How to change administrator on Windows 10

How to remove Windows 10 password

Knowing how to change administrator on Windows 10 is useful as there are certain functions that won’t work if you have a Standard user account.

Hence, to get full control over your PC, you need administrative rights.

Nonetheless, when you create a new Windows account, it features only the standard permissions, including viewing and editing files and using the preinstalled software on the PC.

In contrast, you get full access to all advanced options, like modifying the security settings, opening all files, and installing desired hardware or software on the computer.

Moreover, you can also revoke admin rights of accounts you no longer trust with admin control settings.

Go through this article and learn how you can utilize Control Panel and Settings to change the admin account on a Windows 10 PC.

Table of Contents

  1. How to change administrator on Windows 10
    1. Administrator vs Standard account: what’s different?
    2. Changing administrator on Windows 10
      1. Using Settings to change administrator
      2. Changing administrator via the Control Panel app
    3. Enabling Administrator on Windows 10
  2. Changing administrator name on Windows 10
  3. Setting the administrator account password
  4. Wrap up

How to change administrator on Windows 10

Administrator vs Standard account: what’s different?

Windows OS offers two types of user accounts, i.e., Standard and Administrator. The first type is capable of performing all the regular tasks.

For example, as a standard user, you can browse the internet, use the email app, run preinstalled programs safely, and execute other basic tasks.

However, you can’t make changes in the user accounts settings with a standard account. Besides, you won’t be able to share your PC with another user, so they can’t perform changes that can possibly compromise the system.

While the standard user account is a bit restrictive in nature, the administrator user account type allows you complete control over the system.

You can add or remove users and download apps from the Microsoft Store.

So, if you want to become the one in charge of your PC, this guide details some reliable methods that will help you in enabling an administrator account on Windows 10.

Changing administrator on Windows 10

Before proceeding with this article, it’s important to mention that if you are an administrator on your computer and you got locked out of your Windows system or your administrator rights got canceled, you won’t be able to make further changes.

In this scenario, you are left with the option of changing Administrator on Windows 10.

Luckily, the process is easier than you think. Just have a look at these two methods and decide which of these works the best for your PC.

Using Settings to change administrator

Nothing can be easier than utilizing the Settings app to change the administrative settings on a Windows 10 computer.

As mentioned earlier, only the administrator can access the change user account option. Hence, if you are using a standard user account, you will have to ask an administrator to make the changes.

Here’s how you can use settings to alter administrator on Windows 10:

  • Open the Settings app from the Start Menu;
  • In the new window, click on “Accounts“;
How to change administrator on Windows 10

  • In Accounts, switch to the “Family & other users” tab in the left pane;
  • Scroll down to “Other people” and select the standard account that you want to make changes for;

  • Click on “Change Account Type“;
  • A blue-colored Change Account Type window will show on the screen;
  • Tap on the drop-down button under Account type and choose the “Administrator” option;

  • Finally, click “OK” to confirm the changes.

This way, the standard account will be updated into an administrator account. You can change as many accounts as you want.

Nonetheless, you must have administrative privilege for at least a single account; else, you won’t be able to make adjustments later.

Changing administrator via the Control Panel app

Like Settings, Control Panel also lets its users change administrator on Windows 10 using the Change Account Type feature.

Just follow these simple steps and see how these integrated utilities make the work effortless:

  • Type “Control Panel” in the Windows search bar and hit Enter;
  • In the Control Panel window, click on “Change account type” below the User Accounts option;

  • In the Manage Accounts pop-up, select the user account you want to change to the administrator. This will disclose a bunch of change options, including changing the password, changing the account name, changing the account type, managing another account, etc;

  • Click on the “Change account type” option;

  • Here you will see two radio buttons specifying a standard and administrator account;
  • Tap on the “Administrator” button, followed by “Change Account Type“, to apply changes. You can follow these steps for multiple accounts.

Enabling Administrator on Windows 10

The above two methods are sufficient to do the work. However, if you don’t have the administrator account enabled on your system you have to do it first.

The following steps take you through the method of enabling an administrator account on Windows 10:

  • Press the Win+R keys to open the Run command;
  • Type “regedit” in the Run box and press Enter;
  • Locate the following path in the Registry Editor:

“Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\SpeacialAccounts\UserList”

  • Right-click on the “UserList” option;
  • Select “New“, followed by “DWORD Value“;
  • Name the Administrator and press Enter;
  • Reboot the PC to check if the administration option appears on the sign-in screen.

Changing administrator name on Windows 10

Does your administrator user account name differ from your actual name? We have a way to fix that too!

  • Go to the Run dialog box, type or paste the “gpedit.msc” command, and press Enter. The local Group Policy Editor will open up;

  • Navigate to the following path:

“Computer Configuration/Windows Settings/Security Settings/Local Policies/Security Options/”

  • Double-click on the “Accounts: Rename administrator account” option;

  • Enter a name of your choice and click “Ok“;

  • Restart your computer to confirm if your chosen name is displayed on the sign-in screen.

Setting the administrator account password

There is a universal way of setting a Windows password for all administrators:

  • Open the Computer Management Utility by typing “compmgmt.msc” in the Run prompt;
  • In the “Local User and Groups” tab, select the “Users” option;

  • Right-click on “Administrator” and tap on the “Set Password” option;

  • A “Set Password” window will appear on the screen. Read its content and follow the on-screen instructions.

Wrap up

While any of the above-mentioned methods will be enough to change administrator on Microsoft Windows 10, you can also use the Command Prompt, Computer Management Console, or PCUnlocker for this purpose if your admin account is not working for unknown reasons.

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