No password

[jcarter]

On my husband's new Mac, we did NOT set a password, nor are any of our other Macs in this house using one.
I updated Safari and a couple things in the App store which was asking me to do.
Then I went to download Google Earth, and its asking me for a password to download this.
We never set one up.
I called Applecare and the representative didn't know what to do, she suggested setting a NEW password, but without an old one, thats impossible.
I see troubles exactly like this on the web, and various ways of how to fix it, but I dont want to set a password by mistake, or otherwise mess things up.

Any ideas?

[Xairbusdriver]

Google is certainly not asking for your password to the computer, nor should you ever give that to anyone, anyway.

If the request is from the OS, it is probably because you are attempting to open an app that has been downloaded from the web. But that is from the OS, not Google. Apple is doing all it can to protect you from malware that can be downloaded, it is simply a last opportunity for you to confirm that you know where this app comes from and you accept all responsibility for using it.

Not having a password for your computer creates the possibility of your Mac (yes, even a Mac) to be accessed by malware. I cannot imagine not having a password set for any device that can access the web. But you can also keep poisonous snakes as pets!

[jcarter]

Oh, yes indeed I know that, Google isn't, the computer is.
We limit the use of our Macs carefully, so never had malware, but do scan for it now and then.

So how the heck can I download Google Earth to his new Mac?
Or can I just transfer the GE app from this kitchen Mac.

[jchuzi]

Ditto to what Jim said. You really should set up a password for your Mac. To do so, go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy and select the General tab. Then, click Change Password... In the resulting dialog box, leave the Old Password space blank (because that's your password; you don't have one) and fill in the other spaces. Then, click Change Password.

Be sure to remember the new password! One way to do this is to write it on paper and tape it to the computer (right!).

[jcarter]

Thank you, thats really what I needed to know. But my husband doesnt want to have to type in a password every time the Mac wakes up or sneezes.

Was surprised the Apple rep didn't suggest this, but she did however give me some good info about the different levels of MacBooks, which I am going to buy for my grandson next week.

[jchuzi]

Thank you, thats really what I needed to know. But my husband doesnt want to have to type in a password every time the Mac wakes up or sneezes.

There's a very simple cure: Go back to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General and uncheck the Require password box.

[jcarter]

Not there in any of our Macs sys prefs.

[Xairbusdriver]

So how the heck can I download Google Earth to his new Mac?

You already have. You get the alert when you try to open the app from (probably) the .zip file. I haven't wanted GE for several years so I haven't tried to download it, but this dialog is common for any/every new app I download. This method been around since at least Sierra. It's part of Apple's SIP.

Not there in any of our Macs sys prefs.

What OS are you using? Thought you had a new Mac and thus had macOS 10.13 High Sierra

You can also allow the computer to simply start up without requiring a password by enabling Automatic login with whoever is designated as an Admin. System Prefs->Users & Groups->Login Options->Automatic login.

I believe the checkbox Jon is referring to is in System Prefs->Security & Privacy upper section concerning login passwords: "Require password [timeframe] after sleep or screen saver begins".

BTW, a password has nothing to do with "scan [for malware] for it now and then." Scanning, after the fact, is like shutting the barn door after the horse has left."
"We limit the use of our Macs carefully, so never had malware" is also irrelevant to using a strong password on the computer/phone/tablet/car/house/etc. "Malware" has even been discovered in an app hosted by the App Store, it is out there and you may already have it. And, without a password on the Mac, there will be no chance to see when it is trying to change something in your system.

Not wanting to enter a password when the computer sleeps is easy to solve. "Don't throw out the baby with the bath water."

[jcarter]

10.13.6
It never requires password after sleep or any time ever until today when I tried to download Google Earth.
Always have automatic login on all our Macs.
Its confusing when things happen, when they never did beforehand. How do things change without us doing it?  Or is this change hidden in one of the updates for the OS, which I did this morning prior to trying to get GE? 

[Xairbusdriver]

until today when I tried to download Google Earth.

So you are saying you never actually downloaded GE? What does Safari say? Click the downward pointing arrow usually in the upper, right-hand corner of the title bar and it will show you a list of recent downloads.

is this change hidden in one of the updates for the OS, which I did this morning prior to trying to get GE?

Well, that looks like a clue! Only recent software updates I've seen in the last week has been the iWorks suite, Xcode and Safari.

It seems incongruous to have "Automatic login" if you don't have a password set. I guess that's the way you tell it to start up for a particular user, assuming there is more than one.

[jchuzi]

I believe the checkbox Jon is referring to is in System Prefs->Security & Privacy upper section concerning login passwords: "Require password [timeframe] after sleep or screen saver begins".

Oops! I edited my post to correct the error. Thanks for catching it, Jim!