Disable Password Changes

[jasnw]

I'm setting up a Mac for use in a library-like setting and, among other things, I don't want the user to be able to change the password for the general user's account. I've not found any obvious way to do this, is there one (obvious or otherwise)?

 

[Fishrrman]

I have no idea as to a "definitive" answer (I would never have need to set up this way), but...

Have you looked at "parental controls" to see if a solution might be there?

 

[BrianBaughn]

Yes...Parental Controls can limit which apps the Standard User can access. If you uncheck "System Preferences" in the list the user won't be able to change the password.

If you think about it, there are several apps that you'd probably want to uncheck for such an account.

 

[jasnw]

I have made several attempts to get Parental Controls to work (this is on an El Cap system) and that has turned into a huge farce. After some googling I'm finding that PC got broken some time around El Cap and hasn't been fixed. I suspect it may be related to Apple's shutting down even admin access to parts of the filesystem. Typical 21st Century Apple. I'm hoping to find a third-party tool that will help with this. I'm the person who will be called in to change the password back to what it should be, so I have a vested interest in finding a solution.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Works for me in Sierra.

 

[chabig]

It sounds like you should enable and use the Guest account, not a regular user account.

 

[jasnw]

I tend to forget about Mr Guest. I'll see if that will work for this application. Thanks.