Request Administrator Rights on macOS
Certain actions on your computer require administrator rights. These include installing apps, running updates, and changing certain settings. On your own Mac, you can temporarily give your account administrator rights to complete these actions. This process is only for university-managed Macs. If you have a personally owned computer, this will not apply to you.
Administrator rights grant access that can cause damage to your computer and leave it vulnerable to malware. Only grant yourself administrator rights for a task that you are confident is necessary for your work.
Administrator rights can only be granted on single-user machines, and only by the primary user of the computer. If you need admin rights on a shared machine or assistance completing a task that requires admin rights on a shared machine, please reach out to your local IT support.
Instructions
Click the Self Service+ icon on the macOS menu bar. In the drop-down menu, select Request Admin Privileges.
When prompted, provide a brief reason for needing administrator rights. Then select Continue.
You will now have administrator rights for 10 minutes. You will see a timer in the menu bar indicating how much time is remaining.
Tasks initiated during the 10-minute window of elevated access will continue to complete under that elevated status, even if the process extends beyond the designated time.