How to Rename the User Folder on Windows

Editing the Profile Image Path

1. Open the Run window. You can find and click Run on the Start menu, or press the ⊞ Win+R shortcut on your keyboard to open it.

2. Enter regedit in the Run window. Click the text field next to "Open:" in order to type.

3. Click OK in the Run window. This will open your Registry Editor in a new window.

4. Find and click the

   icon next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE on the left panel. It will reveal a list of all of this folder's sub-folders.

5. Click the

   icon next to SOFTWARE.

6. Click the

   icon next to Microsoft.

7. Click the

   icon next to Windows NT.

8. Click the

   icon next to CurrentVersion.

9. Click the

   icon next to ProfileList. This folder contains a different sub-folder for each user account saved on your computer.

10. Find the correct sub-folder for the user you want to rename. Open a sub-folder under ProfileList, and check the Data column next to ProfileImagePath. The Data column should indicate the folder directory for your user folder.

    1. For example, if your user account's name is USER1 and your system files are stored on your C: drive, the Data column should read C:UsersUSER1.

11. Double-click the ProfileImagePath file. This will open a new window titled Edit String.

12. Click and edit the username under the Value data heading. The user account name here should match the new name of the user folder on your system drive.

    1. For example, if you changed your user folder's name from USER1 to USER0, the directory here will still read C:UsersUSER1. Change it to C:/Users/USER0.
13. Click OK. This will save your changes. You can now log out of this account, and log into your original user account with your new account name.