macOS Automated Setup Script

Automates the provisioning of macOS machines with applications, system settings, user management, and Tailscale connectivity. Designed for IT administrators often deploying multiple Macs.

Features

Step	Feature	Description
1	Configuration	Collects all inputs upfront before execution begins
2	Rename Computer	Sets ComputerName, HostName, and LocalHostName — runs first
3	Pre-flight Checks	Verifies macOS 11+ and installs Xcode Command Line Tools
4	Homebrew	Installs Homebrew (Intel & Apple Silicon support)
5	Tailscale	Installs and authenticates Tailscale (optional, auth key or interactive)
6	Brewfile Apps	Installs applications from your Brewfile
7	Hide IT Admin	Hides an admin user from the login screen
8	Create User	Creates a new user account for the end user
9	Security Settings	Configures firewall, auto-updates, screen lock
10	Cleanup	Optionally deletes the script and folder

Quick Start

One-liner for fresh Mac:

curl -L -o macOSAutomatedSetup.zip https://github.com/fredodupoux/macOSAutomatedSetup/archive/refs/heads/main.zip && unzip macOSAutomatedSetup.zip && cd macOSAutomatedSetup-main && chmod +x automateSetup.sh && ./automateSetup.sh

Configuration Prompts

All inputs are collected upfront before any changes are made to the system:

Prompt	Default	Description
Brewfile name	brewfile	Name of the Brewfile in the script directory
New computer name	(skip)	Max 63 chars, letters/numbers/spaces/hyphens
New username	(skip)	Lowercase, no spaces
Full name	username	Display name for the new user
Administrator?	Yes	Grant admin privileges to the new user
Password	—	Hidden input, confirmed twice before proceeding
Hide IT admin user?	Yes	Username to hide from the login screen
Install Tailscale?	Yes	Whether to install and connect Tailscale
Have a Tailscale auth key?	No	If yes, prompts for the key (hidden); if no, runs interactive browser login
Delete script after setup?	Yes	Removes the setup folder on completion

Brewfile Example

Create a brewfile in the same directory as the script:

# Browsers
cask "google-chrome"
cask "firefox"

# Productivity
cask "microsoft-office"
cask "slack"
cask "zoom"

# Utilities
cask "dropbox"
cask "1password"

# CLI tools
brew "git"
brew "wget"

Security Features

• All inputs collected upfront — no mid-script interruptions
• Tailscale auth key hidden when typing
• User password hidden and confirmed twice before proceeding
• Log file restricted to owner only (chmod 600)
• Sensitive variables cleared from memory after use
• Firewall and stealth mode enabled
• Automatic security updates enabled
• Screen lock password required immediately

macOS Settings Applied

• Automatic update checks enabled
• Automatic update downloads enabled
• Critical security updates auto-install
• Firewall enabled
• Firewall stealth mode enabled (ignores ping)
• Password required immediately after sleep/screensaver
• Remote Apple events disabled

Logging

All output is logged to ~/mac_setup_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.log with restricted permissions.

Requirements

• macOS 11 (Big Sur) or later
• Internet connection
• Administrator privileges
• Tailscale account (optional — supports auth key or interactive browser login)

License

MIT License