Privileges for macOS Frequently Asked Questions
What is Privileges for macOS?
Privileges is a quick and easy way to temporarily get administrative rights on your Mac to install software or make settings changes. This is a similar application to the Make Me Admin program used on Windows computers.
How do I use Privileges for macOS?
Please refer to this knowledge base article.
Why does the icon for Privileges change colors in the Dock?
This is by design. The icon is green and displays a locked padlock icon when you are a standard user.
The icon is yellow and displays an unlocked padlock icon when you are an administrator.
By default, is there a time limit on the admin rights granted by Privileges?
Yes. Admin rights are granted for 10 minutes by default on all EWU owned computers. At the end of the 10 minutes you will see a message window appear asking if you wish to extend your admin time. The default answer is NO so if you do not click on any of the buttons on the message window the Privileges.app will automatically switch you back to a normal user account after one minute. If you click on the YES button your admin rights will be extended another 10 minutes.
NOTE: When installing software on the Mac, you only need admin rights to START the installation. Once the installation is underway you can safely return to normal user rights without jeopardizing the software installation.
What if I do not have the Privileges icon on my dock?
You can find the Privileges app in the Applications / Utilities folder on your Macintosh HD.
You can also use the search function from the Mac desktop by clicking on the magnifying glass at the top of your home screen, then typing Privileges in the search field. Click on the Privileges icon in the search result to launch the program.
How do I add the Privileges icon on my dock?
If the icon for the Privileges app is accidentally removed from your Dock, you can restore it by running the Application, using one of the two aforementioned methods. Once the app is running, two finger click on the Icon in your tray, navigate to Options and click on Keep in Dock.
If you need any further assistance please view our Service Catalog for other Knowledge Base articles or contact the IT Help Desk via Phone: 509.359.2247 or Email: helpdesk@ewu.edu