Windows 10: change local account username associated with a microsoft account?

My first name is "Mathew".

On all my windows 10 devices, I prefer to login using my microsoft account. (*** Email address is removed for privacy ***)

On all of these devices, the default local user name is always "mathe", missing the "w".

My home directory is "C:\Users\mathe"

This is really annoying!


I have gone through the insane steps to change this username and home directory on two of my three personal desktops/laptops, but how can I make it so the next new computer I log into uses "mathew" instead of "mathe" for the local account name?

I just reset my Hololens and found it added "mathe" here, as well.


I do not know the correct terminology to find this answer in forums. I've tried:

Change default local username for microsoft account

Change name of roaming profile

and variations on those themes.

:)

 

How to change the Windows 10 truncated local account username without losing all the associated account information?

When Windows 10 creates the local user, it uses the first 5 characters of the Microsoft Account's email address.

It also uses it to name the directory where the users information is kept.

If the Microsoft Account email address is myusername@gmail.com ...

then the local account username will be myuse

and the directory path will be ...

C:\users\myuse

This is bad for many reasons we can discuss later.

The problem is that there is no one at Microsoft Support that understands the issue.

There are hundreds of posts here and elsewhere on the net about this.

Below I pasted one suggestion from a Microsoft Support Engineer.

It is wrong.

One can only "Change the account type" in Control Panel using this method.

It cannot "rename the local user account."

Even if you create another administrator user the option to Change the account name

is not available if that user has a Microsoft Account.

So my question: is there a way to correctly change the truncated local username from myuse to myusername without
losing all the associated Microsoft Account information?

I have seen many convoluted solutions on the net.

Please... NO guessing and NO "point-and-click-and-pray" solutions.

Just an honest discussion from Microsoft or the community.

Thank you,

Robert Lorbeer

*** Email address is removed for privacy ***

_________________________________________________________________

Parth P Patel replied on

• Microsoft
• Support Engineer

Hi,

Thank you for showing your interest in Windows 10.

I understand that you want to rename the local user account. I will certainly help you with this. I suggest you to try the below given steps to rename the local account name and check if it helps:

• Press Windows key + X key.
• Click on Control Panel and search and click to User Account.
• Click on Manage another account.
• Select the User Account which you want to rename.
• Click on Change the account name and provide desired name.

_______________________________________________________________

 

change admin username account

Hi
vasilisnikolo,

Are you logged in with the Microsoft account or a local account?

You can follow the steps below to change the username and check if it helps.

• Press Windows key + X key.
• Click on Control Panel.
• Under view, select large icons.
• Go to User Account.
• Click on Manage another account.
• Select the User Account for which you want to select the password.
• Click on Change the username.
• Click on Change Name button.

Hope this information is helpful.

 

how to change local account to Microsoft account

Hi Linda,

To change your login settings from local account to Microsoft account, please follow the steps below:

• Click on Start menu and select Accounts.
• Select Your email and accounts and click on Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.
• Type the details for your Microsoft Account.
• Reboot the PC for the changes to take effect.

Let us know the result.