If you share a Mac with your friends or family members using multiple accounts, switching between them can be quick if you use the fast user switching feature in macOS. It's disabled by default if you haven't already created multiple user accounts to log in to your Mac.

However, if you have more than one user profile created, you can add fast user switching to the menu bar or use Touch ID if your Mac supports it. We'll show you how to take advantage of it.

How to Add Fast User Switching to the Menu Bar and Control Center

Before anything, you first need to set up multiple user accounts on your Mac. As soon as you finish, you should see the icon to switch profiles in the menu bar. However, if you don't or you would like to explore your options, here's what to do:

  1. Launch System Settings (click the gear icon in the Dock) and select Control Center from the left pane.
  2. Scroll down to the Fast User Switching section.
  3. Click the drop-down menu next to Show in Menu Bar and select if you would like an icon, the account name, or your full Apple ID name to appear in the menu bar.
    Control Center showing Fast User Switching menu bar options.
  4. You can also toggle on Show in Control Center to put it in the Control Center if you don't want to clutter your menu bar.

Once enabled, you should see the option in your menu bar. You can quickly switch between the various accounts added to your Mac once you click on it.

Fast user switching button on the menu bar

Even if you have just one user account and the Guest profile enabled, you should now be able to switch between the two different profiles easily. You'll be prompted to enter your password when you click on the other profile name. If the account doesn't have a password, your computer will instantly switch profiles.

How to Use Touch ID for Fast User Switching on a Mac

If your Mac supports Touch ID, you can instantly switch user profiles using fingerprints assigned to each account. You first need to set Touch ID up on the Mac user accounts you would like to switch between. After that, do the following:

  1. Go to Apple menu > System Settings from the menu bar.
  2. Select Touch ID & Password from the left sidebar.
  3. On the right, make sure Use Touch ID for fast user switching is toggled on.
Touch ID & Password panel with a registered finger in System Settings on macOS

Now, all you need to do is use the finger you've set up to press the Power (or Touch ID) button to switch instantly between profiles.

Take Advantage of Fast User Switching on Your Mac

If you don't have fast user switching enabled, you'll need to log out of your profile first to bring you back to your Mac's login screen whenever you want to log in to a different account. It makes switching between profiles you're working with cumbersome.

So, turn fast user switching on and reap its benefits. For instance, you can use this feature to run multiple instances of an app on your Mac.