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Fix "The maximum number of logged in user accounts has been reached"

A

Amps94

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 3, 2022
6
2
Hello,

I am trying to run a mac that will be used by multiple users. macOS allows up to 5 users to be logged in simultaneously. If a 6th user try to login, an error message appear with the following message: "The maximum number of logged in users has been reached". Hence, one of the 5 users have to log out in order to open a room for another user to login.

After multiple trials, I wasn't able to identify where the limit is set in the Mac settings (I believe it should be in a plist somewhere in /System/Library/CoreServices/ ... but I might be wrong)

If anyone knows how to change the limit of 5 users to more than 5, that would be great.

This issue has been posted on the following apple forums but no one found a solution so far:

High Sierra limits number of accounts tha… - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com discussions.apple.com


Thank you for your help
 
Last edited:
Because the machine might be used by more than 5 users simultaneously. Also a side note here is that the mac is accessed remotely via VNC for very basic stuff.
 
Amps94 said:
Because the machine might be used by more than 5 users simultaneously. Also a side note here is that the mac is accessed remotely via VNC for very basic stuff.
Click to expand...
The Mac is not running a Server based Operating System - it's a desktop only and not designed for so many multiple sessions.

Each session takes up a significant amount of Ram and CPU.

In other words, it is what it is.
 
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Amps94 said:
Hello,

I am trying to run a mac that will be used by multiple users. macOS allows up to 5 users to be logged in simultaneously. If a 6th user try to login, an error message appear with the following message: "The maximum number of logged in users has been reached". Hence, one of the 5 users have to log out in order to open a room for another user to login.

After multiple trials, I wasn't able to identify where the limit is set in the Mac settings (I believe it should be in a plist somewhere in /System/Library/CoreServices/ ... but I might be wrong)

If anyone knows how to change the limit of 5 users to more than 5, that would be great.

This issue has been posted on the following apple forums and reddit but no one found a solution so far:

High Sierra limits number of accounts tha… - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com discussions.apple.com
https://www.reddit.com/r/zyxel/comments/kl1lqu

Thank you for your help
Click to expand...

Unsure why you included the reddit post though - that's for a router based question - nothing whatsoever to do with Macs.
 
Amps94 said:
Hello,

I am trying to run a mac that will be used by multiple users. macOS allows up to 5 users to be logged in simultaneously. If a 6th user try to login, an error message appear with the following message: "The maximum number of logged in users has been reached". Hence, one of the 5 users have to log out in order to open a room for another user to login.

After multiple trials, I wasn't able to identify where the limit is set in the Mac settings (I believe it should be in a plist somewhere in /System/Library/CoreServices/ ... but I might be wrong)

If anyone knows how to change the limit of 5 users to more than 5, that would be great.

This issue has been posted on the following apple forums and reddit but no one found a solution so far:

High Sierra limits number of accounts tha… - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com discussions.apple.com
https://www.reddit.com/r/zyxel/comments/kl1lqu

Thank you for your help
Click to expand...
This restriction is in place because it’s a violation of the license terms for macOS. The license specifically states that macOS isn’t to be used as a terminal service; after all, Apple makes most of its money selling hardware, not operating systems.
 
TiggrToo said:
The Mac is not running a Server based Operating System - it's a desktop only and not designed for so many multiple sessions.
Click to expand...

What is a "server based operating system"?

MacOS is a (UNIX based) multitasking, multiuser operating system. Any limitations to the number of logged in users is entirely artificial from a software perspective. Hardware resources could, of course, be exhausted but those resources will never be reached at 5. A garden Linux distro can theoretically handle billions of users, for example.

A bottom tier spec'd MacOS machine can handle way more than 5 users. It isn't allowed to because of Apple Reasons not because of "design" reasons.
 
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triptolemus said:
What is a "server based operating system"?

MacOS is a (UNIX based) multitasking, multiuser operating system. Any limitations to the number of logged in users is entirely artificial from a software perspective. Hardware resources could, of course, be exhausted but those resources will never be reached at 5. A garden Linux distro can theoretically handle billions of users, for example.

A bottom tier spec'd MacOS machine can handle way more than 5 users. It isn't allowed to because of Apple Reasons not because of "design" reasons.
Click to expand...
Mac OS Server.

And you're mistaking sessions like SSH with full on GUI based ones.

And "billions of users"? Such hyperbole!
 
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chrfr said:
This restriction is in place because it’s a violation of the license terms for macOS. The license specifically states that macOS isn’t to be used as a terminal service; after all, Apple makes most of its money selling hardware, not operating systems.
Click to expand...
Your statement is quite wrong. I spoke to Apple support and they said if I can make a workaround there is no violation to the terms of usage because it is modification to the software and not to the hardware.
 
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triptolemus said:
What is a "server based operating system"?

MacOS is a (UNIX based) multitasking, multiuser operating system. Any limitations to the number of logged in users is entirely artificial from a software perspective. Hardware resources could, of course, be exhausted but those resources will never be reached at 5. A garden Linux distro can theoretically handle billions of users, for example.

A bottom tier spec'd MacOS machine can handle way more than 5 users. It isn't allowed to because of Apple Reasons not because of "design" reasons.
Click to expand...
I agree with what you have mentioned. Moreover, I don't think it is even related to Hardware resource because it is macOS setting regardless of the hardware (even for the Mac Pro which can have huge HW resources)
 
Amps94 said:
Your statement is quite wrong. I spoke to Apple support and they said if I can make a workaround there is no violation to the terms of usage because it is modification to the software and not to the hardware.
Click to expand...
100% incorrect. This is the EULA for MacOS Monterey, for example:

1649069788866.png



And @triptolemus: this is one of the reasons I mentioned this was not a Server based Operating System.
 
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Amps94 said:
Your statement is quite wrong. I spoke to Apple support and they said if I can make a workaround there is no violation to the terms of usage because it is modification to the software and not to the hardware.
Click to expand...
Nope, as posted above, using the Mac as a terminal server is a violation of the macOS license terms.
 
Amps94 said:
What about the highlighted in the screenshot below from the same EULA you just shared? aren't these other words allowing the usage by multiple users?! I am not a lawyer but it seems yes

View attachment 1986197
Click to expand...
You can't ignore the sentence "you agree not to use the Apple Software, or any of its functionality, in connection with service bureau, time-sharing, terminal sharing or other similar types of services" later in the agreement. (Your intended usage is exactly "terminal sharing."
The sections you've highlighted do not carve out an exception for later sections of the agreement.
When it says that "multiple students may serially use..." it means that a student can come in and use the computer in one class, and then another student may use the computer after that first student has stopped using it. This does not cover remote usage.
 
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chrfr said:
You can't ignore the sentence "you agree not to use the Apple Software, or any of its functionality, in connection with service bureau, time-sharing, terminal sharing or other similar types of services" later in the agreement.
The sections you've highlighted do not carve out an exception for later sections of the agreement.
When it says that "multiple students may serially use..." it means that a student can come in and use the computer in one class, and then another student may use the computer after that first student has stopped using it. This does not cover remote usage.
Click to expand...
The examples provided in "I. Remote Desktop Connection" provides an example of "service bureau" and hence the usage of macOS by a commercial entity (e.g., monetizing the service). Moreover, under section "B. Mac App Store License", they state the usage of "personal, non-commercial".

Moreover, after speaking with the sales department (pre-purchase) and the follow-up with Apple Support, I expressed multiple times if there is a violation of usage and the answer was NO.

Finally, this issue is not limited to remote access. If it has to be used serially (as stated crystal clear in Section B), and users are using "Fast Switching" without logging out, after 5 active sessions, the 6th won't be allowed to login unless one of the 5 logout.
 
Amps94 said:
The examples provided in "I. Remote Desktop Connection" provides an example of "service bureau" and hence the usage of macOS by a commercial entity (e.g., monetizing the service). Moreover, under section "B. Mac App Store License", they state the usage of "personal, non-commercial".

Moreover, after speaking with the sales department (pre-purchase) and the follow-up with Apple Support, I expressed multiple times if there is a violation of usage and the answer was NO.

Finally, this issue is not limited to remote access. If it has to be used serially (as stated crystal clear in Section B), and users are using "Fast Switching" without logging out, after 5 active sessions, the 6th won't be allowed to login unless one of the 5 logout.
Click to expand...
The sales department isn't the legal department. They should have referred your question to there, but you're still trying to do terminal services, which is 100% specifically prohibited in the license. Whether or not the limit also applies to fast user switching is irrelevant to the question at hand because you're using Remote Desktop sessions which are addressed in section 2.I.i and 2.I is clear that it is only permitted to have one remote session controlling the Mac.
Section 2.B.i applies to personal, non-commercial use. Section 2.B.ii applies to commercial or educational use. 2.B.i does not prohibit commercial/educational use.
 
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Amps94 said:
The examples provided in "I. Remote Desktop Connection" provides an example of "service bureau" and hence the usage of macOS by a commercial entity (e.g., monetizing the service). Moreover, under section "B. Mac App Store License", they state the usage of "personal, non-commercial".

Moreover, after speaking with the sales department (pre-purchase) and the follow-up with Apple Support, I expressed multiple times if there is a violation of usage and the answer was NO.

Finally, this issue is not limited to remote access. If it has to be used serially (as stated crystal clear in Section B), and users are using "Fast Switching" without logging out, after 5 active sessions, the 6th won't be allowed to login unless one of the 5 logout.
Click to expand...
You can argue this until the cows come home.

Two FACTS:

1) The EULA trumps anything you think you were told.
2) There is a fixed limit that cannot be avoided.

Not sure why you want to continue to argue this because you're not going to get anywhere.
 
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