Published by

**Brink** · 16 Jan 2008

How to Change a User Account Name in Vista

Information

This will show you how to change a user account name to a different name that you want instead.

Note

Even though the user name will be changed in the Start menu and in User Accounts (Control Panel), this will not change the C:\Users\(user name) folder name. DO NOT CHANGE the user folder name manually. If you do, you will have a lot of problems with that user account since everything is still referenced to the original C:\Users\(user name) folder name. The only way to change the C:\Users\(user name) folder name is to either create a new user account and delete the old account, or reinstall Vista.

Warning

If you wanted to change the Built-in Administrator account's name, then see How to Rename the Vista Built-in Administrator Account instead.

Here's How:

1. Open the Control Panel. (Classic View)

A) Click on the User Accounts icon.

2. To Change the Name for Your User Account -

A) Click on the Click to play Tutorial Video link below.

3. To Change the Name for Another User Account -
NOTE: You can only change another user account's name from within a Administrator account.

A) Click on the Click to play Tutorial Video link below.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

**BigEasy18** · 27 Jul 2008

I've renamed my account to Austin(Temp) before and then switched it back to Austin after all my files were transferred. It shows up as Austin in the start menu, login screen, and my documents. But still shows as Austin(Temp) whenever I look for the account in a network or the old fashioned way (C:\Users\Austin(Temp)\Documents).

I don't want to go in and rename them all because I know I'll just mess it up. Is there anyway to safely rename all things connected to my account?

**Brink** · 27 Jul 2008

Sorry BigEasy,

The only way to change the name for the C:\Users\Austin(Temp) folder is to create a new account and delete the old one. When you delete it from within the new administrator account, be sure to select the Keep Files option to save the old account user folder contents to a folder on the desktop of the new user account.

User Account - Delete

Shawn

**jackmccarron** · 16 Aug 2008

Hi - I recently got my first Vista computer (Toshiba laptop) with Vista Home Premium. Only my wife and I use it, so I set up a single admin account with username "Jack and Nancy"

On the desktop I see a folder named "Jack and Nancy" with a subfolder called "Documents". The contents of the Documents folder is stored in the C: drive under Users, but the path shows as C:\Users\'\Documents rather than what I expected it to be: C:\Users\Jack and Nancy\Documents.

What is this "apostrophy" thing doing in there?? Is it because I used spaces in the username?

How can I get the path to look like C:\Users\Jack and Nancy\Documents? If I have to rename my admin account something without spaces (like "JackAndNancy") to get rid of the apostrophy, how do I do that without messing up? I've read that changing an admin name can cause problems unless it's done in a certain way.

Thanks,
Jack

**Brink** · 16 Aug 2008

Hello Jack and welcome to Vista Forums.

Yes, you are correct that sometimes changing the user account name can cause problems with it. Usually with older programs that are installed though. The spaces should not be an issue in the name.

Do you have a C:\Users\Jack and Nancy folder or is it also C:\Users\' ?

If it's the later, then it sound like the account was originally name ' instead. The only way to fix that is to create a new administrator account with the name you want and delete the old one from within the new one afterwards.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

**jackmccarron** · 17 Aug 2008

Hi Shawn - There is no folder named C:\Users\Jack and Nancy. I don't understand how if the original account was named '. Perhaps it's no coincidence that the simple password I created for the Jack and Nancy account is '. It appears that the name of the account in C:\Users was named as my password.

OK, so I need to l create a new account, but since I already have an account named Jack and Nancy, will the system let me set up another with the same name (probably not)? Or will I have to create an intermediary name like JackAndNancy and then move all the files from the Users\' folder into that. And then delete the Users\' account and the old Jack and Nancy account and then recreate one with the same name????

Is all I have to do to make the new account be identical to the old Users\' is move all fits files into the new C:\Users\Jack and Nancy folder??? I want to make sure I do this correctly.

Thanks,
Jack

**Brink** · 17 Aug 2008

Jack,

You will just need to create a new administrator account using something other than the exact name of Jack and Nancy and ' since these names are tied together for that one account. After you have created the new account, delete the old one from within the new one. While deleting the old account, select the Keep Files option to have all the old account User folder contents placed in a folder on the desktop of the new account. You can then just copy them back.

User Account - Delete

**jackmccarron** · 18 Aug 2008

Hi Shawn - thanks for all the great inputs.

Jack

**Brink** · 18 Aug 2008

Your welcome Jack.

Similar Threads
Tutorial	Tutorial Starter	Category	Comments	Last Post
replacing a restored user account from backup with present user account	eganders	General Discussion	1	04 Mar 2010
domain account user vs local account user in vista	pbodavula	System Security	1	23 Oct 2009
Vista Home Premium: New user account failing to load user profile	Metajoe	Vista account administration	9	06 Jan 2009
Re: Copy a user account & create duplicate account w/new name?	+Bob+	Vista General	0	21 Dec 2008
Transfering user account to another user account on same computer	Jeremy	Vista General	4	18 Aug 2007

Published by

Tutorial Tools

Applies to

Re: User Account Name

Re: User Account Name

Re: User Account Name

Re: User Account Name

Re: User Account Name

Re: User Account Name

Re: User Account Name

Re: User Account Name

Posting Permissions