For many exploiter , automatic login is a great gismo — whenever you boot or reboot your atomic number 76 Adam machine , it log you in and go all your login token . For other user , it can be more important than restroom . For instance , assume you ’re traveling and have set up remote admittance to your work machine so you could reassign some important data file back and onward . While you ’re away , there ’s a power unsuccessful person . You ’ve set up your Mac to re-start after such an result ( in the Energy Saver System Preferences panel ) , but if you do n’t have automatic login enabled , then your remote access software wo n’t be run . Uh oh .
However , automatic login is also a security business — say your work machine reboots after a midnight power outage , and someone on the night shift see it just sitting there , logged in with all your file useable for range . That ’s not good . It is obviously much safer to require a username and password to login . With a bit of work , though , you’re able to sort of have the safe of both worlds — robotic login yet with some security from snoop .
Remember , though , that once someone has physical access to your machine , there ’s really no such thing as a secure system — with strong-arm admittance , a consecrated assaulter will have no problems getting to your files ( FileVault will make it quite a act tough , of course ) . So what follow is an advance to ward off the casual snoop , not the dedicated aggressor .
What we ’re die to do is enable automatic login and then instantaneously activate a watchword - protected blind saver . Anyone walking past at the exact moment of login might be able to quickly cut off the procedure , but the odds of such timing are quite broken . This method will definitely stop the “ just walk past and get word this screen of files sitting there ” snooper , but will have no impact on a consecrated assailant ( who will just pull the power cord and then get into your machine in a dissimilar way ) .
First , open up the Security System Preferences panel , and start the Require password to wake this computer from sleep or blind saver feature . While you ’re there , make trusted the Disable robotic login feature is not enable . Now flip-flop over to the Accounts preferences panel and click the Login Items box seat ( you ’ll in all probability have to chatter the lock picture first and authenticate ) . turn on the Automatically logarithm in as feature of speech , and set the desired account in the pop - up menu . You ’ll then have to authenticate again .
in conclusion , chatter on your account in the Accounts panel ( the one listed in the editorial under My Account ) , then take the Login Items tab . flick the plus preindication at the bottom of the window , and leave this windowpane open air . swap to the Finder now , and navigate into this deeply - immerse folder : /System - > Library - > Frameworks - > ScreenSaver.framework - > Versions - > A - > Resources . Now position the Finder windowpane and the Accounts windowpane such that you may see both of them , and drag in the ScreenSaverEngine data file from the Finder window into the Accounts window . That will set the path to that file ’s directory . As the final stair , flick on ScreenSaverEngine in the Accounts windowpane ( to really select that diligence ) and then click Add . Quit System Preferences now , as you ’re done .
The next fourth dimension you restart the car , you ’ll see your report automatically login , the common inauguration activity occur , and then the screensaver locomotive engine will complain in . As I mentioned to begin with , there ’s a menses of time where your desktop is visible , so someone could technically see something . But the screensaver will kick in relatively speedily , after which they ’ll need your password to unlock the filmdom . Not thoroughgoing security , by far , but a good via media for those who need the welfare of automatic login and utilize a Mac in a not totally unafraid placement .
