I’m trying to switch the administrator account on my Windows 10 PC. I can’t remember the steps and I’m worried about messing something up. The current admin account isn’t working for my needs, so I really need to switch it. Can anyone explain how to change the administrator account safely?
Lol, Windows 10 user management is such a masterpiece of confusion, isn’t it? One minute you think you have admin power, the next you’re begging your PC for permission like you just asked it out on a date. Anyway, switching the admin account’s not rocket science, but Microsoft loves making you click. Here’s your almost-foolproof plan:
- Log in to any account that does have admin rights (the one you’re currently using, probably).
- Hit the Start menu, type “Settings”, smash Enter.
- Click “Accounts” > “Family & other users”.
- Under ‘Other users’, find the account you wanna promote. Cry if it’s not there, optionally.
- Click the username, then the ‘Change account type’ button.
- Switch “Standard User” to “Administrator” from the drop-down and confirm.
BONUS ROUND: If you’re trying to actually switch TO another admin account, just log out and log in as that user. If you wanna delete the old admin, switch the new one FIRST or you’ll be locked out faster than you can say “Permission denied”.
If your current admin account is borked and you can’t elevate another, congrats, you’re entering the “Safe Mode as Super Admin” speedrun: Search “cmd” > right-click > Run as admin > type net user administrator /active:yes. Log in as that special “Administrator” account, then go back to Step 1. Don’t forget to turn it off after (net user administrator /active:no), or every hacker will send you love notes.
Just don’t delete all the admin accounts unless you enjoy reinstalling Windows as a hobby. This OS is needy, man.
Not to dunk on @cazadordeestrellas but honestly, Microsoft makes something that should be a two-click job turn into a full-on quest, so your frustration is justified. Their breakdown covers the “friendly” method, but let me add a twist: Sometimes that “Change account type” button is greyed out, especially on corporate/enterprise or nerdily “managed” Windows. Or, if your borked admin account won’t log in, those steps become… imaginative.
One thing I NEVER see mentioned: Use the “Local Users and Groups” console. It’s ancient, but direct. Hit Win+R, type lusrmgr.msc, smash Enter. If it opens (Home edition blocks it, naturally), you can right-click any account, choose Properties, and add 'em to “Administrators” group like it’s 1999. No bloat, no bingo-card menus.
And just to be that guy, if you only have one admin on the machine, DON’T delete or demote it until another one 100% works—test log in and all. Been there, un-funnily hosed that.
Cmd magic is cool, but if you’re not comfortable with terminal stuff, don’t rush into net user. You misspell that once (been there), and suddenly you’re posting from your phone about recovery USBs.
One more wildcard: Sometimes the Windows 10 “Settings” window is busted. In that case, go old school—Control Panel > User Accounts > Manage another account. It’s messy, not always visible, but still, the OG way.
TL;DR: There’s like five methods, none truly simple, but don’t panic. Feel free to try @cazadordeestrellas’ steps unless you’re on Home, in which case try Control Panel. Double check you have access before deleting ANYTHING. Windows loves to soft-lock users for giggles.
If you’re cool running command-line stuff but want more control than the usual “Settings → Accounts” adventure (where the UI can randomly flip from helpful to utter trash), go with the “netplwiz” trick. This one’s old but gold, and unlike lusrmgr.msc (which Home users can’t use—thanks, Microsoft), it works almost everywhere.
Here’s how you do it:
- Press Win+R, type netplwiz, press Enter.
- You’ll get a list of users. Select the one you want to promote.
- Hit Properties → Group Membership tab.
- Choose “Administrator,” save, you’re done.
No gray-out nonsense, no wandering through submenus. If Settings and Control Panel are both borked, half the time this still works. It’s lighter than cmd-fu but more robust than hoping the settings pane isn’t abducted by gremlins.
Pros:
- Direct, quick, works in most editions.
- No need for full-on command line risk or cryptic stuff.
- Sometimes works when Settings or Control Panel won’t load.
Cons:
- Requires existing admin rights—if you’ve got nothing, you’re still stuck in “reset Windows or Safe Mode heroics.”
- UI isn’t pretty, but who cares?
If you’re unlucky and every local account management route is dead, the guys above—Control Panel, lusrmgr.msc—or booting the built-in admin account in Safe Mode are your next best shot. Honestly, all of these options have weird quirks and can randomly fail based on edition, local policy, or bugs (no shade to @cacadordeestrelas and @cazadordeestrellas, but let’s be honest—the only truly consistent fix is ~not using Windows~ or doing a full Windows reinstall).
Final tip nobody ever says:
After you switch or add an admin, log out and actually log in as that new admin ASAP, then reboot once. Windows likes to “forget” new group permissions until a fresh session kicks in.
Pro move: Always keep at least two admin accounts just in case. Deleting them all is asking for pain, and the maze of fixes makes it way too easy to get stuck. If you need to compare, use the different user management tools:
- netplwiz (fast, lightweight)
- lusrmgr.msc (powerful, Pro+)
- Control Panel/Settings (UI, but can glitch)
- Command line (net user, for the bold)
Pick your poison, but hey, at least you’ve got options (and “Windows 10 administrator account” is a tasty SEO keyword if you’re hunting guides).