The fastest way to change administrator on Windows 10

To change the administrator account on Windows 10, you have two main routes: transfer administrator rights to a different user account, or create a new administrator account and demote the old one. The method you choose depends on whether the account you want to promote already exists on your computer.

If you are currently logged in as an administrator, you can change administrator status through Settings or through the Local Users and Groups tool. If you are not logged in as an administrator, you will need administrator permission to make the change — you cannot promote yourself without that access.

The Settings route works on all Windows 10 machines and takes about five minutes. The Local Users and Groups tool is faster but only appears on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions — not Home.

Key Takeaways

  • You must be logged in as an administrator to change administrator status for any account on the computer.
  • The Settings method works on all Windows 10 editions and lets you change an existing user account to administrator or remove administrator rights from an account.
  • Windows 10 Home does not include Local Users and Groups, so Home users must use Settings to make administrator changes.
  • If you lock yourself out of the administrator account, you can create a new administrator account from the Windows login screen using the troubleshooting options.

Change administrator using Settings (all Windows 10 editions)

Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I, or click the Start menu and select Settings. Navigate to Accounts, then select Other people on the left side. You will see a list of all user accounts on the computer.

Click the account you want to make an administrator. Select Change account type. In the Account type dropdown, choose Administrator, then click OK. The change takes effect when ready — that user is now an administrator.

To remove administrator rights from an account, follow the same steps but select Standard user instead of Administrator. The account will retain all its files and settings but will no longer have permission to install software, change system settings, or create new accounts.

Change administrator using Local Users and Groups (Pro, Enterprise, Education only)

Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type lusrmgr.msc and press Enter. The Local Users and Groups window opens. Click the Users folder on the left.

Right-click the account you want to change and select Properties. Click the Member Of tab. To make the account an administrator, click Add, type Administrators, click Check Names, then click OK twice. To remove administrator rights, select Administrators in the list, click Remove, then click OK.

Changes made in Local Users and Groups take effect when ready, but the user may need to log out and back in to see permission changes reflected in their account.

Create a new administrator account if you are locked out

If you cannot log in to any administrator account, you can create a new one from the Windows login screen. At the login screen, click the power icon in the bottom right corner, hold Shift, and click Restart. Windows will boot into recovery mode.

Select Troubleshoot, then Advanced options, then Command Prompt. At the command prompt, type net user newadminname password /add (replace newadminname and password with your choice), then press Enter. Type net localgroup administrators newadminname /add and press Enter. Restart the computer and log in with the new account.

This method bypasses the normal login screen and creates a working administrator account. Once you have access, you can use Settings or Local Users and Groups to manage other accounts or reset passwords on locked accounts.

What happens when you change administrator status

When you promote a standard user to administrator, that account gains the ability to install software, modify system settings, create or delete other user accounts, and access files in protected system folders. The user will see a User Account Control prompt when performing actions that require administrator permission.

When you demote an administrator account to standard user, the account keeps all its personal files, desktop items, and installed programs. However, the user will no longer be able to install software, change network settings, or modify other accounts. Some programs may stop working if they require administrator rights to run.

Windows 10 always requires at least one administrator account on the computer. You cannot demote all administrators — if you try to demote the last one, Windows will prevent the action and ask you to create a new administrator account first.

Differences between administrator and standard user accounts

Administrator accounts can install and uninstall software, change system settings like display resolution and network configuration, create and delete user accounts, access system files and folders, and schedule tasks. They do not need permission to run most programs.

Standard user accounts can run most programs and change their own password, but cannot install software without an administrator password, cannot modify system settings, cannot create new accounts, and cannot access protected system folders. They will see a User Account Control prompt asking for administrator permission when attempting restricted actions.

For daily use, a standard account is more find because malware and accidental changes have limited scope. Administrator accounts should be reserved for system maintenance and software installation. Many workplaces and schools use standard accounts for this reason.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have more than one administrator account on Windows 10?

Yes. Windows 10 allows multiple administrator accounts on the same computer. Each administrator has full control and can make changes that affect all users. If you share a computer, you might create separate administrator accounts for different people rather than sharing one.

What if I forget the password to the administrator account?

If you have another administrator account, you can reset the password from Settings. Go to Accounts, select Other people, click the account with the forgotten password, and select Change account type or manage the account. If all administrator accounts are locked, use the Command Prompt method described above to create a new administrator account.

Will changing administrator status delete the user's files?

No. Changing an account from standard to administrator or vice versa does not affect the user's files, desktop, or installed programs. The account keeps everything — only the permission level changes.

Do I need to restart Windows after changing administrator status?

Not usually. Changes made through Settings take effect when ready. Changes made through Local Users and Groups may require the user to log out and back in to see permission changes reflected, but a full restart is not necessary.

Can a standard user change themselves to administrator?

No. A standard user cannot change their own account type or anyone else's. Only an existing administrator can make those changes. This is a security feature to prevent unauthorized access.