How to Change an Administrator User Name

To use any currently supported version of the Windows operating system, you must be logged in with a user name. Certain user names are designated as administrators, meaning that one can change important system settings while logged in under that user name. By default, newly configured Windows installations assign the user name "Administrator" to new administrator accounts. To change this, you must simply establish a new user account with a different name, and assign administrator privileges to that account.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Windows Vista

1. Click the "Start" button in Windows and select "Control Panel" from the Start Menu.

2. Click the "Add or remove user accounts" link in the Control Panel window.

3. Click "Create new account."

4. Enter your desired user name for the administrator account in the empty field, then click the "Administrator" bubble. Finally, click the "Create Account" button. This will create a new administrator account with your chosen name, and the old account named "Administrator" will disappear from the user menu.

Windows XP

5. Click the "Start" button in Windows and select "Control Panel" from the Start Menu.

6. Double-click the "User Accounts" icon.

7. Click "Create a new account."

8. Enter your desired name for the account and click the "Next" button.

9. Click the "Administrator" bubble and then click the "Create Account" button to finish the process. When you do this, the new account will be added to the user menu as the administrator, and the account named "Administrator" will disappear.

Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT and ME

10. Click the "Start" button in Windows and select "Control Panel" from the Start Menu.

11. Double-click the "Users and Passwords" icon.

12. Click the "Add" button.

13. Enter a user name for the new account. If you wish, you may enter a first and last name and a description, but these are optional fields. Click the "Next" button.

14. Enter and confirm a password for the new account, then click the "Next" button.

15. Click the "Custom" bubble on the user settings panel, then click the drag-down menu and select "Administrator" from the list of options. Click the "Finish" button. After you do this, the new account will be created with administrator privileges, and the "Administrator" account will disappear from the user menu.

References

• Windows XP for Dummies, Andy Rathbone, 2004
• Windows XP All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, Woody Leonhard, 2004
• Windows 2000 for Dummies, Andy Rathbone, 2000