How To Update the Administrator Name on Windows 10: A Complete Tutorial

Changing the administrator name on Windows 10 sounds pretty straightforward, but sometimes it’s not as easy as clicking around. You might notice that the name shown during login or in user menus doesn’t match what you’d like it to be, especially if you set it up a long time ago or inherited the device. This guide should help make that rename stick — it’s mostly about navigating through User Accounts, but beware, Windows loves to throw roadblocks if your account doesn’t have the right privileges. Sometimes, even after changing the name, the old one stubbornly lingers in some places because of cached info or local profiles. So, this isn’t always perfect, but it’s a decent shot.

How to Change Administrator Name on Windows 10

Method 1: Via Control Panel (the old-school way)

Because of course, Windows has to make a simple rename more complicated than it should be. This method works when you’re logged in with an admin account and want to change how your username appears across the system.

Click on the Start menu and open the Control Panel — you can type “Control Panel” in the search box and hit Enter.
Navigate to User Accounts (sometimes labeled just as “User Accounts and Family Safety” depending on your view).It’s usually under Appearance and Personalization or directly in System and Security if you’re on classic view.
Click on User Accounts again, then select Manage another account.
Find the administrator account you want to rename — it’s usually labeled as “Administrator” or the current username.
Click on that account, then choose Change the account name.
Type in the new name. Makes sure to double-check spelling because, well, Windows tends to be particular about some characters.
Hit Change Name and wait a beat. On some setups, this doesn’t update everything instantly, and you might need a logout or restart for it to show everywhere.

This method alters how your account shows up in the Start menu, logins, and other places where Windows pulls the name directly from that account info. Fair warning — if you’re using a Microsoft account linked to your profile, this might not change the name that’s synced to your online profile, so keep that in mind.

Method 2: Rename User Folder (a slightly more involved workaround)

Sometimes, the name displayed in Windows Explorer or login screens is tied directly to your user folder name. Renaming that isn’t recommended lightly because it can cause some weird issues — but if you want it to match perfectly, here’s how it’s done. Not sure why it works, but messing with the user folder path can make the name a lot more consistent.

First, create a new administrator account (if you don’t already have a secondary one).You can do this via PowerShell or Settings.
Sign into that new admin account. This helps avoid breaking your current setup.
Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users. Find the folder with your current username.
Rename that folder to the desired new name. It’s best to do this with an administrator account, and make sure no programs are running that might be accessing files inside.
Next, open Registry Editor by typing regedit into the Start menu.
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.
Find the key that corresponds to your user profile — look for the key with the ProfileImagePath value pointing to your old username.
Double-click ProfileImagePath and update the path to reflect the new folder name.
Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC.

This is kind of risky if you’re not used to registry edits, and on some machines, it might throw a wrench in things. But once it’s done, the display name might look more accurate, especially in areas tied to your user folder. Just keep in mind, changing the folder name can break some apps or permissions if not done carefully, so backup first, or better yet, do it on a test profile if possible.

Other tips

If you’re still seeing the old name after all this, sometimes Windows caches these details at a deeper level. Logging out, rebooting, or even clearing some profiles might be necessary. And don’t forget — if you’re using a Microsoft account, changing the local name won’t touch your online profile, so don’t be surprised if stuff looks inconsistent.

On some setups, this all still feels kinda unreliable, and maybe a fresh Windows reinstall or profile reset is the only sure way to get that clean name. Not fun, but hey, that’s Windows for you — all about layers of cache, profiles, and accounts making the simplest things complicated.

Summary

Open Control Panel > User Accounts > Manage another account
Select your admin account, then change its name
For a more thorough rename, consider adjusting your user folder and registry (risky!).
If using a Microsoft account, remember this might not change your online display name.
Always create backups before messing with user folders or registry edits.

Wrap-up

Renaming an administrator account isn’t a total breeze, but it’s doable with a few clicks or low-stakes tweaks. Just keep in mind that Windows loves to keep old info cached somewhere, so patience or some extra steps might be needed. If the name still stubbornly resists change, don’t worry — sometimes the best bet is just to set up a fresh profile from scratch.