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How to change name of the Administrator account to a different name?

Jacky 80 Reputation points
2025-11-21T22:02:04.9166667+00:00

I changed the system Administrator account name to "Administrator" when it was originally called something else. I changed it in Computer Management and also did a wmic useraccount where name='Administrator' rename 'NewName' command in the Command Prompt just in case. The thing is it changed the name in the settings and when I log in but my folder in file explorer, powershell, and command prompt still show the old name "C\users\oldname" instead of the Administrator. I was wondering if there is a way to change the file explorer name to Administrator or if there is a way to change the name? Thanks!

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage
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Answer accepted by question author

Huy-K 12,630 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2025-12-05T06:17:57.76+00:00

Dear @Jacky,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may encounter when using our services/ products. Based on your description, kindly try these following steps:

Create a new admin account and migrate the data (safest way to change folder name)

  • Create a new local administrator (with the desired name, e.g., Administrator or another).
    Settings > Accounts > Other users > Add account > “I don’t have this person’s sign‑in information” > Add a user without a Microsoft account > set a strong password > Change account type > Administrator.
  • Sign out of the old account and sign in to the new one once (so Windows creates C:\Users<newname>).
  • Copy profile data from C:\Users\oldname to C:\Users<newname>:
    • Copy Documents, Pictures, Desktop, Favorites, and app data as needed.
    • Avoid copying NTUSER.DAT or hidden system files wholesale, those are per‑SID and can cause issues.
  • Re‑configure apps that store absolute paths (VPN clients, developer tools, scheduled tasks, etc.).
  • When you’re sure everything works, remove the old account.

This approach preserves integrity because Windows builds the new profile with the correct SID > path mapping from the start.

Rename the existing profile folder and fix the registry

  • Create/Sign in to a separate local admin (temporary helper account).
  • Rename the folder in PowerShell (Run as Administrator):
# Run from the helper admin account
Rename-Item "C:\Users\oldname" "C:\Users\Administrator"
  • Update the profile path in the registry:
    • Press Win + R > type regedit
    • Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
    • Find the subkey whose ProfileImagePath points to C:\Users\oldname (it’s the SID of the account you renamed).
    • Change ProfileImagePath to C:\Users\Administrator.
  • Check and update common hard‑coded references:
    • Scheduled Tasks: Task Scheduler > each task’s Actions paths.
    • Services (if any custom binaries reference the old path).
    • Environment variables or scripts referencing C:\Users\oldname.
    • App‑specific configs (editors, IDEs, package caches, OneDrive sync location, etc.).
  • Reboot and test.

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  1. AI answer

    2025-11-21T22:02:42.2633333+00:00

    To change the name of the Administrator account in Windows, you can follow these steps:

    1. Change the Account Name: You can use the Computer Management tool or the wmic command as you have already done. However, this change only affects the display name of the account.
    2. Change the User Profile Folder Name: Unfortunately, changing the display name of the account does not automatically change the name of the user profile folder located in C:\Users\. To rename the user profile folder, you need to follow these steps:
      • Create a New Administrator Account: Create a new local administrator account with the desired name (e.g., "Administrator").
      • Log into the New Account: Log into the new account and ensure it is functioning properly.
      • Rename the Old User Profile Folder: Navigate to C:\Users\ and rename the old user profile folder to the new desired name (e.g., from "oldname" to "Administrator").
      • Edit the Registry: Open the Registry Editor (type regedit in the Run dialog) and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. Find the profile associated with the old user folder name and change the ProfileImagePath to reflect the new folder name.
      • Delete the Old Account: Once everything is confirmed to be working, you can delete the old account if no longer needed.
    3. Reboot: Restart your computer to apply the changes.

    Please note that modifying the registry can be risky, so ensure you back up your registry before making changes.

    References:

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