How to Find and Change Your Computer's Administrator

On Windows

Windows 10

Open the Start menu. Click the Windows logo in the bottom left corner of the screen or press the key ⊞ Win.

Click on (install). This option is located right above the Start window.

Click Accounts . The humanoid icon is located among the options.

Click on Your info. This is the tab located in the upper left corner of the Settings window. This will display your profile information.

Find the "Administrator" tab under your name. Your profile name is at the top of the page; If you see the word "Administrator" below your name and email address, this is the administrator account.

If you are not using an administrator account, you cannot make changes to another user's account.

Click Family & other people . This is the tab on the left side of the window. If you're not an administrator, you won't be able to see this option.

Click on the username or email address. This option is directly below the "Other people" or "Your family" heading.

Click Change account type . This button is located right below the username or email address.

Click on the drop-down dialog box. This dialog box is under the "Account type" heading.

Click on Administrator . You'll see the option at the top of the pop-up menu.

Additionally, you can click on Standard user to revoke administrator rights.

Click OK . This is to save changes and apply administrator rights to the user you have selected.

Windows 7

Open the Start menu. In addition to clicking the Windows logo, you can press the key ⊞ Win.

Click on Control Panel . This option is on the right side of the Start window.

If you can't find Control Panel , type "control panel" into Start and click Control Panel at the top of the search results window.

Click on Category . This option is located in the upper right corner of the Control Panel window.

Click on Small icons . This option is at the bottom of the drop-down menu. When you do, you will see the User Accounts icon appear.

Click on User Accounts . Options are in the last row of icons.

Find "Administrator" below the account name. In the top right corner of the window, you'll see your account name and icon; If you're using an administrator account, you'll see "Administrator" appear below the name.

If you see "Standard user", you cannot change the account type of other users.

Click on the Manage another account link . This option is near the bottom of the list of links on the left side of the window.

Double click on the username. This is the account you want to change.

Click on the Change the account type link . This option is near the bottom of the list of links on the left side of the window.

Click on the Administrator circle . This circle is in the middle of the page.

If you want to revoke administrator rights, click on the Standard User circle .

Click Change Account Type . This button is at the bottom of the window. This will save changes for the selected user.

On Mac

Open the Apple menu. Click on the apple icon in the top left corner of the screen.

Click on System Preferences . This option is at the top of the drop-down menu.

Click Users & Groups . The icon resembles a projection of two people. You can find this option in the bottom left corner of the System Preferences window.

Find your name in the left sidebar. You can find your current account name at the top of this bar.

Look for "Admin" below the name. If you see "Admin", you're using an administrator account; otherwise, you're just a shared user and can't change other people's account status.

Click on the lock icon. The icon is in the bottom left corner of the window.

Enter the administrator password, then click OK . This unlocks the user menu to proceed with editing.

Click on the username. This is the username you want to add admin rights to.

Check the "Allow user to manage this computer" dialog box. If you want to remove the account's administrative rights, uncheck the above dialog box.

Click on the lock icon again. This saves changes and applies account style changes to the selected account.

David Pac

Update 25 October 2023