The quickest way: Settings menu

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then select the Settings app. Go to Accounts in the left sidebar, then click Your info at the top. You will see your current username displayed under your profile picture. Click the Rename your account button.

Type your new username in the box that appears. Windows 10 allows up to 20 characters, and you can use letters, numbers, spaces, and most symbols except asterisks, question marks, quotation marks, and forward slashes. Click Next, then Finish. Your computer will ask you to sign out and back in for the change to take effect.

This method changes only the display name — the name that appears on your sign-in screen and in the Start menu. It does not change your user folder name or your Microsoft account email address if you use one to sign in.

Key Takeaways

  • The Settings app method takes two minutes and changes the name shown on your sign-in screen without affecting your files or programs.
  • Changing your user folder name requires the Command Prompt and will only work if you are the sole administrator on the machine.
  • If you sign in with a Microsoft account, changing your Windows username does not change your email address or cloud settings.
  • After any username change, restart your computer to make sure all programs recognize the new name.

When you need to change your user folder name too

The Settings method above changes only the display name. Your actual user folder — the one that holds your Documents, Downloads, Desktop, and other personal files — keeps its original name. For most people, this is fine. But if you want the folder name to match your new username, you need a different approach.

First, create a new administrator account. Go to Settings > Accounts > Other people, and click Add account. Choose I don't have this person's sign-in information, then Add a user without a Microsoft account. Give it a temporary name like "Admin2" and a password you will remember. Click Next and Finish. Then go back to Other people, select your temporary account, and click Change account type. Set it to Administrator.

Sign out of your main account and sign into the temporary administrator account. Open Command Prompt by pressing Windows key + R, typing "cmd", and pressing Enter. Type this command exactly: wmic useraccount where name="oldusername" rename newusername, replacing "oldusername" with your current folder name and "newusername" with what you want it to be. Press Enter. The system will confirm the change.

Sign out and sign back into your main account. Your user folder name has now changed. You can delete the temporary administrator account by going to Settings > Accounts > Other people, selecting it, and clicking Delete.

What happens to your files and programs

Changing your username does not move, delete, or corrupt any of your files. Your Documents, Downloads, Desktop, photos, and all other personal files stay exactly where they are. Programs you have installed continue to work normally.

Some programs that store settings tied to your old username may need to be restarted or reconfigured after the change. This is rare, but if a program stops working after you change your username, restart your computer first. If the problem continues, uninstall and reinstall the program.

If you sign in with a Microsoft account

Many Windows 10 users sign in with a Microsoft account — the same email address they use for Outlook, OneDrive, or Xbox. Changing your Windows username does not change this email address. Your Microsoft account remains the same, and you will still sign in with your email and password.

If you want to change the email address associated with your Microsoft account itself, you need to do that through the Microsoft account website, not through Windows Settings. Go to account.microsoft.com, sign in, and look for Your info or Account settings. That is a separate process from changing your Windows username.

Troubleshooting: username change did not work

If you clicked Rename your account but nothing happened, you may not have administrator rights on your account. Ask whoever set up the computer to make you an administrator, or create a new administrator account and try again from there.

If you used the Command Prompt method and got an error message, make sure you typed the old username exactly as it appears in your user folder. Open File Explorer, go to This PC, then C: drive, then Users. The folder names shown there are the exact names to use in the command. Also make sure you are running Command Prompt as administrator — right-click the Command Prompt icon and select Run as administrator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my username affect my passwords or saved logins?

No. Your passwords, saved WiFi networks, and browser logins are tied to your account itself, not to the display name. They will work exactly as before after you change your username.

Can I change my username back to what it was before?

Yes. Follow the same steps in Settings or Command Prompt and enter your old username. There is no limit to how many times you can change it.

What if I forgot my current username?

Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info. Your current username is displayed at the top of the page under your profile picture. You can also open File Explorer, click This PC, then C: drive, then Users to see your user folder name.

Do I need to restart my computer after changing my username?

Yes. After you change your username through Settings, you will be asked to sign out and back in. After using Command Prompt to change your folder name, restart your computer to make sure all programs recognize the new name.