A script to aid in setting up a Mac for use as a GitHub Actions self-hosted runner.

setup-macos-runner.sh

#!/bin/bash

# The name of the runner user account
RUNNER_USERNAME="runner"
RUNNER_FULLNAME="$RUNNER_USERNAME"

# Check for sudo access
echo "Checking for root access..."
# Check if running as root
if [ $EUID != 0 ]; then
    >&2 echo "Script requires super user privileges. Re-run the script using 'sudo'. Exiting..."
    exit 1
fi
echo "Root access confirmed"

# Prompt for the password of the runner user account
read -s -p "Enter the password for the runner user account: " RUNNER_PASSWORD
echo # No-op to make sure next 'echo' happens on a new line

# Create the user account
echo "Setting up '$RUNNER_USERNAME' user account..."
sysadminctl -addUser "$RUNNER_USERNAME" -fullName "$RUNNER_FULLNAME" -password "$RUNNER_PASSWORD" -admin
echo "User account '$RUNNER_USERNAME' created"

# Check macOS version
MACOS_VERSION=$(sw_vers -productVersion)
MAJOR_VERSION=$(echo "$MACOS_VERSION" | cut -d '.' -f 1)

# Setup the user account to auto-login for macOS >= 13
# On macOS < 13, auto-login will need to be setup manually in the UI
if [ "$MAJOR_VERSION" -ge 13 ]; then
    echo "Setting up '$RUNNER_USERNAME' user account to auto-login..."
    sysadminctl -autologin set -userName "$RUNNER_USERNAME" -password "$RUNNER_PASSWORD"
    sysadminctl -autologin status
else
  echo "macOS < 13 detected. You will need to setup auto-login manually."
fi

# Disable Spotlight search
# echo "Disabling Spotlight..."
# launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.metadata.mds.plist || true

# Disable sleep
echo "Disabling sleep (error output is normal)..."
# These commands produce error output in the terminal, but they can likely be ignored
# See https://github.com/LnL7/nix-darwin/issues/359#issuecomment-1408968833
systemsetup -setsleep Never
systemsetup -setharddisksleep Never
systemsetup -setcomputersleep Never

# Disable screen saver and login window after timeout
echo "Disabling screen saver and login window after timeout..."
defaults write com.apple.screensaver loginWindowIdleTime 0
defaults write com.apple.screensaver idleTime 0

# Turn off animations
echo "Disabling animations..."
# Disable dock app launch animations
defaults write com.apple.dock launchanim -bool false

# All done
echo "All done."

# Prompt to reboot the system
read -p "The system needs to be rebooted to complete the setup. Would you like to reboot now? (y/n)" REBOOT
if [[ $REBOOT =~ ^[Yy]$ ]]; then
  echo "Rebooting..."
  shutdown -r now
else
  echo "Reboot when you get a chance."
fi