Make An App Available To All Users On Mac Mini

I have some apps installed under the admin account on my Mac. I set up standard user accounts on this machine, and I would like these users to access the already installed applications. When they run the app, it either opens in trial mode or asks for a serial number, even though they are already installed. Is there any way to do this?
posted by dhruva to Computers & Internet (13 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
Have you tried adding your Apple ID to the App Store for those users?
If you're unwilling to do that, then you'll probably have to buy the applications again for each user. Welcome to Apple's walled garden, we hope you enjoy your stay!
posted by pharm at 1:23 PM on June 5, 2013

Jul 08, 2020  After updating the app, users will be able to simply. A setting is also being made available that will allow users to turn the. IPhone 12 Rumors, Apple's A12Z-Based Mac mini, Leaked iMac. On your Mac, choose Apple menu System Preferences, then click Users & Groups. Open Users & Groups preferences for me. Click the lock icon to unlock it. Enter an administrator name and password. Click the Add button below the list of users. Click the New Account pop-up menu, then choose a type of user. Nov 29, 2018  If you only want certain users to have access to connect to your Mac mini, look to the Allow access for box. Either select All Users, or click the box next to Only these users: and add the specified users from there via the + add icon. You can add users from Users & Groups, which includes users on your Mac.

Audio burning software for mac. The latest version of the software comes with and AirBurn feature that allows the users to burn media files directly from the cell phone.Pros.The software supports various media formats for burning.It also has a feature of connecting to the online music database.Cons:.The software is super advanced and hence requires a lot of time to be understood properly.


Some of these apps are not bought from the App Store.
posted by dhruva at 1:27 PM on June 5, 2013

Which apps specifically are you using? There are a variety of different licensing and registration schemes out there, other than the Apple App Store, and they all may be subtly different. You may want to contact the authors of the apps directly.
posted by xil at 1:28 PM on June 5, 2013

For example JMP or Scrivener
posted by dhruva at 1:29 PM on June 5, 2013

Although some more reading has turned up conflicting answers. Humph. Maybe it depends on the licensing of specific Apps?
If the programs are not bought from the App store, where are they installed? If you installed them into the user's Applications directory (my Mac is at work right now, so I can't check, but doesn't each user have their own as well as the system one?) then that's presumably why the other users can't see the Applications. You could either reinstall for each user, or else install them into the system Applications directory.
posted by pharm at 1:31 PM on June 5, 2013

They are installed in the Admin user's Application directory. I remember some apps asked me if I was installing for one user or all users, and I foolishly said one user, so I was wondering if there's any way around this without having to reinstall a bunch of software.
posted by dhruva at 1:35 PM on June 5, 2013

Make an app available to all users on mac mini mac
For most ordinary applications, copying the App from the user Applications directory to the system one will just work (tm) I think.
posted by pharm at 1:38 PM on June 5, 2013

They are installed in the Admin user's Application directory. I remember some apps asked me if I was installing for one user or all users, and I foolishly said one user, so I was wondering if there's any way around this without having to reinstall a bunch of software.
That might be (part/all of) your problem, right there. User-specific application directories exist specifically to install software only for that user - if you want everyone to have access to something, you want it in the root /Applications directory.
posted by Tomorrowful at 1:43 PM on June 5, 2013

In the past I have found that some apps keep their registration keys in the preferences or application support folders. So, if just moving the application to the system application folder doesn't make the 'unregistered' messages go away you could try copying any related preference folders as well.
posted by Quinbus Flestrin at 3:18 PM on June 5, 2013 [1 favorite]

Building on what Quinbus Felstrin said, look in ~/Library and its subdirectories for stuff related to the apps in question. Try moving it to /Library.
Or maybe just try scrapping the apps and reinstalling..
posted by Good Brain at 5:37 PM on June 5, 2013

Make an app available to all users on mac mini windows 10
You can make the non admin accounts admins, log in as those users, set the correct registration numbers then log out and remove admin rights. Once registration info is entered, it should stick.
Though technically, you shouldn't have to make them admins to do that.
posted by inviolable at 6:41 PM on June 5, 2013

Seconding what Qinbus Flestrin is saying. If the other users can see the applications, and open them in trial mode, there's nothing wrong with where the application is stored on disk. It also doesn't matter whether the other users are admins or not.
The problem is that the apps store their registration info per-user. It's possible the apps have an option to store the info globally. Otherwise, you'll have to enter the registration info for each user, or at least copy over files containing that info. I'd recommend contacting the vendors and asking for advice.
posted by vasi at 9:11 PM on June 5, 2013

Ok I tried putting in the preferences files in the user accounts, but the app refused to run, it needed an activation. I guess I will have to re-install, or contact the vendors. Thanks everyone.
posted by dhruva at 10:38 AM on June 6, 2013

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Make An App Available To All Users On Mac Mini Mac

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