Vista Tutorial - User Account Type

**Brink** · **Account Type** **Description**

How to Change a User Account Type in Vista

Information

This will show you how to change a user account type to a different type that you want it to be instead.

Account Type	Description
Standard	Standard account users can use most software and change system settings that do not affect other users or the security of the computer.
administrator	Administrators have complete access to the computer and can make any desired changes. To help make the computer more secure, administrators are asked to provide their password or confirmation before making changes that affect other users. (UAC - User Account Control)
Guest	for users who don't have a permanent account on your computer, network, or domain. It allows people to use your computer without having access to your personal files unless you allow this account to share a file or folder. People using the guest account can't install software or hardware, change settings, or create a password.

NOTE

This can only be done from within an administrator account, or by providing the administrator account's password when prompted by UAC in a Standard account.

RELATED LINKS:

METHOD ONE:
Through the Control Panel User Accounts

1. Open the Control Panel. (Classic View)
A) Click on the User Accounts icon.

2. To Change the Account Type for Your User Account -
A) Click on the Click to Play button in the video below.

3. To Change the Account Type 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 button in the video below.

METHOD TWO:
Through Advanced User Acounts

NOTE

You can use this method to change a user account type to whatever other type of account you want like it to be.
This method can also be real helpful if you accidentally changed your only administrator account to a standard one. In this case, you will need to boot into Safe Mode first, then use this method to change it back to an administrator account.

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type netplwiz or control userpasswords2 and press Enter.
NOTE: Your choice on which one to type. They both open the same window.

3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

4. Uncheck the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box. (See screenshot below)

5. Select a user account by clicking on it to highlight it.

6. Click on the Properties button.

7. Click on the Group Membership tab. (See screenshot below)

8. Dot the group type you want to change the user account to.
NOTE: If you dot Other, then select what you want in the drop down menu. This would be the option you would use to return the Guests account back to a Guest account type.

9. Click on OK. (See screenshot above)

10. Click on OK. (See screenshot below step 6)
NOTE: If you setup automatic logon to a selected user account, then make sure you have it setup properly still before you click OK.

That's it,
Shawn

**Brink** · 02-27-2008

Updated 2-27-08 to include METHOD TWO.

Shawn