Question Administrator Account for Xbox/PC/streaming games

[Megan26]

So I have Windows 11 Home on our PC, and I would like to set up an Admin account on the PC so that random programs and such can not be continually downloaded. My kids play Xbox, Steam and Epic games on the machine. I want them or their friends to be able to have a guest account to play all of their games but not to download random things. Note the microsoft password for our machine is our one user id/password for xbox and xbox ultimate game pass. Is this possible?

 

[punkncat]

You can certainly create an Admin account and then create "standard user" account such that you can limit the ability to install programs. The issue that I used to run into with that was that when you had things trying to download that ARE desirable, you still have to go and type in the admin password. This can become quite tiresome. I am not personally aware of a streamlined way in which you can pick and choose what is "allowed" to update and such without running into that limitation.

 

[hotaru.hino]

Just nitpicking, but an admin account is one that has wide control over the PC, which is something you don't look like you're after. What you're looking for is a "Standard" user account in Windows.

However the problem I'm seeing is the original account on the PC also is shared on the Xbox. Since that PC is now tied to the account, I don't think Windows will let you reduce the account privileges on the PC to a standard account. And while you can log in Windows store apps with the Microsoft account on a local Standard user account, if the password is the same as the account that can do anything, what's the point? Although that's me assuming the password is known.

You're going to have to make a new Microsoft account, disassociate the PC with the original account, and re-register the PC to the new one. This way, this new account is the admin account on the PC and the account the others have access to can be a Standard user.

So yes, it's doable, you just have to jump through some hoops to get what you want.

 

[Megan26]

Just nitpicking, but an admin account is one that has wide control over the PC, which is something you don't look like you're after. What you're looking for is a "Standard" user account in Windows.

However the problem I'm seeing is the original account on the PC also is shared on the Xbox. Since that PC is now tied to the account, I don't think Windows will let you reduce the account privileges on the PC to a standard account. And while you can log in Windows store apps with the Microsoft account on a local Standard user account, if the password is the same as the account that can do anything, what's the point? Although that's me assuming the password is known.

You're going to have to make a new Microsoft account, disassociate the PC with the original account, and re-register the PC to the new one. This way, this new account is the admin account on the PC and the account the others have access to can be a Standard user.

So yes, it's doable, you just have to jump through some hoops to get what you want.

Ok, I see that. So if I do that, would the “guest” user then be able to play games via xbox, epic and steam without control of the computer and no issues? The admin control would be my account and the kids would not know that password?

 

[hotaru.hino]

Ok, I see that. So if I do that, would the “guest” user then be able to play games via xbox, epic and steam without control of the computer and no issues? The admin control would be my account and the kids would not know that password?

If your kids don't know the password the Microsoft account, then this should work, and you can log in the Windows store using just the account without tying it to the Windows account.