How to Change the Admin Account on Windows 10

Managing administrator accounts on Windows 10 is one of those tasks that sounds straightforward but has more layers than most users expect. Whether you're handing a PC over to someone else, locking down a family computer, or fixing a permissions issue, understanding how Windows 10 handles admin privileges is the first step.

What "Admin" Actually Means in Windows 10

Windows 10 uses a user account hierarchy to control what actions each person can perform on the machine. There are two primary account types:

• Administrator accounts — Can install software, change system settings, manage other user accounts, and modify security policies.
• Standard accounts — Can use apps and change personal settings, but cannot make system-wide changes without entering admin credentials.

Every Windows 10 installation has at least one administrator account. There's also a hidden built-in Administrator account that exists separately from the ones visible in Settings — more on that below.

Method 1: Change Account Type via Windows Settings

This is the simplest route and works well for most home and small office setups.

1. Open Settings (Win + I)
2. Go to Accounts → Family & other users
3. Under "Other users," select the account you want to change
4. Click Change account type
5. In the dropdown, select Administrator or Standard User
6. Click OK

🖥️ This method requires you to already be signed in as an administrator. If the account you're trying to modify is the only admin account on the machine, Windows will warn you before allowing the change.

Method 2: Use Control Panel (Legacy Method)

Some users prefer the older Control Panel interface, which still works in Windows 10.

1. Open Control Panel
2. Go to User Accounts → Manage another account
3. Select the target account
4. Click Change the account type
5. Select Administrator and confirm

This method and the Settings method achieve the same result — they're just different paths to the same configuration.

Method 3: Change Admin via Computer Management (Local Users and Groups)

This approach gives more granular control and is typically used in workgroup environments or by IT administrators.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Computer Management
2. Navigate to Local Users and Groups → Users
3. Right-click the target user and select Properties
4. Go to the Member Of tab
5. Click Add and type Administrators, then click OK

To remove admin rights, select Administrators from the Member Of list and click Remove.

⚠️ Note: Local Users and Groups is only available on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions. It is not present in Windows 10 Home.

Method 4: Use Command Prompt or PowerShell

For users comfortable with the command line, this method is fast and scriptable.

To promote a user to Administrator:

net localgroup administrators "Username" /add 

To remove admin rights:

net localgroup administrators "Username" /delete 

Replace "Username" with the actual account name. Run the command prompt or PowerShell as administrator for these commands to work.

Changing the "Primary" Administrator — What That Really Means

Windows 10 doesn't have a formal concept of a "primary" admin — any account in the Administrators group has the same local privileges. What many people mean when they ask about changing the admin is one of these scenarios:

Understanding which scenario applies to your situation determines which method is appropriate.

The Built-In Administrator Account

Windows 10 has a hidden built-in Administrator account that is disabled by default. This account has elevated privileges beyond a standard admin account — it bypasses User Account Control (UAC) prompts entirely. It's intended for system recovery, not everyday use.

You can enable it via Command Prompt:

net user administrator /active:yes 

This is worth knowing if you're locked out of all admin accounts, but it's not something to leave enabled in normal circumstances. It presents a security risk if left active on shared or networked machines because it has no password by default.

Key Variables That Affect Your Approach

How you change admin accounts on Windows 10 depends on several factors:

• Windows 10 edition — Home vs. Pro determines whether Local Users and Groups is available
• Microsoft account vs. local account — Accounts linked to a Microsoft account behave slightly differently than purely local accounts, especially in Settings
• Domain-joined vs. workgroup — On domain-joined machines, local account changes may be overridden by Group Policy. Admin changes may need to be made at the domain level through Active Directory
• Number of existing admin accounts — Windows won't let you demote the last administrator without first creating or promoting another
• Technical comfort level — Settings and Control Panel are appropriate for most users; Computer Management and command-line tools suit those managing multiple machines or needing scripted solutions

The right method isn't the same for every machine or every user — it depends on your edition of Windows, whether you're on a home network or a managed environment, and what you're actually trying to accomplish with that account change.