Windows 10: How can I change the name of my User folder?

Usually, Windows gives me an option to name my account. In 10, it just uses a shortened name of my Microsoft Account username/email address. Is there a way to change it without messing up my system? Thanks.

I did use the netplwiz run command to change the account name, but it's not reflected in the folder name.

:)

 

How can I change the name of the user folder in Windows 10

Creating a new account has exactly the same effect as re-installing Windows but is perhaps 100 times faster. Since you will first delete the unwanted account, and later on delete the misnamed profile folder, there will be no duplication of anything.

 

How can I change the name of the user folder in Windows 10

I read somewhere that it is impossible to change the user folder name without re-installing the OS.

-> This is correct. The reason is simple: The registry contains countless references to the name of user profile. Some of them were created by Microsoft software, some by third-party software. If you changed the name
of the profile folder (which is fairly easy) then these references would be invalid and your account would be crippled.

If I felt strongly about the name of my profile folder then I would do this:

• Create a spare admin account.
• Reboot and log into this account.
• Delete the problem account (but keep the user data!).
• Create a new local account with the desired name.

You will get a profile folder with the correct name. If desired then you can copy the personal files from the old to the new profile folder.

 

Changing the name of the user folder is difficult and prone to error. That is why changing the account name doesn't change the folder name. The problem is that there are likely many references to the existing name in the registry and configuration files. Finding and changing all of these is difficult.

 

Yeah, searching around, it involves screwing with the registry, which I don't want to do. I'll look around some more. Thanks.