here’s how.

1. Double-click your username.
2. Enter your password.

Rename the Migrated Administrator user

1. Sign in to your company file as the Migrated Administrator user.
2. Go to Company and select customers and Passwords.
3. Select the Migrated Administrator account, and select Edit.
4. Edit the Username field, and select Save.

Remove the Migrated Administrator user

If you opt to remove the Migrated Administrator, follow these steps:

Step 1: Create a new admin user

1. Sign in to your company file as an admin user.
2. Go to Company, select Users and Passwords.
3. Select Add to create a new admin user.
4. Enter your preferred username.
5. Set the type of access to Administrative, then select Save.
6. Go to File, then select Close Company/Log Off.

   Note: It's recommended to sign out whenever you're finished working with the company file.

Step 2: Edit the Migrated Administrator user

1. Sign in to your company file as the new admin user.
2. Go to Company, select Users and Passwords.
3. Select the Migrated Administrator account, and select Edit.
4. Edit the Username field, and select Save.

For more info about users and passwords in QuickBooks for Mac, go Help, then select QuickBooks Help.