How to Disable Password Permission to make changes?

[mrogers]

Everytime I'm using certain programs and they need to do something (turn wireless on/off, access something, or I download something) a window pops up asking me to enter my password. At first it was fine, but now its getting annoying, especially because my password is really long.

I went into settings under my network, and unchecked the box that said require permission to turn wireless on or off, but it is still doing it. How can I stop it from requiring that everytime a program needs to do something? I have Lion btw. Thanks

 

[QuarterSwede]

It sounds like you aren't an administrator.

System Preferences > Users & Groups > Click the Padlock and authenticate > Click on your Username > In the right pane check the box that says "Allow User to Administer this computer"

Note: You will still have to authenticate when buying apps from the appstore and installing apps that require installation (not drop & drop).

 

[mrogers]

I'm the only user on this laptop. It says Admin under my name.

And "Allow this user to administer this computer" is checked, (although it is grey and faded)

 

[theSeb]

The password is there for a reason - to stop rogue applications from doing things they should not be. I suggest finding a different operating system to cater for your needs, like windows xp.

Edit to add: You can switch off the passwords for stuff like changes to wi-fi so I am not sure why you're struggling with that.

 

[maflynn]

There' are reasons why OSX has long been safe from malware. One particular reason is that you are prompted for an administrator password when installing some apps that require access to certain folders.

My recommendation is not to look at ways to disable it.

 

[Takashi]

The password is there for a reason - to stop rogue applications from doing things they should not be. I suggest finding a different operating system to cater for your needs, like windows xp.

Edit to add: You can switch off the passwords for stuff like changes to wi-fi so I am not sure why you're struggling with that.

Do you think a password is going to stop applications from doing things they should not be doing? The password only prompts the user by telling them "Hey, I am going to install an app into the computer". If the user wants something to be installed, a mere password does not provide the user form of protection other than a waste of time having to enter it every time.

There' are reasons why OSX has long been safe from malware. One particular reason is that you are prompted for an administrator password when installing some apps that require access to certain folders.

OSX being safe from malware has nothing to do with password. Most of the time malware are installed because a computer user CLICKED on something that he or she are not supposed to. It has nothing to do with having to type a password before installing apps. If the app itself is full of malware and the end user does not know about it, a password will serve no purpose what so ever.

 

[heisenberg123]

Do you think a password is going to stop applications from doing things they should not be doing? The password only prompts the user by telling them "Hey, I am going to install an app into the computer". If the user wants something to be installed, a mere password does not provide the user form of protection other than a waste of time having to enter it every time.



OSX being safe from malware has nothing to do with password. Most of the time malware are installed because a computer user CLICKED on something that he or she are not supposed to. It has nothing to do with having to type a password before installing apps. If the app itself is full of malware and the end user does not know about it, a password will serve no purpose what so ever.

virus' in a normall world are installed without knowing, if your prompted to install something, it gives the user the chance to say "hey wait a minute i never aske to install this app"

 

[GuitarG20]

Do you think a password is going to stop applications from doing things they should not be doing? The password only prompts the user by telling them "Hey, I am going to install an app into the computer". If the user wants something to be installed, a mere password does not provide the user form of protection other than a waste of time having to enter it every time.



OSX being safe from malware has nothing to do with password. Most of the time malware are installed because a computer user CLICKED on something that he or she are not supposed to. It has nothing to do with having to type a password before installing apps. If the app itself is full of malware and the end user does not know about it, a password will serve no purpose what so ever.

if i remember correctly, OSX uses quite tough disk permissions (why it seems to stay away from malware). Meaning that if an app wants to install things on the disk where they shouldn't, the computer will prompt the user for a password because that is the only way the system will let anything that's not signed by apple put anything in that particular part of the disk. SO in that regard, the password does help? (I can't exactly remember how it works)

 

[GGJstudios]

OSX being safe from malware has nothing to do with password.

False. It certainly plays a role.

Most of the time malware are installed because a computer user CLICKED on something that he or she are not supposed to.

You can't get malware on Mac OS X simply by clicking on something. The only malware in the wild is in the form of trojans, which the user must install, usually having to enter the password.

It has nothing to do with having to type a password before installing apps.

Yes, it does. That password protected many Mac OS X users who encountered the MacDefender malware, by preventing it from proceeding with the installation process that automatically launched after an automatic download.

If the app itself is full of malware and the end user does not know about it, a password will serve no purpose what so ever.

This part is true. However, the password serves to remind a user that an installation is in progress and gives them an opportunity to stop and think about what they're installing and where they got it. It also serves to prevent others who the owner allows to use their computer from installing apps without the owner's permission.

Macs are not immune to malware, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any since it was released 10 years ago. The only malware in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is a handful of trojans, which can be easily avoided with some basic education, common sense and care in what software you install. Also, Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion have anti-malware protection built in, further reducing the need for 3rd party antivirus apps.

Mac Virus/Malware Info​

 

[GuitarG20]

if i remember correctly, OSX uses quite tough disk permissions (why it seems to stay away from malware). Meaning that if an app wants to install things on the disk where they shouldn't, the computer will prompt the user for a password because that is the only way the system will let anything that's not signed by apple put anything in that particular part of the disk. SO in that regard, the password does help? (I can't exactly remember how it works)

False. It certainly plays a role.

You can't get malware on Mac OS X simply by clicking on something. The only malware in the wild is in the form of trojans, which the user must install, usually having to enter the password.

Yes, it does. That password protected many Mac OS X users who encountered the MacDefender malware, by preventing it from proceeding with the installation process that automatically launched after an automatic download.

This part is true. However, the password serves to remind a user that an installation is in progress and gives them an opportunity to stop and think about what they're installing and where they got it. It also serves to prevent others who the owner allows to use their computer from installing apps without the owner's permission.

Macs are not immune to malware, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any since it was released 10 years ago. The only malware in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is a handful of trojans, which can be easily avoided with some basic education, common sense and care in what software you install. Also, Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion have anti-malware protection built in, further reducing the need for 3rd party antivirus apps.

Mac Virus/Malware Info​

Thank you for explaining it better than I can...

 

[Zilli]

Go to system preferences - security & privacy - general, right click in advanced and deselect "Require an administrator password to access system-wide preferences.
Done.

 

[GGJstudios]

Go to system preferences - security & privacy - general, right click in advanced and deselect "Require an administrator password to access system-wide preferences.
Done.

This thread is more than 6 years old. Your instructions didn't exist when this thread was posted.