There are two primary kinds of user accounts in Windows 10. Discover how to transition between them effortlessly
Installing Windows from scratch creates
a user account granting you complete computer control. However, you definitely wouldn’t want someone else to have the same level of access as you if you were going to share your PC.
Windows 10 allows you to restrict what other users can do on your shared computer and allows you to create numerous users. The two account types available are Standard User and Administrator. We’ll look at four methods here for switching between various account kinds.
Windows 10 Standard User vs. Administrator: What’s the Difference?
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A Call to action section made with Neve Custom LayoutsWith the Administrator account, you can access anything on your system without any limitations. Conversely, using a Standard user account, you cannot install any new software or manage system files on the computer.
That’s not where it ends. Additionally, a Standard account cannot run programs requiring administrator capabilities. Changing any system-wide settings, such as adding a new user account, is impossible.
These limitations make sense when you’re sharing your computer with someone else. Of course, you can also give them administrator access to their account if you have enough faith in them.
By default, any extra users you add to Windows are just regular accounts. But, by only altering the account type, you can grant increased access as long as you’re logged in as an administrator.
1. Change Account Type on Windows 10 from Settings
The Windows 10 Settings app has become the go-to destination to personalize your computer. It gives you access to the most basic settings you need, unlike the Control Panel, which can overwhelm new users. Therefore, this is the method that most people prefer for changing the account type.
Press Windows Key+ I to open the Settings panel.
Next, head to Accounts > Family & other users.
Look under Other users and select the account that you want to change privileges for. Now, click on Change account type.
You’ll find that you want to change the privileges and current permissions of the selected user account. Click on it and choose either Administrator or Standard User to make the changes accordingly.
Make sure to click OK to apply these changes. You can now log in to this account without losing administrator privileges. Pretty straightforward, right?
2. Switch Account Group in Windows 10 Using Netplwiz
A specialised panel called Netplwiz manages all user accounts on your computer. It’s a system executable that you can only access with administrator privileges. When Windows devices lacked a dedicated Settings interface, Netplwiz was a widely used option for switching between the Standard User and Administrator account groups.
Panel of User Accounts on Netplwiz
- In the Start menu search bar, type netplwiz. Then, click on the best match to bring up the User Accounts panel. You may view all of your user accounts here. Click Properties after selecting the person whose privileges you wish to modify.
- Navigate to the Group Membership area now to see the account groups that are accessible. After making your selection, click Apply.
- altering the kind of account using Netplwiz
- Netplwiz will show a third choice, further broadening the range of account kinds, in contrast to the Settings interface. You want to give the other user very particular access, therefore, they are for that.
For instance, if you choose the Power Users option, the account will have restricted administrative capabilities. Alternatively, if you would like Windows to restrict them even more than a regular user does, you can select Guest.
3. Switch Your Windows 10 Account Type From the Control Panel
For as long as anybody can remember, the Control Panel has been a fundamental component of Windows machines. Before Windows 10 introduced a dedicated Settings program, this was the de facto settings panel for Windows computers.
It still serves a purpose since it allows you to perform complex system-level adjustments that the Settings app cannot perform. To change the account type the old-fashioned way, follow these instructions:
- Enter the control panel into the search box located in the Start menu and choose Best Match.
- Click on Change account type (the shield-shaped option).
- Next, choose the account you wish to modify the permissions. There are several choices available to you for the chosen account. To proceed, click Change the account type.
- Pick one of the two options above to implement the changes, then click Change Account Type.
- Control Panel: alter the type of account
If you have experience with older versions of Windows, you might be familiar with these menu choices. Either way, it’s a rather simple procedure.
4. Use the Command Prompt to Change Account Type in Windows 10
Windows computers have a built-in command-line interpreter called Command Prompt, or CMD.
You may use CMD commands to accomplish various things on your computer. The application is essentially a coder’s dream come true, yet changing an account type with a single command line doesn’t require programming knowledge. All you have to remember are the next two steps.
- Enter the command prompt in the search bar of the Start menu. Rather than starting it straight away, choose Run as administrator.
- Enter the following command to set the account type to administrator and press Enter.
- administrators [USERNAME] net localgroup /add
- Use this line of code and hit Enter on your keyboard to return to ordinary user mode.
- administrators [USERNAME] net localgroup /del
- Using Command Prompt to change the kind of account
If, when running the command, you receive an error claiming that access is forbidden, it means that CMD isn’t being executed as administrator. If you know this command, you don’t need to tinker with the system menus, unlike the other techniques. I hope you’ll be able to pick it up rather soon.
Switch Windows 10 User Account Types the Easy Way
As you can see, your options are not constrained. Now that you are aware of all the different approaches, it is up to you to experiment with each one separately and determine which works best. This could change depending on your use case. While some users would be content with either of these approaches, others might prefer the Netplwiz option since it enables them to fine-tune the permissions further.
Thanks for reading!
