How to change your account name in Windows 10

[JamieKavanagh]

If you upgraded to Windows 10, you may be one of those users who found their username messed up, changed or converted to a random selection of characters. Many upgraders are still finding themselves in this position, so here is how to change your account name in Windows 10.

Change your account name in Windows 10
There are many reasons why you might want to change your account name and there are three ways to do it.

1. Navigate to Control Panel, User Accounts.
2. Click the ‘Change your account name’ text link in the middle.
3. Change it to whatever you like and click Change Name.
4. The change should be reflected immediately in the User Accounts window.

Or:

1. Navigate to Settings, Accounts, Your email and accounts.
2. Click the ‘Manage my Microsoft account’ text link in the middle.
3. It will take you online to your Microsoft account home page where you may need to log in.
4. Select Edit name on the left just underneath Hello.
5. Change it to whatever you like and click Save.
6. Restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Or:

1. Type or paste ‘lusrmgr.msc’ into the Search Windows box. This will open Local Users and Groups.
2. Double click Users in the left pane and highlight the username you want to change in the center.
3. Right click and select Rename. Add your new account name into the box and click OK.

Those are the three main ways you can change your account name in Windows 10. There are others, but these get the job done.

Personalize Windows 10 further with these tutorials:
How to change your lock screen background in Windows 10
How to add or remove items in All apps in the Windows 10 Start menu
How to change your account picture in Windows 10

View all of our Windows 10 Tutorials