How to Change User Folder Name in Windows: A Step-by-Step Guide

In this How to guide, learn the step-by-step process of changing the user folder name in Windows. Follow along to update the folder name and ensure a smooth transition. Discover the necessary commands and precautions to take when modifying this crucial element of your Windows system.

Step-by-Step Guide to Changing the User Folder Name in Windows

To change the user folder name in Windows, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Log in to your computer using an administrator account.

Step 2: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

Step 3: Type "regedit" and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Step 4: In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList

Step 5: Under the ProfileList key, you will see a list of subkeys with long names starting with "S-1-5-". Look for the one that corresponds to the user profile folder you want to rename.

Step 6: Double-click on the subkey, and in the right pane, locate the value named "ProfileImagePath".

Step 7: Right-click on the value and select "Modify".

Step 8: In the "Value data" field, change the current user folder name to the desired name.

Step 9: Click OK to save the changes.

Step 10: Close the Registry Editor.

Step 11: Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Step 12: After restarting, the user folder name should be updated to the new name you specified.

Please note that modifying the Registry can be risky, so it is always recommended to create a backup before making any changes.

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How can I modify the user folder name in Windows 10?

To modify the user folder name in Windows 10, follow these steps:

Step 1: Log in to your Windows 10 account using an administrator account.

Step 2: Create a new local administrator account by going to "Settings" and selecting "Accounts." Under the "Family & other users" section, click on "Add someone else to this PC." Follow the prompts to create a new local account with administrative privileges.

Step 3: Log out of your current account and log into the newly created local administrator account.

Step 4: Open the File Explorer (previously known as Windows Explorer) by pressing the "Windows key + E" on your keyboard.

Step 5: In the File Explorer address bar, type "C:Users" and press Enter. This will open the Users folder.

Step 6: Locate the user folder that you want to rename. Right-click on it and select "Rename."

Step 7: Enter the new desired name for the user folder and press Enter.

Step 8: Windows will display a confirmation dialog stating that changing the folder name might cause some programs to stop working properly. Click "Yes" to proceed.

Step 9: Press the "Windows key + X" on your keyboard and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" from the menu.

Step 10: In the command prompt or PowerShell window, type the following command and press Enter: netplwiz

Step 11: The User Accounts window will open. Select your original user account, which now displays the new folder name, and click on "Properties."

Step 12: In the User Properties window, go to the "Profile" tab.

Step 13: In the "Profile" tab, update the "User profile folder" field to match the new folder name.

Step 14: Click "OK" to save the changes.

Step 15: Log out of the administrator account and log back into your original user account. The user folder name should now be updated.

Note: Modifying system folders and user profiles can be risky, so it's always recommended to create a backup of important files before making any changes.

This is how you can modify the user folder name in Windows 10.

How can I modify the user folder location in Windows 11?

To modify the user folder location in Windows 11, follow these steps:

Important: Modifying the user folder location can cause system issues if not done correctly. Proceed with caution and make sure to backup your important files before making any changes.

1. Open the "File Explorer" by pressing the Windows key + E on your keyboard.
2. In the File Explorer window, right-click on "This PC" or "My Computer" and select "Properties" from the context menu.
3. On the left-hand side of the System window, click on "Advanced system settings."
4. In the System Properties window, switch to the "Advanced" tab.
5. Click on the "Settings" button under the "User Profiles" section.
6. In the User Profiles window, select your user profile and click on "Change Type."
7. Choose a different drive or folder location where you want to move your user folder and click on "OK."
8. A message will appear asking if you want to copy all files to the new location. Make sure you have enough disk space on the chosen drive or folder, then click on "Yes."
9. Windows will start copying all your user files and settings to the new location.
10. Once the process is complete, click on "OK" to close the User Profiles window.
11. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Note: It's crucial to log in using an administrator account to perform these steps.

After following these steps, your user folder and its contents will be moved to the new location you specified. Remember to update any shortcuts or application settings that may have relied on the previous user folder location.

How can I modify my C user name in Windows 11?

To modify your C user name in Windows 11, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I on your keyboard to open the Settings app.

Step 2: In the Settings app, click on "Accounts".

Step 3: On the left side, choose "Your info".

Step 4: Under "Your account", click on "Manage my Microsoft account".

Step 5: This will open a web page in your default browser. Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials if prompted.

Step 6: On the Microsoft account page, click on "Info" located on the top menu.

Step 7: Under "Account info", click on "Edit name".

Step 8: You can now modify your first name, middle name, and last name as needed. Make the desired changes and then click on "Save".

Step 9: After saving the changes, it may take some time for the modifications to reflect on your Windows 11 user name. You can sign out and sign back in to speed up the process.

Please note that modifying your Microsoft account name will also update the name displayed in Windows 11.

How can I change the user folder name in Windows 10 if I'm getting an Access Denied error?

If you are getting an "Access Denied" error when trying to change the user folder name in Windows 10, you can try the following steps:

Method 1: Using Administrator Account
1. Log in to your Windows 10 computer using an administrator account.
2. Press the "Windows + R" keys on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
3. Type "cmd" and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.
4. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
```
net user administrator /active:yes
```
5. Close the Command Prompt window and log out of your current account.
6. Log in to the newly activated "Administrator" account.
7. Go to the "C:Users" directory and locate the user folder you want to rename.
8. Right-click on the folder and select "Properties."
9. In the Properties window, go to the "Security" tab.
10. Click on the "Advanced" button.
11. In the Advanced Security Settings window, click on the "Change" link next to the owner's name.
12. In the "Enter the object name to select" field, type "Administrators" and click "Check Names" to confirm.
13. Click "OK" to close the Select User or Group window.
14. Check the "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" box.
15. Click "Apply" and then "OK" to close all windows.
16. Right-click on the user folder again and select "Rename."
17. Enter the new name for the folder and press Enter.

Method 2: Using Safe Mode
1. Restart your computer and continuously press the "F8" key until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears.
2. Use the arrow keys to select "Safe Mode" and press Enter.
3. Log in to your Windows 10 computer using an administrator account.
4. Go to the "C:Users" directory and locate the user folder you want to rename.
5. Right-click on the folder and select "Properties."
6. In the Properties window, go to the "Security" tab.
7. Click on the "Advanced" button.
8. In the Advanced Security Settings window, click on the "Change" link next to the owner's name.
9. In the "Enter the object name to select" field, type "Administrators" and click "Check Names" to confirm.
10. Click "OK" to close the Select User or Group window.
11. Check the "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects" box.
12. Click "Apply" and then "OK" to close all windows.
13. Right-click on the user folder again and select "Rename."
14. Enter the new name for the folder and press Enter.

Please note that modifying system files and folders can be risky, so it's always a good idea to back up your important data before making any changes.

FAQ

How to change the user folder name in Windows?

To change the user folder name in Windows, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Log in to Windows using an administrator account.

Step 2: Create a new local user account with the desired folder name. To do this, go to "Settings" and select "Accounts." Under the "Family & other users" tab, click on "Add someone else to this PC." Follow the prompts to create a new user account.

Step 3: Log out of Windows and log in using the newly created user account.

Step 4: Once logged in, press Win + R together to open the Run dialog box. Type "regedit" and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Step 5: In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList

Step 6: Expand the ProfileList folder and look for the folder with the old username. The folder names are in the form of "S-1-5-21-xxxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxx-xxxx."

Step 7: Double-click on the folder with the old username to open its properties.

Step 8: In the properties window, locate the "ProfileImagePath" entry and double-click on it.

Step 9: Change the value data to the new username folder path. For example, if the old username was "John" and the new username is "Mark," change the value data from "C:UsersJohn" to "C:UsersMark."

Step 10: Click OK to save the changes.

Step 11: Close the Registry Editor.

Step 12: Log out of Windows and log back in using the administrator account.

Step 13: Go to "Settings" and select "Accounts." Under the "Family & other users" tab, click on the old user account with the incorrect folder name and select "Remove."

Step 14: Confirm the removal of the old user account. This will remove the old user folder.

After following these steps, the user folder name in Windows will be changed to the new name specified during the creation of the new user account.

What is the step-by-step process to rename the user folder in Windows?

To rename the user folder in Windows, follow these step-by-step instructions:

1. Log in to your Windows account with administrative privileges.
2. Open the File Explorer by pressing the Windows key + E.
3. Navigate to the "C:Users" directory.
4. Locate the user folder you want to rename.
5. Right-click on the folder and select "Rename" from the context menu.
6. Type in the new desired name for the user folder.
7. Press Enter to save the changes.
8. Windows will display a warning message stating that changing the folder name may cause some programs to stop working properly. Click "Yes" to acknowledge and proceed.
9. After the folder is renamed, Windows will prompt you to enter your administrative password to complete the process. Enter the password and click "Continue."
10. Windows will update all the necessary file paths and permissions associated with the user folder.
11. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Note: Renaming the user folder can potentially cause issues with some applications that rely on specific file paths or references to the original folder name. It's recommended to create a backup of important data before proceeding with this process.

Can you provide a detailed guide on changing the user folder name in Windows?

Sure! Here's a step-by-step guide on changing the user folder name in Windows:

Step 1: First, create a new local user account with the desired folder name. To do this, open the "Settings" menu by pressing the Windows key + I and then select "Accounts." Under the "Family & other users" tab, click on "Add someone else to this PC" and follow the prompts to create a new user account.

Step 2: Once the new account is created, log out of your current user account and log in to the newly created account.

Step 3: Next, open the File Explorer by pressing the Windows key + E. Navigate to the "C:Users" directory. Here, you'll find all the user accounts on your computer.

Step 4: Locate the old user folder that you want to rename. Right-click on it and select "Rename." Change the folder name to the desired name for your user folder.

Step 5: After renaming the folder, press the Windows key + X and select "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)" to open an elevated command prompt.

Step 6: In the command prompt, type "netplwiz" and press Enter. This will open the User Accounts window.

Step 7: In the User Accounts window, under the "Users" tab, select the old user account and click on the "Properties" button.

Step 8: In the Properties window, go to the "Profile" tab. Under the "Home folder" section, update the path to the new folder name you set in Step 4.

Step 9: Click "OK" to save the changes and close all windows.

Step 10: Finally, restart your computer to apply the changes. Once you log in again, your user folder will have the new name.

Remember, changing the user folder name requires administrative privileges and it's always a good idea to back up your important files before making any changes to your system.

In conclusion, changing the user folder name in Windows can be a simple yet important step in personalizing your user experience and organizing your files more efficiently. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can confidently navigate through the process without compromising your system's integrity. Remember to always back up your files before proceeding with any modifications. Taking advantage of this feature allows you to customize your computer to reflect your unique personality and preferences. Embrace the power of personalization and make your Windows experience truly your own.