Find or Change My Computer's Administrator

In Windows, an administrator account has full control over the computer’s files, systems, and settings. As a result, only trusted users should have administrator privileges. Administrators can create new administrative accounts or revoke privileges from users. However, if you ever need to find or change your computer's administrator settings, it is easy to do so; just make sure that the account you're working from has administrator privileges as well.

Steps

Windows 7 and Vista

  1. Go to Start.
  2. Select Control Panel
  3. Set the view to small icons.
  4. Go to User Accounts.
  5. Click "Manage Another Account".
  6. Select the account you want to manage.
  7. Click "Change account type".
  8. Tick the administrator option.
  9. Click "change account type" to implement the changes.

Windows XP

  1. Find the My Computer icon on your desktop.
  2. Right-click the icon and select Manage. This will bring up the Computer Management window.
  3. Expand Local Users and Groups by clicking the + to the left.
  4. Click Groups. You will see headings for Administrators, Guests, Power Users, and so on.
  5. Double-click on Administrators. This brings up a list of all the administrators on your machine. If you have administrative access to this computer, you should be able to change the settings in this menu.
  6. Click on Add to designate a new administrator. This will open a new window.
  7. Type in the name of the account you wish to add, and click Check Names. The name should now be underlined. Click OK to close this window and save your settings.
  8. Remove an administrator. To remove an administrator, highlight the target account and click the Remove.
    • If you wish to retain your own administrative rights, make sure not to delete your account from this list.
  9. Save your changes. If the settings for your account haven't been changed, there is no need to reboot. Otherwise, log out and back in again to save the settings.

Tips

  • Don't add your account if using a school computer, or they will find you and ban your account.
  • For your own safety, make sure all passwords are at least 6 characters long and include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Try to change your password at least every 90 days.
  • In XP, the administrator account cannot be removed from the administrator group because it is built in. Unfortunately, having an administrator account that is named "Administrator” is poor security. Renaming this account (by clicking the rename button) to something less conspicuous is an advisable security measure.
  • For added security, give administrative access to the fewest number of people possible.
  • A standard user has limited control over system changes and cannot install programs, delete system files, or change settings. A guest can use basic files and programs but has virtually no other abilities.

Warnings

  • If you are on a work computer, do not change any administrative settings without checking with your IT department first.
  • If you are on a shared computer or a computer that doesn’t belong to you, don't give accounts administrative access without permission from the owner.

Related Articles

  • Run As Administrator when You're the Only Account on Windows XP
  • Connect to Server As Administrator with the EfficientPIM Network
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