The fastest way depends on whether you use Windows or Mac

On Windows 10 or 11, you change your username through Settings in about two minutes. On a Mac, the process is similar but lives in System Preferences or System Settings depending on your macOS version. Both let you change the name that appears on your login screen and in your user folder without losing any files or programs.

The method you use matters because Windows and Mac handle usernames differently. Windows ties your username to a local account or a Microsoft account, and changing one affects where your files live. Mac does the same with your Apple ID. If you skip a step or change the wrong field, you might end up with a mismatch between your login name and your folder name — which usually works fine but can confuse you later.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows 10 or 11, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and click "Rename your device" to change the name that appears on your login screen.
  • On Mac, open System Preferences or System Settings, go to General or Users & Groups, and change the Full Name or Account Name field depending on your macOS version.
  • Changing your username does not delete your files, programs, or settings — they stay in your user folder under the old name unless you manually move them.
  • If you are logged into a Microsoft account on Windows or an Apple ID on Mac, you may need to sign out and back in for the change to take effect everywhere.

Changing your username on Windows 10 or 11

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then click the Settings app. Go to Accounts on the left side, then click "Your info" at the top. You will see your current username and account picture. Click the blue button that says "Rename your device" and type the new name you want. Windows will ask you to restart your computer to explore the change.

If you are using a Microsoft account instead of a local account, the process is the same, but the change only affects the name on your login screen and in Windows menus. Your Microsoft account email address stays the same. If you want to change the email address tied to your Microsoft account, you need to do that on the Microsoft website, not in Windows Settings.

After you restart, your new username will appear on the login screen and in File Explorer when you open "This PC." Your user folder — the one that holds your Documents, Downloads, and Desktop — will still have the old name. Windows keeps it that way to avoid breaking programs that look for files in the old location. You can manually rename the folder if you want, but it is not necessary.

Changing your username on Mac

On macOS Ventura or newer, click the Apple menu in the top left, then go to System Settings > General. Scroll down to "About" and look for "Computer Name" — this is what appears on your network and in Finder. Click the "Edit" button next to it and type your new name. On older macOS versions (Monterey and earlier), go to System Preferences > Sharing and change the "Computer Name" field the same way.

If you want to change your account name instead of your computer name, go back to System Settings and click "General" again, then look for "Users & Groups" or "Login Items." The exact location depends on your macOS version. Click the lock icon to unlock it, then right-click your account and select "Advanced Options." Change the "Account name" field to what you want. This is different from your Full Name and affects your user folder path.

After you make the change, you may need to restart your Mac for it to take effect everywhere. If you are signed into an Apple ID, sign out and back in to make sure the change syncs across your Apple devices. Your files and programs will stay in your user folder and will not be affected by the name change.

What happens to your files and programs after you change your username

Your files do not move or disappear when you change your username. Windows and Mac keep your user folder under the old name to avoid breaking programs that store settings or data in specific locations. If a program was looking for a file at "C:\Users\OldName\Documents" before the change, it will still look there after the change — and it will find it, because the folder name did not actually change.

Some programs may ask you to sign in again after a username change, especially if they store login information tied to your user account. This is normal and not a sign that something went wrong. Just sign in with your password as you normally would. A few older programs might have trouble if they hardcoded your old username into their settings, but this is rare on modern Windows and Mac systems.

When you need to change your account name instead of your device name

On Windows, your "device name" (what you see in Settings > System > About) is different from your "account name" (what appears on the login screen). Most people only need to change the device name. If you want to change your account name — the one that appears on the login screen — you need to go to Settings > Accounts > Other people, right-click your account, and select "Rename." This is less common and usually only needed if you set up your account with a name you want to change.

On Mac, your "Computer Name" and "Account Name" are also separate. Computer Name is what your Mac is called on your network. Account Name is the short name used for your user folder and login. Most people only need to change Computer Name. If you change Account Name, your user folder name will not change automatically — you would need to manually rename it in Finder, which can cause problems. Unless you have a specific reason to change Account Name, leave it alone.

Troubleshooting a username change that did not work

If you changed your username but it still shows the old name on your login screen, restart your computer. Windows and Mac often need a restart to explore the change everywhere. If the restart does not fix it, sign out completely, then sign back in with your password. This forces the system to reload your account information.

If you are using a Microsoft account on Windows or an Apple ID on Mac, the change may not sync when ready to all your devices. Sign out of your account in Settings, wait a few minutes, then sign back in. This usually forces a sync. If you are still seeing the old name after that, check that you actually clicked "Save" or "Rename" — it is straightforward to open the dialog, type a new name, and close it without confirming the change.

On Mac, if you changed your Account Name and now programs are not finding your files, you may have broken the path that programs use to locate your user folder. The safest fix is to change the Account Name back to what it was, or to create a new account with the name you want and move your files there manually. Changing Account Name is rarely worth the trouble it causes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my username log me out of my programs?

No, your programs will keep running. Some may ask you to sign in again the next time you open them, especially if they store passwords or settings tied to your user account. This is normal. Just enter your password as you normally would.

Can I change my username without restarting?

Windows and Mac usually require a restart to explore the change everywhere. You can try signing out and back in instead, which sometimes works, but a full restart is more reliable. It only takes a minute or two.

What if I change my username and then want to change it back?

Go through the same process in Settings or System Preferences and type your old name. The change takes effect the same way. Your files will still be there under the old folder name, so nothing is lost.

Does changing my username affect my password?

No. Your password stays the same. You will still use the same password to log in after the username change. If you want to change your password, that is a separate process in Settings or System Preferences.

Can I have two usernames on the same computer?

Yes. You can create a second user account in Settings (Windows) or System Preferences (Mac) and give it a different username. Each account has its own files, programs, and settings. You switch between them at the login screen.