macOS: How to Request Temporary Administrator Access

Procedure

1. Open the macOS Admin Access Request form in the GVSU Service Portal.
   You can also open it from the Support App in the top-right corner of your Mac’s menu bar:
   

2. Fill out and submit the form. Include a short reason for why you need administrator access.
   

3. After a few minutes, you will receive an automated email that lists the computers assigned to you. 
   Click the link to start the process of granting yourself temporary administrator rights.
   

4. The GVSU Software app will open to the Administrator Escalation self-service action.
   Click Run to give yourself temporary administrator access on your Mac.
   

5. When the process is complete, you will get a message confirming that temporary administrator access has been granted.
   

6. After 24 hours, you will receive another notification letting you know that your account has returned to standard access.
   

Self-Service Application Installers

We've added a number of apps to our self-service GVSU Software application so Mac users can install apps on-demand that would otherwise need admin rights to install without needing to request temporary access.

These current apps are:

• 1Password
• Claude Desktop
• ChatGPT Desktop
• Cyberduck
• Discord
• Firefox
• GIMP
• GitHub Desktop
• Ghostty
• JetBrains Rider
• Microsoft PowerShell
• Microsoft Windows App (Remote Desktop)
• Notion Calendar
• Notion
• Obsidian
• Ollama
• Postman
• Rectangle
• Slack
• Spotify
• VLC
• Visual Studio Code

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions 

Do I need to be an administrator to install applications?

Yes, and no. below is a table with more information:

Table of Administrative rights for application installs

Type/Location	Admin Required?	Notes
App Store	No	Use your personal Apple account for free apps. Paid apps can be centrally purchased/redistributed via IT from Apple's Volume Purchase Program (VPP)—often at a 50% discount for 20+ licenses of the same app.
GVSU Software App	No	Apps installed from our catalog in the GVSU Software App do not require that you have administrator access—even if the installers available on the web do.
.pkg files	Yes	GVSU IT has many applications installed by .pkg files available in our GVSU Software app.
.dmg files	Not technically	If an app is delivered in a disk image (.dmg file), typically this app is designed to work from anywhere on your Mac. However, if you want to move it into your Mac's Applications folder, you will need administrator access. Alternatively, you can create an Applications folder within your home folder on your Mac for these kinds of apps. Though, many of these apps can be found on the GVSU Software app as self-service installers.

Do I need to be an administrator for terminal commands?

You will need to be an administrator to run commands with sudo. Using the temporary administrator escalation request described in this form, you will also be granted sudo privileges as well.