Change User Folder Name on New Machine

Question

Change User Folder Name on New Machine

Laurie Stearn 131

Folder name is User.

On W11, tried the creating a Microsoft User approach, fails with "Microsoft Account creation has been blocked". When creating another user from "Other Users" there is in red, upon typing your name, "Try another user name."

A few workarounds have been attempted without success.

Although the mapping in OneDrive is fine, there can be a mix-up when importing settings for other programs that are configured to use myusername.

This is a kind of thing for the sadly deprecated Mr. Fixit collection, will he ever make a return?

Thanks.

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Answer 1

EmilyS726 264.9K Independent Advisor

Because this username is being referenced in a lot of places including registry, to maintain your user profile integrity, it is best that you create a new user instead, and then migrate your Microsoft account (if you have it linked) and data over.

Here are the steps:

Type netplwiz in the search on the taskbar and hit enter. When launched, click on "Add". On the next window, click on the bottom where it says to create an account without Microsoft email. This will allow you to define your own username. Make sure it doesn't contain space or special character. Set it up as a local user.
When the above user is created, back to the main netplwiz page, double click on this new user, go to the Group Membership tab, make it administrator. Save the change.
Go to Windows Settings > Accounts > Your Info. Click on "Sign in as a local user instead". Follow the steps to finish the rest. This will release the association of your Microsoft email to this Windows log in.
Restart the computer. Sign into the new user you created in Step 1.
Go to Windows Settings > Accounts > Your Info. Click on "Sign in with your Microsoft account". You can then use the same email address you released on Step 3. This will tie your Microsoft email address now to this new Windows log in.
If you have data at the old username folder, go to C:\users\old username folder, find them and copy them into C:\users\new username folder.
Type sysdm.cpl in the search on the taskbar and hit enter, go to Advanced tab, click on the "Settings" button at the User Profile section. Then delete the old user profile.
Launch netplwiz again, delete the old user from there.

Laurie Stearn 131 Reputation points

2026-08-22T17:32:51.3133333+00:00

Hi Emily,

Thanks for responding. In step 1, my first name is used in the new account. There is in red, "Windows is already using that name, please choose another." Is there any way around this?
EmilyS726 264.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-08-22T17:35:57.7633333+00:00
I see.

Can you type cmd in the search on the taskbar to launch command prompt, then run

net users

And share a screenshot please so I can review. Thanks!!
Laurie Stearn 131 Reputation points

2026-08-22T18:05:11.16+00:00

Hi Emily, that was resolved when the name was changed in the primary account, sorry.

There is now an issue now with step 3, the "Sign in as a local user instead" option is not found anywhere in settings, specifically in the Other User settings.

"net users" only shows the primary account after step 2.

Here's my info:

Edition Windows 11 Home

Version 25H2

Installed on ‎20/‎07/‎2026

OS build 26200.9168

Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.344.0

Something rather weird when clicking on Account Settings: Manage, there is on the web account page:

Support for Windows 10 has ended. Visit microsoft.com to explore options and start planning your transition to Windows 11.

Similarly with lusrmgr : "This snap-in may not be used with this edition of Windows 10 ..."

Is this a known issue or specific to this setup?
EmilyS726 264.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2026-08-22T18:10:38.9733333+00:00

I wonder if your current "user" is the system built in admin user. If that's the case, you won't see the sign in with local user option.

To confirm that, on the page of Settings > Accounts > Your info, if you don't see any of these options, it will be the case:

Sign in with Microsoft account

Sign in as a local user instead.

Stop signing into Microsoft apps automatically

In this case, do this instead to remove the Msft account linkage: Type regedit in the search on the taskbar to launch Registry editor,

Then go to the following two locations (one at a time):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\IdentityCRL\UserExtendedProperties\

HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\IdentityCRL\StoredIdentities\

If your email is listed in those location, right click and delete.

Restart the computer (don't skip).

Now, go back to Registry Editor again, this time go to these two locations:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\

HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\

Look for "IdentityCRL" and delete it. Then you can proceed to step 4.
Laurie Stearn 131 Reputation points

2026-08-23T11:49:06.61+00:00

Hi Emily, all good now, thanks.