The fastest way to change your username depends on your operating system
On Windows 10 or 11, you change your username through Settings in about two minutes. On a Mac, the process is similar but uses System Settings instead. Both let you change the name that appears when you log in and the name of your user folder — though the folder name change has limits on older systems.
The method you use depends on whether you have a local account (stored only on your laptop) or a Microsoft account (Windows) or Apple ID (Mac). Local accounts are simpler to change. If you use a Microsoft account or Apple ID to sign in, you can change the display name without affecting your account itself.
Before you start, sign in with an administrator account — the account type that can make system-wide changes. If you are not sure whether your account is an administrator, you can check in Settings under "Other people" (Windows) or "Users & Groups" (Mac).
Key Takeaways
- Windows users can change their display name in Settings > Accounts > Your info in under two minutes without restarting.
- Mac users go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, unlock the settings with their password, then change the Full Name field.
- Changing your display name does not affect your files, passwords, or login credentials — only the name shown on the login screen and in menus.
- If you want to change the actual user folder name on your hard drive, you need administrator access and the process differs between Windows and Mac.
- On both systems, you can create a new administrator account and transfer files if you want to start completely fresh with a different username.
How to change your username on Windows 10 and 11
Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then press Enter. Click Accounts in the left sidebar, then click Your info at the top. You will see your current account name displayed with your profile picture.
Click the button that says Rename your account. Type your new name in the box that appears, then click Next and Finish. The change takes effect when ready — you do not need to restart your laptop. The new name will appear on your login screen and in the Start menu the next time you open either one.
If you do not see a "Rename your account" button, you are signed in with a Microsoft account rather than a local account. In that case, click Manage your Microsoft account, sign in if prompted, and look for a section labeled Name or Your info. You can change your display name there, though the change may take a few minutes to appear on your laptop.
How to change your username on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings. Click General in the sidebar, then scroll down and click Users & Groups. You may see a lock icon at the bottom of the window — if so, click it and enter your password to unlock the settings.
Right-click (or Control-click) your account name in the list on the left side of the window. Select Advanced Options from the menu. In the window that opens, you will see a field labeled Full Name — this is the name that appears on your login screen and in menus. Type your new name and click OK.
The change takes effect when ready on your Mac. If you are logged in to an iCloud account, the change may take a few minutes to sync across your devices. You do not need to restart your laptop.
Changing your user folder name (advanced)
The display name you see in Settings is separate from the folder name stored on your hard drive. On Windows, your user folder is usually named something like "C:\Users\JohnSmith" even if your display name is "John." Changing the folder name is more complex and requires extra steps.
On Windows, you cannot rename the user folder directly through Settings. You need to create a new administrator account, copy your files to it, and delete the old account — or use the Command Prompt with administrator privileges. This process carries a small risk of losing access to files if something goes wrong, so it is best attempted only if you are comfortable with the command line.
On Mac, you can change the short name (the folder name) through Advanced Options in Users & Groups, but only if you are running an older version of macOS. On newer versions, the short name is locked and cannot be changed without creating a new account. If you need a different folder name on a current Mac, creating a new account and transferring files is the safest approach.
What happens to your files and passwords when you change your username
Changing your display name does not affect your files, folders, passwords, or login credentials. You will still log in the same way, and all your documents, photos, and programs remain exactly where they are. The change is cosmetic — it only affects the name shown on your login screen, in the Start menu (Windows), or in the Apple menu (Mac).
If you change your user folder name on Windows or Mac, your files move with the folder, so you do not lose anything. However, some older programs may look for files in the old folder path and fail to find them. This is rare with modern software, but it is worth testing your most important programs after making this change.
Creating a new account if you want a completely fresh start
If you want to change your username but also want to clean up your laptop, you can create a new administrator account with the name you want, transfer your files to it, and delete the old account. This approach takes longer but gives you a fresh start without old settings or cached data.
On Windows, open Settings > Accounts > Other people and click Add account. On Mac, open System Settings > General > Users & Groups, click the lock icon to unlock, and click the plus sign to add a new account. Create the account with your new username, make it an administrator, and log in to it.
Once you are logged in to the new account, you can copy your files from the old account's folder. On Windows, open File Explorer and navigate to "C:\Users\[OldUsername]" — you may need administrator permission to access it. On Mac, open Finder and go to "/Users/[OldUsername]" in the same way. Copy the folders you need (Documents, Desktop, Downloads, Pictures) to your new account.
After your files are copied and you have verified that everything works, you can delete the old account. On Windows, go to Settings > Accounts > Other people, click the old account, and click Delete. On Mac, open Users & Groups, click the lock to unlock, click the old account, and click the minus sign. You will be asked whether to keep or delete the old account's files — choose based on whether you need them as a backup.
Troubleshooting common problems
If the "Rename your account" button does not appear on Windows, you are using a Microsoft account. You must change the display name through your Microsoft account settings online, not through your laptop. Go to account.microsoft.com, sign in, and look for the section to change your name.
If you cannot unlock Users & Groups on a Mac, you may not have administrator privileges. Ask whoever set up your account to unlock it for you, or create a new administrator account and use that to make changes. If you are the only person who uses the Mac and cannot remember your password, you will need to use Mac Recovery to reset it.
If you changed your username but some programs still show the old name, those programs may have cached your username in their settings. Open the program, look for a Preferences or Settings menu, and update your name there. This is most common with email clients and chat applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my username log me out of my programs?
No. Changing your display name does not affect your login or any programs you have open. You will stay logged in to everything. Programs that show your username in their interface may take a few minutes to update, but you do not need to sign in again.
Can I change my username if I do not have an administrator account?
No. You need administrator privileges to change your username on both Windows and Mac. If your account is not an administrator, ask the person who set up your laptop to make the change for you, or have them give you administrator access first.
What is the difference between my display name and my user folder name?
Your display name is what appears on your login screen and in menus — this is what you change in Settings. Your user folder name is the name of the directory where your files are stored on your hard drive. On most laptops, these are different, and you can change the display name without touching the folder name.
If I change my username, do I need to change my password too?
No. Your password is separate from your username and does not change when you rename your account. You will still log in with the same password. If you want to change your password at the same time, you can do that in Settings, but it is not required.
Can I change my username back to what it was before?
Yes. Follow the same steps you used to change it the first time. On Windows, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and click "Rename your account" again. On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Users & Groups, unlock the settings, and change the Full Name field back. There is no limit to how many times you can change it.