Windows 10: How to change the Windows 10 truncated local account username?

This is change is vital.


I have over 200 links in onenote to my old user name. 3 years work !!!!

I had to recover my computer and now none of those links work.


I have tried creating a local user, but it is not showing up as an alternate user.


PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE someone provide the solution.

:)

 

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.

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Changing the Windows 10 truncated local account username

Bob, are you saying you're uncomfortable doing the Registry Edit and instead would like to reinstall to create a Local Account to avoid the truncated MS Account?

I didn't offer that option because I didn't think you'd want to reinstall but if you do it shows how in that tutorial I gave you.

You could also create a new Local Account for yourself, move into it, then when ready delete the old MS account, then convert your new Local Account to a MS Account:

http://www.howtogeek.com/226540/how-to-create-a...

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5375-switch...

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and keep me posted. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

________________________________________________________

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research any product advertised on the sites before you decide to download and install it.

 

Changing the Windows 10 truncated local account username

This has been discussed before, however, for some strange reason it was closed before a solution was posted.

After the Windows 7 May security update, my system bit the dust. So, I purchase a copy of Windows 10, USB version from Amazon.

ISSUE: Windows 10, version 1809 does not offer the option to just "Install as a Local account", you first have to set up with a Microsoft account. If you later convert to a Local Account, Windows 10 uses the first 5 characters of the users Microsoft Account's
email address. So, Samuel @ Outlook.com becomes samue. When you look under C://Users you see samue under users. You cannot change in the Windows account settings.

This issue was first reported in 2015 or 2016 in the Microsoft Community and elsewhere.

What I'd like in the responses is:

a) a solution, if there is one,

AND

b) posters to share which version of Windows they had the issue with...

Windows 10, version 1809

USB version purchased from Amazon, August, 2019

UPDATE (SOLUTION) : Installed Windows 10 with downloaded ISO from Microsoft site. The version as of today is 1903. If you want to avoid the truncated Local User Account, unplug from the Internet BEFORE you start (on a laptop you may want to turn off the
wireless on your router during install).

On an older Dell the Windows install reboots after installing all the necessary Windows files. Then it tells you that the system will restart in 10 seconds. With both the thumb drive that came with Windows 10 package AND the ISO downloaded from Microsoft
and burned to a DVD, it would reboot and go BACK TO THE START of the Windows 10 install. Crazy. Surely this is not a Microsoft only issue. Nobody is that ... well, nevermind. So, I assume it had to do with the older Dell hardware. Not sure. In short,
if that happens - you can tell as it brings up the first install screen ... if so, then eject the DVD and reboot (not a great solution - but probably the only one).

After that issue, everything went well. (If you are "offline" during install, it will make you create a password with 3 security questions). It will tell you how much you are missing not being connected. LOL For those not familiar with Windows 10, you
might start with the Privacy Settings. There are 25 that you might want to change. Setting> Privacy. Then do the Windows update, which today was short and sweet.

FOR MORE INFO re Local Account vs Microsoft Online Account search for thread "Initial Installation with a Local User Account", August 2019.