The folder name stays the same even after you change your username

When you change your Windows 10 username through Settings, the folder that holds your files — located at C:\Users\[foldername] — does not rename automatically. Your username and your user folder name are separate things. If you changed your username to "Jordan" but your folder is still called "OldName", Windows will keep using the old folder path for your documents, desktop, and downloads.

Renaming the user folder requires a different process than changing your username. You cannot do it while Windows is using that folder, so you will need to either create a temporary administrator account or boot into Safe Mode. The steps take about 15 minutes if you follow them in order.

Key Takeaways

  • Your user folder name (C:\Users\[foldername]) and your Windows username are separate — changing one does not change the other.
  • You cannot rename a user folder while Windows is actively using it, so you must log into a different administrator account first.
  • The safest method is to create a temporary administrator account, log into it, then rename the original folder and delete the temporary account afterward.
  • If you rename the folder incorrectly or interrupt the process, you may lose access to your files until you fix the registry entry that points to that folder.

Why you might want to rename your user folder

A mismatch between your username and your folder name creates confusion when you are troubleshooting, backing up files, or sharing your computer. If your folder is still named "Dad" but you changed your username to "Robert", anyone looking at file paths or network shares will see the old name. Some programs also store file paths in their settings, so they may break if the folder path changes without warning.

Renaming the folder also matters if you inherited a computer or took over an account from someone else. Starting fresh with a folder name that matches your actual username makes the computer feel like yours and prevents accidental access to old files.

Create a temporary administrator account to do the renaming

The safest way to rename your user folder is to create a second administrator account, log into that account, rename your original folder, then delete the temporary account. This keeps Windows from locking the folder while you are working.

Open Settings, go to Accounts, then select Family & other users. Click "Add someone else to this PC". Choose "I don't have this person's sign-in information", then "Add a user without a Microsoft account". Type a temporary name like "TempAdmin" and a straightforward password. Click Next, then on the next screen, click that account name and select "Change account type". Set it to Administrator and click OK.

Sign out of your current account and sign into the temporary administrator account. You are now ready to rename your original user folder.

Rename the folder using File Explorer

Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Users. You will see a list of folders, each one named after a user account. Right-click the folder you want to rename — the one that no longer matches your username — and select Rename. Type the new name. It should match your current Windows username exactly, including capitalization if possible.

Press Enter. Windows may ask for permission; click Continue. The folder will rename. If you see an error message saying the folder is in use, it means a program or Windows itself is still accessing it. Close all open programs, including File Explorer, and try again.

Once the rename is complete, restart your computer. Windows will update its internal settings to point to the new folder path.

Update the registry if Windows does not recognize the new folder

After you restart, sign back into your original account using your username. Check that your Desktop, Documents, and Downloads folders are all there and contain your files. If they are, the rename worked and you can skip this section.

If Windows created a new temporary folder or you cannot see your files, the registry entry that points to your user folder did not update. You will need to fix it manually. Press Windows Key + R, type "regedit", and press Enter. Click Yes when prompted.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. Look through the list for an entry that ends with your user's security ID (SID). It will be a long string of numbers. Click on it and look at the right panel for "ProfilePath". The value should show C:\Users\[newfoldername]. If it still shows the old folder name, right-click ProfilePath, select Modify, and change it to the new path. Click OK and close Registry Editor.

Restart your computer again. Your files should now appear in the correct locations.

Delete the temporary administrator account

Once you have confirmed that your files are accessible and your account is working normally, delete the temporary account. Open Settings, go to Accounts, then Family & other users. Click the temporary account and select Delete. Windows will ask whether to keep or delete the account's files. Select Delete files, then confirm.

The temporary account and its folder will be removed. Your original account, now with a folder name that matches your username, will remain.

What to do if something goes wrong

If you renamed the folder and now cannot access your files, do not panic. The files are still there; Windows just cannot find them. The most common fix is to check the registry ProfilePath entry (described above) and make sure it points to the correct folder name.

If you renamed the folder to the wrong name or made a typo, use the temporary administrator account to rename it again. If you cannot remember what you renamed it to, open File Explorer, go to C:\Users, and look for the folder that contains your Desktop, Documents, and Downloads subfolders.

If you accidentally deleted the temporary account before finishing the rename, you can create another one and repeat the process. Windows will not prevent you from creating multiple temporary accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rename my user folder without creating a temporary account?

Not safely. Windows locks the user folder while you are logged in, so you cannot rename it. Attempting to force a rename while logged in can corrupt your account or make your files inaccessible. The temporary account method takes a few extra minutes but prevents data loss.

Will renaming my user folder affect my programs or settings?

Most programs will work fine because they store settings in the registry or in AppData, not in the folder path itself. However, some older programs or custom scripts may have hardcoded the old path. If a program stops working after you rename the folder, reinstalling it usually fixes the problem.

What if I see "Access Denied" when I try to rename the folder?

This means the temporary account does not have full permissions. Make sure you are logged into the temporary account and that it is set to Administrator in Settings. If the error persists, restart the computer and try again. Windows sometimes needs a restart to fully explore permission changes.

Can I rename my user folder to something completely different from my username?

Technically yes, but it is not recommended. Windows expects the folder name and username to match. If you rename the folder to something else, the registry entry will point to a mismatched path, and you may run into problems with file permissions or program installations. Keep the folder name the same as your current username.

Do I need to back up my files before renaming the folder?

It is always good practice to back up important files before making system changes, but renaming the folder itself does not delete anything. The files stay in place; only the folder name changes. If something goes wrong, you can usually fix it by correcting the registry entry or renaming the folder again.