How to change the administrator account?

Question

This laptop was owned by another person, so his account is the administrator account. Now I own this laptop, so how can I change the adminstrator account to my id?

Moved from Developer technologies | Windows Forms

Answer 1

To remove the previous owner from that laptop and make the laptop you own, the best option is to backup your files, then create a new user account, and delete the previous user account.

The method to do that depends on what version of Windows is installled on that device, is it Windows 10 or 11?

Answer 2

Thanks for reaching out!

If you now own the laptop and want to make your account the administrator, follow these steps:

Method 1: Use Windows Settings

1. Press Windows + I to open Settings.
2. Go to Accounts → Family & other users.
3. Select your account and click Change account type.
4. Choose Administrator and click OK.

Method 2: Use Control Panel

1. Open Control Panel → User Accounts → Manage another account.
2. Select your account → Change the account type → Choose Administrator.

Method 3: Use Command Prompt

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
2. Type: net localgroup administrators "YourAccountName" /add Replace "YourAccountName" with your actual username.

If You Don’t Have Admin Access

You may need to:

• Reset the PC via recovery options.
• Reinstall Windows to remove the previous admin account.
• Replace "YourAccountName" with your actual username.
• If You Don’t Have Admin Access

You may need to:

• Reset the PC via recovery options.
• Reinstall Windows to remove the previous admin account.
• Use Safe Mode or Recovery Environment if locked out.
• Use Safe Mode or Recovery Environment if locked out.

Let me know if the issue persists after following these steps. I’ll be happy to assist further if needed. If the issue has been resolved, please click "Accept Answer".