HomeWinBuzzer TipsHow to Change a Username / Account Name in Windows 10

How to Change a Username / Account Name in Windows 10

We show you how to change the account name / change a user name in Windows 10 for normal accounts and administrators.

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If you want a new account name in you can either create an additional user account or change the username of your exisiting account.

Here we show you how to change an account name in Windows 10, which requires different procedures for local accounts that are only present on your drive and linked accounts.

There are different reasons why you might want to change a username in Windows 10. Maybe your real name has changed and you need to reflect this change in Windows 10 as well. Or you have been using a nickname and want to do a username change to your real name. You may also want to change the name of the built-in administrator account for security reasons.

Here are all the different methods on how to change a Windows user account name.

How To Change your Windows 10 Account Name for Linked Microsoft Accounts

To change the Windows 10 username of a linked Microsoft account you need to access account options in a webbrowser. After changing your user name there, the effect will be reflected in Windows 10 and other linked products such as Xbox, Skype etc..

  1. Open your Microsoft account in the web-browser


    Head to account.microsoft.com/account and click on “Your info”.

    Windows 10 - Micosoft Account - Open Your Info

  2. Click on “Edit name”


    Windows 10 - Micosoft Account - Your Info - Open Edit Name

  3. Select a new account name and click “Save”


    Windows 10 - Micosoft Account - Your Info - Edit Name

  4. Check if the username change has been applied correctly


    Your new account name will be changed also on Windows 10 after logging in the next time after Windows 10 synced with your account information in the cloud.

    Windows 10 - Micosoft Account - Your Info - Profile

How To Change the Account Name of a Local Account via Control Panel

Local account names can be changed easily via the control panel for normal users and for administrator accounts.

  1. Open “Control Panel”

    Windows 10 - Open Control Panel
  2. Switch to “Small icons” view or search for “User Accounts”


    Windows 10 - Control Panel - Open Small Icons Category

  3. Open Windows 10 “User Accounts”


    Windows 10 - Control Panel - All Control Panel Items - Open User Accounts

  4. Select “Manage another account”


    Windows 10 - Control Panel - All Control Panel Items - User Accounts - Open Manage Another Account

  5. Klick on the user account name you want to change


    Windows 10 - Control Panel - User Accounts -Manage Accounts - Choose User Account

  6. Select “Change the account name”


    Windows 10 - Control Panel - User Accounts -Manage an Account - Choose the User - Change the Account Name

  7. Choose a new Windows username


    Write in “New account name” and click “Change Name”.

    Windows 10 - Control Panel - User Accounts -Manage an Account - Choose the User - Change the Account Name - Rename Account

  8. Check if your changed account name is correct


    Windows 10 - Control Panel - User Accounts -Manage an Account - Choose the User - Change the Account Name - Rename Account - Account Renamed

How To Change a Local Account Name via Local Users and Groups

Changing a Windows user name via Local Users and Groups is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

  1. Run the “usrmgr.msc”-command


    Open the run-dialog via the hotkey “Windows + R” and launch the command usrmgr.msc”.

    Windows 10 - Run Dialog - Open Local Users and Groups

  2. Select the Windows 10 user name you want to change


    Click on “Users” on the left side and double click the account name you want to change.

    Windows 10 - Run Dialog -Local Users and Groups - Users - Choose User Account

  3. Add the new account name you want to use and click “OK”


    Windows 10 - Run Dialog -Local Users and Groups - Users - Choose User Account - Full Name

  4. Check the list if the username has been changed successfully


    Windows 10 - Run Dialog - Local Users and Groups - Users - Choose User Account - Full Name - Name Changed

How To Change the Name of a Local Account via the Advanced User Accounts Control Panel (Netplwiz.exe)

The Advanced User Accounts control panel “Netplwiz” lets you perform various user management tasks such as changing the account name of a local user, assigning users to groups, manage passwords and set some security features.

  1. Run the “netplwiz”-command


    Open the run-dialog via the hotkey “Windows + R” and launch the command netplwiz“.

    Windows 10 - Run Dialog - Open Netplwiz

  2. Select password-based logon and username


    Check “Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer”, select the local account you want to change the name of, and click/tap on “Properties”.

    Windows 10 - Run Dialog -Netplwiz - Open User Name Properties

  3. Put the new account name at “User name” and click “OK”.


    Windows 10 - Run Dialog -Netplwiz - User Name Properties - New Name

How To Change the Name of a Local Account via Command Prompt

Changing a Windows 10 user name for a local account is also possible via the command prompt.

  1. Open an elevated command prompt


    Search for “CMD” or “Command Prompt” using Windows 10 search and click on “Run as administrator”.

    Windows 10 - Open an Elevated Command Prompt

  2. List existing Windows 10 user names


    Run the following command to list all user account names and note the one you want to change.

    wmic useraccount get fullname, name



    Windows 10 - Elevated Command Prompt - Wmic Useraccount

  3. Set a new account name with


    Run the following command to change the account name replacing “Current User Name” and “New Account Name” accordingly:

    wmic useraccount where name="Current User Name" rename "New Account Name"



    Windows 10 - Elevated Command Prompt - Wmic Useraccount Rename

How To Change the Name of a Local Account in PowerShell

As an alternative to the CMD-method, you can also change a Windows 10 user name with PowerShell.

  1. Open an elevated PowerShell


    Right-click the Start-button and select “Windows PowerShell (Admin)”.

    Windows 10 - Open Elevated Powershell

  2. List existing Windows 10 user names


    Run the command Get-LocalUser to list all existing Windows 10 user accounts and note the username you want to change.

    Windows 10 - Elevated Powershell - Command - Get-Localuser

  3. Rename username of local account


    Run the following command to change the account name replacing “Current User Name” and “New Account Name” accordingly: 

    Rename-LocalUser -Name "Current Name" -NewName "New Name"

     

    Windows 10 - Elevated Powershell - Command - Rename-Localuser

How To Change the Name of the Built-in Administrator account via Local Security Policy

This option is only available in the Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise editions.

  1. Open Windows 10 Local Security Policy


    Search for “secpol.msc” using Windows 10 search and click on the result.

    Windows 10 - Open Local Security Policy

  2. Open the “Rename administrator account” policy


    Navigate to “Local Policies – Security Options” and open “Accounts: Rename administrator account” via double-click.

    Windows 10 - Local Security Policy - Security Options - Rename Administrator Account

  3. Change the Windows 10 administrator name


    Change “Administrator” to any other account name you want to use for the built-in hidden Windows 10 admin account.

    Windows 10 - Local Security Policy - Security Options - Rename Administrator Account

How to Enable the Hidden Admin-Account, Delete User Accounts and Disable Fast User Switching

Please also check our on how to enable the hidden admin-account and about the various available methods to delete user accounts in Windows 10. You might also be interested in how to enable or disable Fast User Switching.

Markus Kasanmascheff
Markus Kasanmascheff
Markus is the founder of WinBuzzer and has been playing with Windows and technology for more than 25 years. He is holding a Master´s degree in International Economics and previously worked as Lead Windows Expert for Softonic.com.

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