On lock screen, how to select 'other user' with keyboard?

Question

We share a imac with 4 people. Most of the time the computer switches on it is locked for someone else. I'd like to switch to my own account without using a mouse.

From the lock screen, how do I select the 'Other user' button using the keyboard? (The 'Other user' button opens the 'list of users' screen.)

Keys I have tried:

[Tab] The cursor disappears from the password widget, but the 'Cancel' and 'Other user' buttons do not seem to be activated. (After pressing [Tab], [Enter] tries to submit the entered password, [space] is seen as a password character.)
[Up], [Down], [Left], [Right], don't seem to do anything.

Turn off the icon-based user selection, it will switch to asking for a username and a password. — Marc Wilson, Dec 04 '22 at 17:58
Nice work around @MarcWilson ! Unfortunately, my family will never accept that. — Erik van Oosten, May 02 '23 at 09:52
@FrederikKrautwald I did not include that because it has been like this for all MacOS version in the last ~10 years. — Erik van Oosten, Sep 28 '23 at 06:47

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 21 '23 at 13:37

2

First, type a character in the password field. Then press Tab multiple times until the Switch User icon is highlighted. Press Space. You can now select users by typing the first character of their names. Then press Enter to select.

You must type a character in the password field before this works.

edited Sep 21 '23 at 13:37

agarza

2,274

answered Sep 21 '23 at 13:30

Frederik Krautwald

136

First typing some characters did the trick. Thanks Frederik! – Erik van Oosten Sep 22 '23 at 16:05

Bruce Van Allen · Answer 2 · 2023-01-08T20:26:17.460

Oops - sorry! I pictured your screen incorrectly, so my answer here, while correct for what it says, doesn't answer your question - e.g., when there is only a password field available, not a list of users. If I find a useful solution, I'll update.

When the login screen shows multiple users, including "other user", just type the first letter of the username you want to log in as ("o" for "other user". You'll see a border appear around the username; hit return and you'll get the password field. (Monterey 12.6.2, old Mac Mini)

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 02 '23 at 09:35

0

Press 0 on Numpad, then use the arrow keys

answered May 02 '23 at 09:35

XperiAndri

101

1

Thanks, but it doesn't work for me. This enters a character in the password field. – Erik van Oosten May 02 '23 at 09:52
1

Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please [edit] to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center. – Thinkr May 02 '23 at 09:56

score -1 · Answer 4 · answered Dec 04 '22 at 19:06

-1

This is two stage process: (1) Activate navigation (2) Navigate

To activate navigation press simultaneously ⌃+⌥+⇧+↓ (control+option+shift+down arrow)

To navigate use → and ← (right and left arrow).

answered Dec 04 '22 at 19:06

Aivar Paalberg

4,081

2

Thanks. It doesn't work for me though. After pressing the key-combo, focus stays on the password field. – Erik van Oosten Dec 07 '22 at 09:09
In order to loose focus on password field press ESC – Aivar Paalberg Dec 07 '22 at 15:09
2

Nope, pressing Esc will turn the screen off. – Erik van Oosten Dec 08 '22 at 18:45
I couldn't replicate this. Probably there is something somewhere in Systems Settings which makes behavior different (Lock Screen? Battery? Keyboard shortcuts? Language & Regional settings?). For example my Lock Screen is "List of users" – Aivar Paalberg Dec 09 '22 at 09:23
Quote: "For example my Lock Screen is 'List of users'.". That is very different from what I see. When I turn on my computer, I get a password prompt for the last active user. My goal is to open the 'list of users' screen from there! – Erik van Oosten Dec 09 '22 at 12:53

On lock screen, how to select 'other user' with keyboard?

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