Changing the local account name in Windows 11 isn’t exactly rocket science, but it can feel a little confusing if you’re not used to digging into settings or if you’ve never poked around in account management before. Sometimes, after installing Windows or just updating stuff, the account name might look odd or too formal — or you just want it to be more personal. The good news is, it’s doable without much fuss, but you gotta know where to click. This method is for folks who want a quick, straightforward way to update their display name without diving into complex configs or messing with the registry.
Be aware, though: changing the account name visually doesn’t change the folder names or the login username that might be tied to your profile. If you’re after a deeper change—like renaming the user directory—you’ll need a different approach. But for shifting what shows up on your login screen, this is enough. Expect a few subtle steps, and on some setups, it might take a reboot to see the change, so don’t freak out if it seems not to work right away.
How to Change Local Account Name in Windows 11
Accessing account settings via the Settings menu
The first step is navigating to your account info. Usually, you’ll open Settings by clicking the Start menu (that little Windows icon in the taskbar) and then selecting Settings. Alternatively, hit Windows + I because why not save a click? Once you’re in Settings, look for Accounts — it’s basically the hub for all user-related stuff. Sometimes, if you’re adjusting a local account and not your Microsoft login, you might need to check a few extra options.
Jumping into your account info
After clicking on Accounts, pick Your info from the sidebar. On some Windows versions, instead of “Your info, ” you might see a section called Sign-in options or similar, but overall, it’s the area where the account name shows. Here is where most folks get tripped up—because changing the display name isn’t always obvious from here.
Managing your Microsoft account or local account
Here’s the tricky part: if your Windows login is tied to a Microsoft account, clicking “Manage my Microsoft account” will open your account page on the web. That’s where you change your name or info, but it’s a bit of an indirect route. For a purely local account, you might want to switch to a different method—that’s where this next step kicks in.
Here’s what’s weird — in some versions of Windows 11, clicking “Change account name” directly isn’t available unless you’ve logged in as an administrator. If you’re on a machine where that doesn’t work, try creating a new local account first, then deleting or renaming the old one. Or, better yet, use Computer Management.
Quick fix: Rename your user folder via Computer Management
If you want to rename the folder associated with your user account (like C:\Users\OldName), you’ll have to do it the old school way—through Computer Management. Yes, it’s more involved, but it works. Here’s how: right-click the Start button, select Computer Management, then go to Local Users and Groups > Users. Find your user account, right-click, and choose Rename. Then, restart in Safe Mode, go into Registry Editor, and tweak a few keys—the whole process is a bit of a pain, but it’s how you get a full name change beyond just the display. Not recommended unless you’re comfortable with a deeper dive.
So, back to the simple way: most users should just stick with the settings hitch if possible. If changing the name in Settings didn’t work right away, reboot your PC. On several setups, Windows holds onto the name until you restart, probably because it caches that info somewhere.
One more thing — if you’re logged in with a Microsoft account, a change here often syncs across your devices automatically, so it’s worth double-checking your online profile afterward.
And hey, sometimes Windows just makes it frustratingly hard to change what seems like a minor thing. No worries, though — a little patience and a reboot usually do the trick. If not, trying the account management in Control Panel or even creating a new local account with the desired name might be the way to go.
Overall, it’s a quick tweak but might need a few extra steps depending on your setup. Not super complicated, but definitely not Microsoft’s most intuitive feature. Good luck on that name change—hopefully, this helps get you there.