Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-11

How to Fix: Error installing Homebrew on macOS Sierra: The user "me" cannot be found

Learn how to fix: Error installing Homebrew on macOS Sierra: The user "me" cannot be found.

Quick Answer: Try checking your system settings or restarting.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 💡 Why You Are Getting This Error
  2. 🚀 How to Resolve This Issue
  3. 🎯 Final Words

Error Installing Homebrew on macOS Sierra: The user 'me' cannot be found

This error occurs when the Homebrew installation script is run with insufficient privileges, preventing it from functioning correctly. As a result, users experience frustration and are unable to install or use Homebrew.

In this troubleshooting guide, we will walk you through two primary methods for resolving this issue: installing Homebrew as an administrator user and adjusting permissions to allow non-administrator access.

💡 Why You Are Getting This Error

  • The first main reason why this error happens is due to running the Homebrew installation script with insufficient privileges
  • An alternative reason could be a recent change in account or home directory name that affects the 'me' user designation

🚀 How to Resolve This Issue

Installing Homebrew as an Administrator User

  1. Step 1: Step 1: Open System Preferences and select Users & Groups. Ensure your primary admin account is selected as the default user.
  2. Step 2: Step 2: Click on the lock icon in the bottom left corner of the window to make changes. Enter your admin password when prompted.
  3. Step 3: Step 3: Select the 'Login' tab for your primary admin account and click on the '+' button at the bottom left corner of the window.
  4. Step 4: Step 4: Choose 'Admin User' from the dropdown menu and enter a name for the new admin user (if desired). Click 'Add'.
  5. Step 5: Step 5: Go back to the Homebrew installation script and run it with the new admin user. This should resolve the issue.

Adjusting Permissions to Allow Non-Administrator Access

  1. Step 1: Step 1: Create a new non-administrator account for Homebrew installation (as you have already done).
  2. Step 2: Step 2: Open Terminal and navigate to the directory where Homebrew was installed.
  3. Step 3: Step 3: Use the 'sudo' command with the newly created admin user to adjust permissions of all Homebrew folders and files to allow non-administrator access. For example, use 'sudo chown -R $(whoami):admin /usr/local/bin' to set permissions for the brew executable.

🎯 Final Words

By following these two methods, you should be able to resolve the 'me' user not found error when installing Homebrew on macOS Sierra. Remember to always verify your privileges and adjust permissions as needed to ensure smooth operation of Homebrew.

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