How to Rename a Windows 10 Local User Account
There might come a time when you want to rename a user with a local account on your shared Windows 10 PC. Here’s a look at doing it step-by-step.
There might come a time when you want to rename a user with a local account on your shared Windows 10 PC. We recently showed you how to create a local user account in Windows 10, and here’s a look at how you can rename it.
Change Windows 10 User Account Name
Hit the Windows key on your keyboard and type: control panel and select the classic Control Panel app from the list of results at the top.
Then change the “View by” dropdown to large or small icons if it isn’t selected already.
Now scroll down and click on the User Accounts option.
That opens up the User Accounts section in the classic Control Panel, and from there, select Manage another account.
Next, choose the user account you want to rename.
In the next section, you have various options you can use to manage the account. In this case, you want to select the first choice — Change the account name.
Now put in the new name you want to give the account and click the Change Name button.
That’s all there is to it! The account is renamed, and you’ll see that reflected in the Manage other accounts section as well as the login screen.
Microsoft is starting to get away from Control Panel and move a lot of the PC configuration to the new Settings app. But Control Panel is still there for now. That might change over time as Windows 10 matures. If that happens, we’ll update this process.
If you recently upgraded Windows 7 to Windows 10 and are new to the OS and want to learn more about using it, make sure to check out our complete archive of Windows 10 articles.
And for more discussion and help with Microsoft’s new operating system, head over to the free Windows 10 Forums.
20 Comments
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Sankar
October 9, 2015 at 5:09 am
Hi, is it possible to keep Computer name and local user name are same in Windows 10.
Loren
November 28, 2015 at 10:45 am
This still doesn’t change the underlying user name in Windows 10. For example, if you then want to create a new local account named “Sarah”, Windows 10 won’t allow it because there is still a user with that name. I looked into using net user in a Cmd prompt, but there is no rename option. Any ideas for how to get around this?
Haik
January 10, 2016 at 8:49 am
@Loren – Yup. Not only that but you can’t use your new username when sharing directories, it still uses the old one.
I can understand Windows wanting to keep the underlying directory and registry paths working, but think it should add an alias to the new name for Sharing Permissions purposes.
Haik
January 10, 2016 at 9:02 am
A good way of showing how skin deep this change is, is to change a username to “Harold”, and then create another username called Harold. Windows lets you do this without problem, as the first change didn’t really change anything.
RAHUL HUKKERI
June 11, 2016 at 4:47 am
This works thanks……
Joe Josh
March 10, 2017 at 1:19 pm
Hello,
I am an admin on my computer. I do not find find “Change the account name” when I get here: Control Panel\User Accounts\User Accounts\Manage Accounts\Change an Account. Please assist.
Thanks
Joe
MK
March 25, 2017 at 2:53 pm
I’m in the same situation as Joe. Hope someone can help!
cqüeb
April 8, 2017 at 9:15 am
Same here!
cqüeb
April 8, 2017 at 9:33 am
Maybe we can’t change our name (inclusive as administrator) because we are are using a Microsoft acccount to login in Windows 10. In my case, my name has an accent.:( .. but I have doubt to edit it!
Nelli
May 11, 2017 at 1:59 am
Same problem. Maybe I cannot rename administrator?
Any suggestions ?
Anna
May 29, 2017 at 1:21 pm
Same problem here. So annoying since I use Apple but have to use W10 now for work. So many directions online are WRONG. Ugh.
Sherry
June 1, 2017 at 10:09 am
Same issue here.
Sieo
July 16, 2017 at 11:17 am
I want to rename my Windows 10 administrator, but I saw a lot of websites saying you are not allowed to change it. I followed the steps above, but there’s no control panel like it showed in the picture, still can’t change it :S Does anyone have solution?
Chuck Nights
October 2, 2018 at 3:20 pm
Yes, in the start menu go down to Windows System > Control Panel.
This will open the old Control Panel where you can go in an change your name.
Robert
February 8, 2020 at 1:28 pm
Thanks, this worked to change the displayed Administrator’s name, when there is no other account.
Anna
July 16, 2017 at 6:01 pm
Sieo:
You might want to start a new thread on this since your post is probably only going to those is this thread and clearly we have no answers. I gave up on it since I don’t have to use Windows for much of anything which is just about what it’s worth ;o/
Keisha
September 28, 2017 at 1:49 pm
Hi Guys, I figured it out!! This has been a pain in my you know what. Hope it helps!
I open a folder on my computer (i.e. documents), then I copied and past the below path in the address to direct the folder to open the ‘class settings’
Copy & Paste this into the address field for the folder:
Control Panel\User Accounts\User Accounts\Manage Accounts\Change an Account
Hit enter and it will open the classic look for changing the username. Now, this is only to change the username. I wasn’t interested in changing folders, etc.
Again, hope it helps!
avi
November 19, 2017 at 4:30 pm
This is basically how I changed my log-in name. Go to “Settings”, click “Accounts”, and then scroll down until you find “Sign in with local account instead”, or something similar like that.
Keith
March 23, 2019 at 6:40 am
I used the following commands from this link to resolve this issue.
1.Windows key + r (opens the run box)
2. enter netplwiz and hit enter.
3. highlight your user account and choose properties.
4. change the username field from current name to newname.
5. hit ok and logout and log back in as new username.
link
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/change-account-name-windows-10/
Dorn
March 30, 2021 at 11:02 am
Just tap your Windows key and type in “Control Panel”. :-| Just that easy.