How to change the user folder name in Windows 10

In this article, you’ll get to know how to rename the user folder in Windows 10. When you buy a new Windows 10 computer, you are required to perform an initial setup.

During this setup process, you need to enter a username that will be associated with your PC. This also creates a user folder in the drive where Windows 10 is installed.

Now, during the setup process, if you introduce a wrong username, you would need to change it later on.

Even though the process is not as straightforward as renaming any random folder, it can still be done. So, if you’ve been asking how to change the user folder name Windows 10, you have come to the right place.

Below, we will take a look at two of the most common methods to do it. The first one involves making a change to the Windows registry by using the Registry Editor (Regedit).

This is the most effective method but should be used only as a last resource as it involves some risk.

The second method implies replacing your current account with a new administrator account. Let’s take a look at both of these methods below.

How to change the user folder name in Windows 10
1. Creating a new Administrator account
2. How to change c /users/username in Windows 10 Using Registry Editor
Wrap Up

How to change the user folder name in Windows 10

Follow the methods below to learn how to create a new user on Windows 10 and consequently find out how to change the user name in Windows 10.

Creating a new Administrator account

This method can be considered as sort of a workaround or a “hack”. It entails creating a new local account with the username that you want.

Then you grant it administrator access to your computer, which essentially makes it an administrator account. Then, you remove the same access for your old account.

Let’s take a look at the steps involved in this:

Click on the Windows icon at the bottom left corner of your screen by default to open the Start Menu. Then click on the gear icon;
This will open up the Settings app on your computer. It allows you to change any preferences regarding the system;
In the settings app, you will find a bunch of different options. Click on “Accounts”;

You will now find yourself on the “Accounts” page which has basic information about your user account. You will see the username, the administrator account status, the user profile of any other user on your computer, and so on;
Next, click on “Family & other users” located on the left sidebar;

A new page will open up where you will find the details of other family members who share your computer;
Now, click on the “Add someone else to this PC” option which is located under “Other users”;

This will open up a small window that will ask you to sign in using an email address or phone number. Since we only need to create a local user account, and not a Microsoft account, you need to select “I don’t have this person’s sign-in information”;

In the following window, you will be prompted to create a new user account. Click on the third option: “Add a user without a Microsoft account”;

Now you will finally be able to create a new user account. In this window, enter the username that you had originally planned to use. Make sure you enter the username correctly this time around. Next, choose a password for this new user account. You will also need to set up the security questions in case you forget your password. Once you are done, click “Next”;

You have successfully created a new user account with your desired username. The same can be seen on the “Family & other users” page. This means that your computer now has an old user and a new user;

Next, we need to modify the account type of the new user created. By default, this new account is set to be a standard user. But we need to change it to make it an administrator account. To do this, click on your newly created local account under the “Family & other users” page. This will bring up two options: “Change account type” and “Remove”. Click on the first option;

You will now see a new window that will let you change the account type of the new user profile;
Click on “Standard user”. Then, select “Administrator”. Next, click “Ok”. Your new account is now set as an administrator account;

Now, you will have to change your old user account into a standard user. To do this, open up the Control Panel from your desktop;
Then, click on “User Accounts”;

This will show you the original user account that you had set up. On this page, click on “Change your account type”;

In the following window, make sure the “Standard” option is selected. Then, click on “Change Account Type”. This will change it to an ordinary local account;

To finish, log out and then log in with your new account, and then you will see the new user folder in your C drive (or wherever your Windows OS is installed).

How to change c /users/username in Windows 10 Using Registry Editor

This method can be a little risky as editing the Windows registry can mess up the system if not done properly.

However, if you know what you are doing and remain careful throughout the process, you can manage to change your user profile folder name effectively.

This method requires a second local account with administrator access to work.

So, you can follow the steps listed above to create a new administrator account. Then, follow the below steps:

Log in with the new user profile that you created in the above method. To do this, click on the Windows logo at the bottom left corner of the screen and then on the figure of a person. You will then see your newly created user profile. Click on it to switch to the new account;

Next, go to your user folder location. Its default location is usually in the C drive, where you typically find other folders like program files, system files, etc. To navigate to it, open your file explorer, double click on the C: drive, then double click the “Users” folder. You will see your old user folder as well as the new one;

Now, you need to right-click on your old user folder. Then, click on “Rename” from the menu. Name the user folder anything you want and press “Enter”. Check to see the correctness of the renamed folder and then close the File Explorer;

Then, open the Command Prompt app. To do it, press the “Windows + R” keys. Then type “cmd” in the textbox and click on “Ok”.

A new Command Line application window will open up. You need to paste the following command there (without the quotes) and press enter: “wmic useraccount get name,SID”;

A bunch of codes will appear in front of you corresponding to each Windows user account. You need to note down the SID of the profile folder that you want to rename;
Next, press the “Windows + R” keys again, and this time, type “Regedit” in the text box. Then click “Ok”;
This will open up the Registry Editor. Copy the following address (without the quotes) and paste it into the address bar of the Registry Editor: “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList“;

Now, in the left sidebar, you search for the SID that you had noted above. Once found, click on it;

Double click on the “ProfileImagePath” registry key from the list. This will allow us to change the” profileimagepath” value. A small window will open up;

In this small window, you need to enter the new user folder name in the box below “Value data” and then click “OK”. This name should be the same as the one entered in the File Explorer;

The user account folder is now successfully changed. You can now restart your computer and log in using any of the user accounts. In fact, your new user account name will be visible on the login screen. This further confirms that the change is successful;

Note: Again, to rename user profile folder, only use this second method if the first one doesn’t work for you for some reason. Editing the Windows registry can be quite risky and a single mistake can cause major harm to your system.

Wrap Up

When you set up a new computer, you are asked to create a new user account. While going through this step, most people often choose something random, thinking that they will change it later.

They later realize that this is not so easy.

Even though changing the account name is relatively easy, changing the user folder name associated with the account is not that peaceful.

There are several workarounds to this and you need to be careful while using them.

The first method is to create a new admin account and then remove administrator access to the old one.

The second method involves editing the Windows registry. This is more effective but also quite risky.

However, if you follow the above steps, now you know how to change your username in Windows 10 and you will be changing your user folder name in no time at all.

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Table of Contents

How to change the user folder name in Windows 10

Creating a new Administrator account

How to change c /users/username in Windows 10 Using Registry Editor

Wrap Up