The fastest way: Settings

Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "settings", then press Enter. Click Accounts in the left sidebar. At the top of the window, under "Your info", you will see your username displayed next to your profile picture. This is the name Windows uses to identify your account on this computer.

If you see an email address instead of a username, that means your account is linked to a Microsoft account. Your actual Windows username may be different from the email you use to sign in. To find the local username Windows assigned to your account, you will need to use one of the other methods below.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Windows 10 username appears in Settings under Accounts > Your info, next to your profile picture.
  • If you see an email address in Settings, your account is a Microsoft account, and your local Windows username is different — use Command Prompt to find it.
  • Command Prompt shows your username when you type whoami and press Enter.
  • File Explorer displays your username in the address bar when you navigate to This PC or your user folder.
  • System Information (accessible by pressing Windows key + Pause) lists your username under "User Name" in the General tab.

Using Command Prompt for the technical name

If you need the exact username Windows uses internally — especially if your account is a Microsoft account — Command Prompt will show you. Press the Windows key, type "cmd", and press Enter to open Command Prompt.

Type whoami and press Enter. The window will display your username in the format COMPUTERNAME\username. The part after the backslash is your actual Windows username. This is the name that appears in file paths and system logs, and it is what you need if you are troubleshooting permissions or network issues.

Finding it in File Explorer

Open File Explorer by pressing the Windows key and E together. Click This PC in the left sidebar. Look at the address bar at the top — it will show a path that includes your username. You can also navigate to C:\Users and look at the folder names; each folder is named after a user account on the computer. Your username is the folder that contains your Desktop, Documents, and Downloads.

This method works even if you cannot open Settings or Command Prompt, making it useful when you are troubleshooting a computer that is not behaving normally.

Checking System Information

Press the Windows key and Pause together (or right-click This PC and select Properties). The System window will open. Look for the line labeled User Name — this is your Windows username. You will also see your computer name on this same screen, which is different from your username.

System Information is useful because it shows both pieces of information in one place, and it is often the fastest route if you are already in a system settings area.

What to do if you see an email address instead

Windows 10 allows you to sign in with a Microsoft account (your Outlook, Hotmail, or other Microsoft email address) instead of a local username. When you do this, Settings will show your email address, but Windows still assigns you a local username behind the scenes. This local username is what appears in file paths and command-line tools.

To find your actual local username when your account uses an email address, use Command Prompt and type whoami, or navigate to C:\Users in File Explorer. The folder name there is your local username. You may also see a folder named something like "User" or a shortened version of your email — that folder belongs to your account.

Why you might need your username

Your Windows username is not the same as your password, and you do not need it to sign in to your computer. However, you will need it when you are setting up file sharing with other computers on your network, troubleshooting permission errors, or following technical support instructions that ask you to "navigate to your user folder" or "check the username in the system logs".

Knowing where to find it quickly saves time when you are working through a technical problem or setting up a new device on your home network.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my Windows username the same as my password?

No. Your username is the name of your account; your password is what you type to prove you own that account. You can change your password without changing your username, and vice versa.

Can I change my Windows username?

Yes, but the process is different depending on whether you use a local account or a Microsoft account. For a local account, right-click the Start menu, select Computer Management, then Local Users and Groups, right-click your account, and select Rename. For a Microsoft account, you must change it through your Microsoft account settings online, not in Windows itself.

What if I see "Administrator" as my username?

Administrator is a built-in account that Windows creates automatically. If this is the account you use to sign in, then Administrator is your username. However, most people create a separate user account for daily use and leave the Administrator account disabled for security reasons.

Does my username appear anywhere else on my computer?

Yes. Your username appears in file paths (like C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents), in the taskbar when you hover over your profile picture, in shared folder permissions, and in system logs. It is visible to anyone with physical access to your computer, so it is not a security secret.