Windows 10: Change user account name?

Having created a Msoft admin account in form, say, def7936@...., I then created a local account with admin powers, which I called Forename. However I see that all my local account documents are in C:\users\def79, an abbreviation of the Msoft version, not Forename, as desired.
How may change def79 to Forename in the paths to each item, preferably in bulk?

:)

 

Changes to User Account

Hi Jitu,

We'd like to know if you are still experiencing this issue. Let us know if you need further assistance.

Regards.

 

user account change

Hi Prashant,



Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community.



I understand that you are facing issues with Windows 10. Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you.

I suggest you to try to perform the below steps and check if it helps.

1. Type "Control Panel" without the quotes in Search box
next to Start Menu.

2. Click on User Accounts.

3. Again click on User Accounts.

4. Then click on Change your account type.

5. Click on Administrator option.

6. Then click on Change Account Type and click on Ok.



Get back to us if you need any further assistance on Windows related issues and we will be glad to help.

 

If you truly created a local account with the username of Forename, then after you log into that user account the first time a folder should be created under \Users called Forename. Have you actually logged into this local account and do you have the Forename folder under \Users?

When I am signed in to my Microsoft Account, this is what I see under settings, accounts for my own account:





If I click on Family and Other Users, this is what I see if I have created an additional local account. Notice it says Administrator - local account. Is that what yours says?

 

In settings I do have Forenane, described "Local Account Administrator, but from This PC shortcut I see C:\users\def79 and def7936.There is no mention of Forename, when I make a full search from This Computer except mumerous BMP files of exactly same size and date plus an internet shortcut to

.How can this be?I want to sort out what has happened and get it sorted, because as my current PC has been playing up seriously, I am buyinh a new one, and can't countenance any risk of carrying over anyy of its problems

 

The only way the folder under \Users won't get the same name as the user name on the account is if that user account is created as a Microsoft Account first. If the account is created as a local account from the beginning, then the folder under \Users will have the same name as the user name. If the account is created as a Microsoft Account from the beginning, the folder under \Users gets the first few letters of the email address used to log in with.

Was this local account created as a Microsoft Account to begin with and then converted to a local account later?

When you get the new computer, when you create the first user account on it - keep clicking on the links that allow you to move on without creating an account. Like "Skip this", "I don't have an email address", and so on until you get to a screen where you have to enter a username and you can't go any further. That will be the screen to create a local account. Once the local account is created and it's folder under \Users is created, you can then change that local account to a Microsoft Account login and the folder under \Users will not change.

The only way to fix you current computer is to create a new local account with the username that you want. Copy the data files you want from the other accounts to the new local user account, then delete the old accounts.

 

Thank you for replying. I hope what follows doesn’t make me sound thick!

The Microsoft account was created first and the local account a few days later.
I’m a bit confused over

.
What happens then to the local account I created; does it really remain as well as the newly created Microsoft account, as you seem to be saying? Will access to the Microsoft account still be via my Outlook address and existing password?

 

The only thing you change to the local account your created is the method you use to log into it. Changing a local account to a Microsoft Account only changes the login credentials, not the user account itself. That's why you can switch back to a local account from a Microsoft Account - the base local account stays the same, only the method of logging into it changes. Yes, access to the Microsoft account will still be via your Outlook address and existing password.

 

my current PC has been playing up seriously, I am buying a new one, and can't countenance any risk of carrying over any of its problems

FYI to chipwood; if you don't want to risk screw up of desired User name, then when you set up the new computer and get to the window to set up with MS acct, check the box that you don't have one. The new computer will then be set up with a Local Acct with exactly the name that you prefer, which you'll enter as 'Who will be using this computer'.
After starting up, verify, like in post 1, that all the folders and Users are as you wish, go to Settings/Accounts and change to 'Log in with MS account instead' and after you do the verification (will send code by txt to your phone or alt email), you will be all set to sign in with your email address in the future AND have the desired name listed under C:/Users, not one randomly generated by MS from your email address. Good Luck and enjoy new computer.

 

Sorry to piggyback on this thread but I have another thread that I opened with a similar user account problem. My problem may be some corruption since I can not switch back to a local user, I get error 0x80004005 when I try. Somehow, after using a local user account for two years, after a reboot, it prompted for a MS account and I can't get it to go back to local. Do I need to reinstall Windows to get it back? Any suggestions to get back to local will be considered.

 

Your Local Acct was corrupted. Did it ever go to a Temp profile and ask you to sign out ? Do you have a MS acct, at all ? Post screen of Users under C:Users incl hidden ones. This is as clean as it gets and what it should look like. I want to what add'l ones you have.

 

mine shows, links to 'All Users' and 'Default Users' (with the little arrow pointing up and left) in addtion to Default, my local user, and Public.

Checked the properties on All Users and the shortcut points to C:\ProgramData which seems odd.

 

A digression! Of course I am saving my data to an external drive. I know that generally one can't deal with saving and restoring applications in the same way, if an existing computer has troubles. Does same apply with a new computer like now?

 

Yes, unlike data, like pictures or music, programs need to be reinstalled to write registry associations. I like to keep all installed program exe's and keys in a folder on ext backup, just in case.