How To Grant Myself Administrator Rights on Windows 10 Easily

If you’re trying to elevate your access on Windows 10 and make yourself an administrator, you’re probably running into that nagging feeling that you’re stuck with a standard user account. Sometimes Windows just doesn’t want to let you change privileges easily, especially if you’re not the original admin. But honestly, it’s not that complicated — as long as you know where to peek. Making yourself an administrator lets you install programs freely, tweak system settings, or just have more control over how things run. Just a warning: messing around too much can mess things up, so double-check before changing anything critical. This guide will walk through some effective ways to do it, including methods that don’t involve reinstalling or hacking away at system files—because, let’s face it, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.

How to Make Yourself Administrator on Windows 10

Method 1: Using Settings to Promote Your Account

Open the Start Menu by clicking the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner or pressing Windows.
Type Settings in the search bar and click on the gear icon, or just hit Windows + I to get there faster.
In the Settings window, click on Accounts. Okay, here’s where Windows keeps your user info and login options.
Click on Family & other users from the sidebar. Yeah, it’s a bit odd since this is mainly for family-sharing, but hold on.
Find your user name listed under Other users. Click it, then select Change account type.
In the drop-down menu, pick Administrator and click OK.

This mostly works if you already have admin permissions, but if your account isn’t an admin yet, this might not show up or be grayed out. In that case, try the next method.

Method 2: Using Command Prompt or PowerShell

Open an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell window. On one setup it worked by searching for cmd or PowerShell, right-clicking, and choosing Run as administrator.
Type the command: net localgroup Administrators [your username] /add.
Press Enter. This practically tells Windows, “Hey, this account should be an admin now.”

Replace [your username] with your actual account name. You can find out your username by typing whoami in the command window. That way, no guessing involved. Sometimes, this strange little command actually sticks after a reboot, and other times it’s finicky — especially if your account isn’t set up as a standard user in the first place. But hey, it’s worth a shot.

Method 3: Using Local Users and Groups (if available)

This one is a bit more old-school and only available on some Win 10 editions (like Pro or Enterprise).It’s sort of hidden, but if your system has it, it’s a quick way:

Press Windows + R, type lusrmgr.msc, and hit Enter. If it won’t open, it’s probably the Home edition — then stick to methods above.
Navigate to Users and find your account name.
Right-click and select Properties. In the new window, go to the Member Of tab.
Click Add, type Administrators, and hit OK. Now, your account is part of the admin group.

Good for quick fixes if you prefer GUI over commands, but Windows sometimes blocks this on Home editions.

Tips and Warnings

Always make sure you have backups of your stuff before changing system roles. Seriously, better safe than sorry.
Use a strong password for this new admin account because, of course, more power equals more responsibility. Don’t leave it weak or default.
If you find yourself locked out or things get wonky, you might need to boot into Safe Mode or use recovery options to fix permissions.
On some setups, the changes don’t take effect immediately — a reboot or log out might be necessary. Sometimes, it acts weird and the account still isn’t an admin right away, which is super frustrating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to make myself an administrator?

Usually, yeah, but don’t go wild with random command-line stuff if you’re not sure. Power can be a double-edged sword — easy to break things if careless.

Can I have more than one admin account?

Definitely — just repeat the process for any other account, and you’ll be set.

What if I forget my admin password?

Well, you can reset it with a password reset disk, using your Microsoft account, or tools like Winhance or similar.

How do I roll back to a standard user?

Follow the same steps and pick Standard User in the account type box. Easy enough.

Why should I avoid running as admin all the time?

Because with great power comes great vulnerability—admins are prime targets for malware, so for daily browsing, stick with a standard account unless you need the privileges.

Summary

Open the Start Menu > Settings
Go to Accounts > Family & other users
Find your account and change its role to Administrator
Or use Command Prompt with net localgroup
And maybe check Local Users & Groups if your system supports it

Wrap-up

Getting admin rights on Windows 10 isn’t a huge monster — just a series of little tricks that, if done right, give you more control. Whether you prefer clicking through Settings or using command-line magic, chances are you can get there without a full reinstall or hacking scripts. Just be cautious, keep backups, and avoid making wild changes at once. Sometimes Windows throws curveballs, but with patience, you’ll be running as the boss in no time.