Setup Assistant

Setup Assistant icon in macOS 12 (Monterey)

Setup Assistant (formerly Mac OS Setup Assistant) is an application utility that runs immediately following a successful new installation of macOS.

Description

The Setup Assistant appears automatically after a new installation of macOS or when a newly-purchased Mac is turned on, making it easier to set it up. The assistant asks questions about the user, the computer's location, and desired settings. Then it automatically configures the Mac, based on the user's input.

In installations of macOS or Mac OS X, Setup Assistant can be found in: /System/Library/CoreServices/

Upon startup, Setup Assistant will can for the existence of an empty file named .AppleSetupDone in the hidden directory /var/db/ and will run if it cannot be found. Deleting this file through the Terminal app will cause Setup Assistant to automatically run upon the next startup.

History

Version 1.0 icon

Version 1.0 of Mac OS Setup Assistant first appeared in Mac OS 8, which was released by Apple Computer on July 26, 1997 under the supervision of Steve Jobs, who had recently returned to the company. The name of the utility was shortened to Setup Assistant during the transition from classic Mac OS to Mac OS X.

External links

• Set up your iMac at Apple Support
  • Set up your MacBook Air
  • Set up your MacBook Pro
  • Set up your Mac mini
  • Set up your Mac Pro
  • Set up your Mac Studio
• Device Management: SetupAssistant at Apple Developer
  • Apple Platform Deployment: Manage Setup Assistant for Apple devices at Apple Support
• The Mac OS Setup Assistant by Maria Langer, Mac OS 9: Visual QuickStart Guide at O'Reilly

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