Windows 10: Microsoft Account - Lost Administrator role

A week ago I had Administrator rights on this PC. For reasons unknown they have disappeared. I am no longer able to open downloaded apps. I have followed many fixes offered by Microsoft and others but in the end get to "Access Denied" or yet another request to log in to MS Account as administrator which is just not possible. I still have Administrator rights on another laptop similar to this one and my wife also has administrative rights on her laptop. In 30+ years of using computers I have never struck a problem like this which should have a simple solution. Thanks for any help but please don't answer my query with questions about have I done this or that. I have!! I need direct step by step advice from someone who really knows about this problem. Thank you! Sorry about the typos. I'm an octogenarian brought up on paper and pencil.

:)

 

Weird account name and lost Administrator rights.


Well, I know what I would do.

Under Settings, Accounts, Family & other users, then under Other users, add someone else to this PC. Then click the link for "the person I want to add doesn't have an email address". Then click the link for "Add a user without a Microsoft account". Then enter a temporary user name like TempAdmin. When the account appears in the Other Users list, click on it. Click change account type. Make the temporary account an Administrator.

Log in as the temporary administrator account, and copy all the files you want to keep from both the Andrius folders under Users to the temporary account's folder. Then delete whatever Andrius users are listed under settings, accounts. Go back to the Users folders and delete any remaining Andrius folders in there. Reboot the computer, log in as the temporary administrator and recreate an Andrius account using the exact same steps you made the temporary account - you can convert it to a Microsoft account if you want later.

Then do the rest of the steps to copy all your files back and delete the temporary administrator account.

 

Change Microsoft Account Details in Administrator Account


Hi Daryl, welcome to the Ten Forums.

It's quite easy in fact, simply switch the account in question first to a local account, then switch back to a Microsoft account, this time using your wife's MS account credentials.

Tutorials:

• Step 1: Local Account - Switch to in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums
• Step 2: Microsoft Account - Switch to in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

Notice that before doing this you need to remove the new additional MS account on the PC, the one you created with her credentials. Windows allows only one user account for each email address, if the new account exists you cannot switch the original administrator account to an MS account using the same email address. Tutorial: User Account - Delete in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

 

Should my Microsoft Account have administrator privileges?


I just finished reinstalling Windows 10 (Creator version) and decided to have the installation process create a Microsoft Account instead of bypassing that step like I have on other laptops in the past and creating a local account later. After the install I went to Accounts in the settings and saw that the Microsoft Account was listed as an Administrator. I always thought the main user should only have standard privs for security purposes. Thoughts? Should I create a new admin account and try and change the MSA to a standard account?