how to change the administrator

Question

My husband has died so I need to become the administrator. How do I do this?

Answer 1

Sorry for your loss.

I recommend you to Reset Windows 11 from Windows RE and setup the device for yourself:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/reset-your-pc-0ef73740-b927-549b-b7c9-e6f2b48d275e

Answer 2

Hello,

Sorry for your loss.

When you talked about admin, you refered to the computer log in, right?

Can you currently sign into the computer still? Do you know his account's password? If so, this is what you do:

Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info

Click on Sign in with local user instead. follow the steps and finish the rest.

(If you don't see the "sign in with a local account instead option, click on "Stop signing into Microsoft apps automatically" first, then relaunch this page. )

Restart the computer (Do Not skip)

Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info

Click on Sign in with Microsoft account instead. follow the steps and finish the rest. Use your Microsoft account here.

Restart the computer (Do Not skip)

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If you don't know his password, but you still know the PIN to get into the computer, then you will have to do this:

1. Type netplwiz in the search on the taskbar and hit enter. When launched, click on "Add". On the next window, sign into your account.
2. 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.
3. Restart the computer. Sign into the new user you created in Step 1.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Launch netplwiz again, delete the old user from there.

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Answer 3

On a personal Windows 11 PC, administrator rights are tied to user accounts and Microsoft accounts. If the deceased person’s account was the only administrator and the credentials are not available, there is no supported way to simply “take over” that account.

For a personal Microsoft account (used to sign in to Windows, Outlook.com, OneDrive, etc.):

1. If the account credentials are known
   • Sign in to Windows with that account.
   • Create a new local or Microsoft account for the survivor and make it an administrator.
   • Optionally close the deceased person’s Microsoft account following the guidance in How to close your Microsoft account (linked from the article below). Data is retained for 60 days and then permanently deleted.
2. If the account credentials are not known
   • Microsoft generally cannot provide access to a deceased person’s personal Microsoft account for privacy and legal reasons.
   • The account and its data will automatically expire after 2 years of inactivity. Outlook.com and OneDrive will be frozen after 1 year and data deleted shortly after.
   • Ensure any subscriptions are stopped by working with the bank or card issuer (for example, cancel the card or revoke authorizations) so charges stop, since they cannot be managed without signing in.
3. If legal access to the deceased person’s Microsoft account is required
   • Microsoft must be formally served with a valid non‑criminal subpoena or court order before it can consider releasing information from a deceased or incapacitated user’s personal Microsoft account (including Outlook.com, OneDrive, etc.).
   • Any decision to provide contents is made only after legal review and is not guaranteed, even with a subpoena or court order.
4. Regional notes
   • In Europe, Microsoft responds to non‑criminal subpoenas and court orders served on Microsoft Ireland Operations Ltd.
   • In Germany and China there are specific documented processes to request access, requiring proof of death, identity, and legal status (heir or close relative) via Microsoft customer support.

To become the administrator on the Windows 11 device itself, a new administrator account must be created on the PC. If no administrator credentials are available on the machine, local recovery options or professional support may be required, but those steps are outside the scope of the provided documentation.

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References:

• Accessing Outlook.com, OneDrive and other Microsoft services when someone has died
• If you need access to the account, seek legal guidance
• How to change your user account name
• How to Cancel Microsoft 365 subscription if you do not have account info? Or get anyone to help? - Microsoft Q&A
• Cancel subscription of someone who died and we don't have their account information - Microsoft Q&A