Windows 10: When to use Admin vs User Accounts

I have asked these questions elsewhere and did not get straight answers.


Is it best to be logged into a User account for normal activity? Web browsing, using office software, playing games, watching videos etc? This used to be the recommendation from Windows pros in the distant past. Running under Admin is supposed to make you more vulnerable to malware. But Windows security has improved over time, and the built-in Windows Defender has also become more effective. So, in 2020, still best to stay on a User account most of the time?


Another question, is it best to do app installs, driver updates, and Windows OS updates while logged into an Admin account? This is not something I have seen advised. But over the past several years I had experiences of installing items on a User account and then the programs did not work properly. For instance, just today I did a driver update while logged into a User account. Later, when I checked device manager on an Admin account, the driver had NOT been updated and there were error messages. Windows certainly allows you to install these items while logged into a User account, it simply requires the Admin password to complete.

:)

 

My admin account switched to a user account!

The first of the many diagrams in this thread show that the link Sign in with a local account instead is displayed for the account that is currently logged on and so the reversion procedure might work for this account. For normal circumstances, that would initiate the conversion back to a local account for the user account currently logged in - see my 23rd & 26th September 2016 posts in revert to local account from one converted to MSAccount. I have no way of knowing how Windows will react to an attempt to use this procedure for the Built-In Admin account and I do not know if that link Sign in with a local account instead will be displayed or not.

I think I side-stepped this issue by suggesting that that

• An extra password-protected Admin level account is created, and
• The Built-In Admin is disabled, and
• The recovery attempt focuses on whichever existing user account remains active afterwards.

Personally, I would reinstall Windows 10 without even attempting this recovery. Installation takes very little effort once everything is backed up and the only necessary user interactions are right at the start & right at the end so it can be initiated before making a pot of tea. It took about 30, 60 & 90 minutes for each of my computers [the 30 minuter is 6 months old, the 60 minuter is 7 years old, 90 minuter is 12 years old].

Raner - I am trying to avoid sounding like I am nagging you into doing a clean install.

• Once you have recovered the existing user account you can attempt to re-enable & remove the MSAccount link from your Built-In Admin if that link appears in Settings, Accounts.
• Bree says it cannot be done and I think the same but I have never tried - I have never been able to get to Settings using the Built-In Admin because it cannot run any Windows 10 Apps so I do not know how it can be done [but the diagrams in Bree's link shows that those users got there].
• Even though I have the safety of having created two spare password-protected Admin accounts I would not want to know that my Built-In Admin was sitting in the background but unable to help me if my other accounts were corrupted.

Denis

 

Remove account

I suggest you backup your personalized files first before removing the account.
To delete an account, follow these steps:

1. Press WIN + X keys and click Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.
2. Type the following command and press Enter. Replace test with the name of your sister's account. Code:

 

How to change admin user account name?

ah so main admin account is 'wizzle' which is what I am currently on
I make another account called 'wizzle2' (with admin rights)
I sign out of 'wizzle' and sign into 'wizzle2'.
And once signed into 'wizzle2', then I do the command prompt step and find the SID for 'wizzle' that is listed and go from there?