# Delete Local User Account

> A macOS bash script that fully removes a local user account by deleting the Directory Services record, home directory, and group entry. Ideal for offboarding.

Source: https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/apple/macos/scripts/delete-local-user/  •  Last updated: 2026-04-18

**Key topics:** device management, automation, scripting, Applivery, MDM, IT administrators

---

**TL;DR:** Automate repetitive tasks on managed devices using scripts in Applivery for efficient device management.

Properly deleting a user account on macOS involves more than clicking "Delete User" in System Settings. That approach can leave behind home directory data, Directory Services records, and orphaned group entries that accumulate over time.

This Script goes further: it removes the user record from Directory Services, wipes the home directory from disk (`/Users/username`), and cleans up the associated group entry — a complete, irreversible removal that leaves no residual data on the machine. It's designed for offboarding flows where a clean slate matters.

:::warning
The Applivery Agent for macOS must be installed and active on the Device. Learn more about the [macOS Agent](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/apple/apple-policies/agent/#agent-app-for-macos-devices).
:::

## Requirements

| Requirement | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Platform | macOS |
| Execution privileges | Root (default in Applivery) |
| Username | The short name of the account to delete, passed as an argument |

:::warning
This action is irreversible. Once the home directory is deleted, the user's data cannot be recovered unless a backup exists. Always verify the username before deploying.
:::

* * *

## Setup

**Create the Script**

Once in the [**Applivery Dashboard**](https://dashboard.applivery.io/), follow the steps described [here](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/apple/macos/scripts/index) to create a Script. Paste the following Script into the editor, select **Bash** as the language, give it a descriptive name (e.g., `Delete Local User Account`), and click **Create**.

```bash
#!/bin/bash

# ---
# Title: Delete Local User & Home Directory
# Description: Completely removes a local user account, its home directory, and its group record.
# Author: Applivery
# Version: 1.0.0
# ---

# ==========================================
# CONFIGURATION
# ==========================================
# The username can be passed as an argument ($1) or hardcoded below
USER_NAME=$1

# ==========================================
# 1. INITIAL CHECKS
# ==========================================

if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
  echo "Error: This script must be run as root."
  exit 1
fi

if [ -z "$USER_NAME" ]; then
  echo "Error: No username provided. Usage: $0 <username>"
  exit 1
fi

CURRENT_USER=$(stat -f "%Su" /dev/console)
if [ "$USER_NAME" == "$CURRENT_USER" ]; then
  echo "Error: Cannot delete the currently logged-in user ($USER_NAME)."
  exit 1
fi

id "$USER_NAME" &>/dev/null
if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
  echo "Error: User '$USER_NAME' does not exist."
  exit 1
fi

# ==========================================
# 2. DELETION PROCESS
# ==========================================
echo "Starting deletion process for user: $USER_NAME..."

dscl . -delete "/Users/$USER_NAME"
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
  echo "[SUCCESS] User record removed from Directory Services."
else
  echo "[FAILURE] Failed to remove user record."
  exit 1
fi

if [ -d "/Users/$USER_NAME" ]; then
  rm -rf "/Users/$USER_NAME"
  echo "[SUCCESS] Home directory /Users/$USER_NAME has been deleted."
else
  echo "[INFO] No home directory found at /Users/$USER_NAME."
fi

dscl . -delete "/Groups/$USER_NAME" &>/dev/null

echo "Process complete. User '$USER_NAME' has been fully removed."
exit 0
```

**Assign the Script to a Device**

Now, navigate to any of your **Devices**, select the **Scripts** tab, click on the **\+ Assign Script** button, and select the one you just created.

:::info
You can also assign Scripts to Policies. To do this, navigate to the **Policies** section, select the desired Policy, and click on the **Scripts** tab. The process will be the same as when assigning it directly to an individual Device.
:::

**Choose the execution method**

Select the execution method that matches your use case:

| Method | Behaviour | Recommended? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Once** | Runs one time per Device when the Policy is assigned. | ✅ Recommended — account deletion is a one-time offboarding action. |
| **Loop** | Runs repeatedly at the configured interval (15m, 1h, 6h, 1d, 7d). | ❌ Not recommended — deletion is irreversible and should not be repeated. |
| **On demand** | Only runs when manually triggered from the Applivery Self-Service App or the dashboard. | ✅ Also suitable for ad-hoc offboarding initiated by IT. |

**Enter the username as an argument**

The Script requires the short name of the account to delete. Enter it in the **Arguments** field (e.g., `jsmith`). The field also supports [variable interpolations](https://docs.applivery.com/en/device-management/general-settings/dynamic-variables-interpolation-tags/), such as `{{device.displayName}}`.

Click **Add** to save the assignment.

:::tip
As an alternative to using the Arguments field, you can hardcode the username directly in the Script by replacing `USER_NAME=$1` with `USER_NAME="the_username"`. This is useful when you need to delete the same account across an entire fleet of Devices.
:::

* * *

## Available on GitHub

This Script is part of the [Applivery Public Script Repository](https://github.com/applivery/applivery-mdm-scripts/tree/main/Apple/Delete%20Admin%20User) — a collection of ready-to-use macOS Scripts for common IT management tasks. You can use it as-is or adapt it to your specific offboarding workflow.