When you set up a new Windows 10 PC, you will need to choose a username. During setup, you can choose a random or temporary username, but over time you might consider changing it for various reasons.
For some users, changing their username is a privacy issue, especially if they use their devices in public places. For others, the username can help them distinguish between multiple users on the same PC.
While it’s possible to change your username in Windows 10, it’s not as easy as you might think.
How to change a username in Windows 10
You can change your username on Windows 10 whether you are using a local account or a Microsoft account. The username is part of the identity that allows you to log in and access your files, documents, and applications on your PC.
To change your username, you can use the Settings app or Control Panel.
Change username in Windows 10 using settings
If you sign in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account, it displays the username saved in the cloud. However, if you’re installing Windows 10 without a Microsoft account, you’re using a local account to sign in.
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You can change your username in Windows 10 through the Settings app, but you’ll have to update your online account settings to reflect this change.
- Click Start> Settings> Accounts.
- Click Your Details.
- Then click Manage My Microsoft Account.
- Log in with your username and password. Click “More Actions” under your account image.
- Then click Change Profile.
- Click Change Name.
- Confirm new name to change your username, make sure you are not a robot, and then click Save. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Your Windows 10 username will be updated, but it won’t sync instantly and won’t apply to all your devices. In addition, your username and last name in your email account and other Microsoft services will change after the new username settings are applied.
Change username in Windows 10 using Control Panel
Change your user name in Windows 10 using Control Panel
For local account users, the best way to change username in Windows 10 is to use Control Panel. This method uses three different approaches. You can change your username using:
- user accounts
- using computer management
- using netplwiz
- To change your username in Windows 10 using User Account Settings, open Control Panel and select the Change Account Type option under User Accounts.
- Click the local account whose username you want to change.
- Then click Change Account Name.
- Change your username and then click Change Name.
- To use Computer Management, click Start and type Computer Management in the search box. Select the top result to open Computer Management Console.
- Click to expand the System Tools category.
- Click Local Users and Groups, and then double-click Users.
- Right-click the account whose username you want to change and select Properties.
- Then go to the General tab.
- Enter a new username in the Full Name field and click Apply> OK.
- When finished, log out and restart your computer to apply the new username.
- Type netplwiz in the search box and click the corresponding search result to open the legacy user account settings.
- Click Users and select the user account whose username you want to change.
- Then click Properties. You can update the username field and change your nickname. When finished, confirm the new username in the Full Name field and click Apply> OK.
- To create a new account. user profile, click Start> Settings> Accounts> Family & other users.
- Click “Add someone else to this computer”.
- Then click I don’t have this person’s login credentials.
- Click Add User Without Microsoft Account.
- Enter your username, password and select security questions. Click Next.
- You can also give your account administrator permission to move files. To do this, click “Other Users” and select the account you just created. Click Change Account Type. Click the Account Type drop-down list, and then click Administrator. Click “OK” and restart your computer.
How to Use User Accounts to Change Username
With User Account Settings, you can also create and control all user accounts with different access roles and permission levels. This allows you to share your device with others at home or in the office.
Each user gets their own personalized space for their desktop and private storage for their files, which is different from the storage area of ??the other user. For family members, especially children, you can use a Microsoft Family account to prevent them from accessing content on your device or inappropriate content online.
Sign out and sign in again for the changes to take effect.
How to use Computer Management to change your username
Computer Management in Windows 10 is a collection of tools that can help you manage, track, or optimize your PC’s tasks, performance, security, and other improvements. You can use it to manage local users and groups if you need more local computer related options than User Accounts offers.
How to use Netplwiz to change username
Netplwiz is an executable file that gives you control over all user accounts on your PC. You can use this tool to change and update your username.
Log out, restart your computer and the new username will be displayed on your computer.
Create a new user account
If you want to remove any traces of the previous username, you can create a new user account with a new username and then move all of your files to the new user account.
Do not remain restricted to one username
Usernames should not be carved out of stone. If you want to change your username on Windows 10, you can do so without jumping through a hoop. We also have guides to help you change your Spotify username and Skype name.
Did you manage to change your username on Windows 10 using the methods described above? Share with us in the comments below.
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