When a macOS device is reassigned or a user account is recreated, you may need to migrate files from an old user account to a new one. This guide walks through a safe and reliable method using Terminal.
This approach is commonly used when:
An employee leaves and a new local account is created
A user account becomes corrupted
You want a clean account but keep existing data
Requirements
macOS device
Access to the new user account
The new user’s password (required for
sudo)Terminal access
Step 1: Log in to the New User Account
Log in to the new macOS user account where the data will be copied into.
All commands in this guide should be run from the new user’s session.
Step 2: List Existing User Accounts
Open Terminal and list all user folders:
sudo ls /Users
When prompted:
Enter the new user’s password
This command helps you confirm the exact username of the old account (for example: olduser).
Step 3: Copy Files from the Old User to the New User
You can now copy important folders such as Desktop, Documents, Repositories, or others.
Example: Copy Desktop
sudo rsync -a --progress /Users/<olduser>/Desktop/ ~/Desktop/
Example: Copy Documents
sudo rsync -a --progress /Users/<olduser>/Documents/ ~/Documents/
Replace <olduser> with the actual old username.
Common folders you may want to copy
Desktop
Documents
Downloads
Projects / Repos
Pictures
💡 rsync is recommended because it:
Preserves file structure
Shows progress
Avoids partial copy issues
Step 4: Fix File Ownership (Important)
After copying files with sudo, the files may still belong to the old user.
You must update ownership so the new user can access and modify them.
Run:
sudo chown -R <newuser>:staff ~/Desktop ~/Documents
Replace <newuser> with the new account’s username.
If you copied additional folders, include them in the command as well.
Step 5: Verify Access
Open Finder
Navigate to Desktop and Documents
Confirm files open, edit, and save correctly
Once confirmed, the data migration is complete.
Optional: Clean Up Old User Account
After verifying that all required data has been copied and backed up:
You may remove the old user account from System Settings → Users & Groups
Or keep it temporarily for audit or recovery purposes
Best Practices
Always copy data before deleting the old user account
Use
rsyncinstead of drag-and-drop for reliabilityFix file ownership after using
sudoTest access before handing the device to the user
Summary
This method provides a safe, controlled way to migrate user data on macOS without relying on Migration Assistant or backups. It is especially useful in managed or enterprise environments.
If you need help performing this on managed devices, contact your administrator or Swif Support.