How to Correctly Change Your User Name in Windows 10

How to Change Your Username in Windows 10

We’ve all been there – you’re setting up a new Windows 10 computer and accidentally misspell your desired username. Or maybe you simply want to update to a new username. Whatever the reason, you quickly realize changing your username is not as straightforward as you may think.

Rest assured, you can change your username in Windows 10. It just takes a few extra steps compared to previous Windows versions. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through the complete process step-by-step.

Requirements

Before we get started, there are a couple requirements to changing your username in Windows 10:

• You must have an administrator account to change your username.
• Changing your username will not change the name of your user folder. You’ll have to change that separately.

As long as you meet those two requirements, you’re ready to change your username. Let’s jump in!

How do I manage another user account on Windows 10?

If you’re a touchscreen user, hold down your finger on the Start button and tap the words Control Panel from the pop‐up menu. Click to open the Control Panel’s User Accounts category. Click the User Accounts link and then click the Manage Another Account link.

How do I change a user account name in Windows 10?

Find and open the classic Control Panel. One way to do this is to press Windows + R and then type Control, then hit Enter. Open the User Accounts control panel, then click Manage another account. Click the account you want to edit. Click Change the account name. Enter the correct username for the account, then click Change Name.

Access the User Accounts Menu

The first step is to access the user accounts menu. Here’s how:

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type "netplwiz" and hit Enter. This opens the User Accounts window.

Alternatively, you can open Control Panel -> User Accounts -> Manage Accounts to access the same menu.

Select the Account to Change

In the User Accounts window, you’ll see a list of all user accounts on the computer.

Click on the account whose username you want to change. This highlights it.

Then click "Properties" at the bottom.

Enter a New Username

The Properties window for that user account opens. Here’s where you can change the username:

1. Locate the "User name" field.
2. Delete the current username and type your desired new name.
3. Click "Apply" then "OK" to save the changes.

You’ll be prompted to enter the account password to apply the new username.

Sign Out and Back In

Once you’ve updated the username, sign out and back in. You should now see the new username on the login screen and within your user account.

How do I Change my Windows 10 account name?

If it’s a Windows 10 local account, we suggest that you navigate to Control Panel > under User Accounts, click Change account type > select the local account > click Change the account name. Then, you may already enter the new name for the account and click the Change Name button to complete the task. We’re just here if you need further help.

How do I Turn Off User Account Control (UAC) in Windows 10?

If you went over our guide insisting not to turn off UAC and you’re still determined to disable it, move the slider to the bottom Never notify option, the lowest level of security. This turns the User Account Control off, making it easier for malicious programs to infect and take control of your Windows 10 computer or device.

That’s it! With just a few simple steps, you can change your username in Windows 10.

Changing Your User Folder Name

As mentioned earlier, changing your username does not also change the name of your user folder. Your user folder located in C:\Users will retain its original name.

If you want your user folder name to match your new username, here’s how to change it:

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users.
2. Right click on the folder with your original username.
3. Select "Rename" from the menu.
4. Type your new username as the folder name and press Enter.

You may need to restart your computer to fully apply the user folder name change.

When to Create a New User Instead

In some cases, rather than changing your existing username, it may be better to create an entirely new user account with your desired username. This avoids messing up your current profile.

Consider creating a new user if:

• You want to link the account to a Microsoft account. It’s easier to start fresh.
• You have customized folders and settings under your current profile.
• You have installed programs tied to your current username.

As long as you transfer over your personal data, a new user can prevent headaches down the road.

How do you change the sign-in account name on Windows 10?

Open Control Panel. Under the “User Accounts” section, click the “Change account type” option. Select the local account to change its name. Click the “Change the account name” option. Confirm the new account name for the Sign-in screen. Click the Change Name button.

How do I Change User Account Control settings?

There’s not a lot of reason to change the User Account Control setting, but you can. On the taskbar or in the Settings window, enter UAC in the search box and then, in the search results list, click User Account Control Settings.

Can you change your user profile name in Windows 10?

The simplest and most widely used method for change your Windows user account name,Through the settings menu. In this case, all you have to do is adhere to the following steps: open the Settings menufrom Windows 10. Go to the section accounts. There, click your information. Changing your username in Windows 10 is very easy

Tips for Managing Windows 10 Usernames

Here are some extra tips for effectively managing usernames in Windows 10:

• Use descriptive usernames you’ll easily remember.
• Keep passwords secure by using strong combinations.
• Standardize usernames across computers for consistency.
• Change Microsoft account names at the source for universal updating.

Taking the time to properly handle Windows 10 usernames will save you trouble later on.

Switching to a Local Account

If your account is connected to a Microsoft account, you may want to switch to a local account to more easily edit your username and other account details.

Here’s how to disconnect a Microsoft account:

1. Go to Settings -> Accounts -> Your info
2. Select "Sign in with a local account instead"
3. Enter a new username and password for a local account.

Now you can modify your username as a local profile instead.

How do you change your local user account name in Windows 10?

When using a local account on Windows 10, you have several ways to modify the account’s name through Control Panel. Open Control Panel. Under the “User Accounts” section, click the “Change account type” option. Select the local account to change its name. Click the “Change the account name” option.

How do I Change User Account Control settings in Windows 10?

Open Control Panel. Click on System and Security. Click the “Change User Account Control settings” option. On a Standard user account, you’ll see the four levels, but you can only change two of them:

How do I Change my user name on netplwiz?

Type NETPLWIZ and hit the Enter key which will list all the user accounts active on the computer. Select your user account name and click on Properties. Change the User name in its corresponding text box. Click Apply and Ok. Sign out of your account and see if the username has changed on the sign in screen.

In Summary

While not the most straightforward process, you can absolutely change your username in Windows 10. Just access the user accounts menu, select your account, enter a new name, and sign out and back in. Optionally change your user folder name as well.

For issues like an unresponsive login screen, you may need to reset Windows or boot into safe mode. But in most cases, the steps outlined here will successfully change your username.

We hope this tutorial makes it easy to fix a misspelled username or update your name in Windows 10. Let us know in the comments if you have any other questions!

References

1. https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-10/how-to-change-user-name-windows-10/td-p/3630358
2. https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-10-change-username/

How do I create a local user account on Windows 10?

To create a local user account on Windows 10, use these steps: Open Settings. Click on Accounts. Click on Family & other users. Under the “Other users” section, click the Add someone else to this PC option. Click the I don’t have this person’s sign-in information option. Click the Add a user without a Microsoft account option. Confirm the username.