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Apparently lusrmgr.msc is not available in the Windows 8.1 version I'm using, and thus I can't change my username under the Local Users and Groups tab.
I would like to rename my user profile name so that the address line will display
C:\Users\John
and not
C:\Users\John's PC
How can I do that?
Mr. B
Posted 2014-04-29T13:36:03.543
Reputation: 131
3
As far as I know, you can rename your user in Win8.1, but the directory your profile lies in won't change to reflect the new user name! It will always stay the same as it was created.
Let's assume you named your user correctly ('John') in the first place, then handed your computer over to a friend named 'Heather' and she changes her profile name accordingly. From now on Windows will welcome her as 'Heather', but her user files will remain in the profile directory C:\Users\John!
The only way to circumvent this is to create a new user, transfer all files from the old user profile to the new one and then delete the old user profile.
Breit
Posted 2014-04-29T13:36:03.543
Reputation: 127
True, but doesn't answer the question at all. – Simkill – 2014-04-29T14:41:31.383
1False answer. It's possible to change default user folder. – Jet – 2014-04-29T14:59:52.313
@Jet: If there's an official way of doing this without fiddling with registry values (which should not be considered 'official' and should not be done by an unexperienced user), please let us know. – Breit – 2014-04-29T15:13:24.943
@Simkill - How does this not answer the question? It explains that even if the actual name of the profile is change the name of the profile directory won't be changed. – Ramhound – 2014-04-29T15:44:38.443
@Ramhound The question has changed since my comment. Originally the question asked how to change the username of a user as lusrmgr.msc is missing in windows 8.1, hence Jet's answer below. Instead of asking a new question like Mr. B was supposed to, he (or Indrek) has completely rewritten his question and made Jet's answer and my comment irrelevant. – Simkill – 2014-04-29T15:52:15.300
@Simkill - The question is exactly the same looking at the revision history. Mr B never modfied the question nor did anyone else who simply correct minor mistakes – Ramhound – 2014-04-29T15:54:35.783
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If you want to change your default user folder, this article will help you.
Let me bring you short version of that article:
C:\Users\John's PC to C:\Users\Johnregedit.exe -> hit enter) and go to this path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList C:\Users\John's PC) like this:
ProfileImagePath and change value to your new folder path (in your case it's C:\Users\John).C:\Users\John.
will help. Warning: After this some programs may not work properly, but reinstalling them will fix the problem.
I don't recomend you do this (especially if you are not advanced user).
The safest way is to create a new user, manually copy your Desktop (C:\Users\PreviousUser\Desktop) and Documents to your new user.
Jet
Posted 2014-04-29T13:36:03.543
Reputation: 2 232
2-1 That does not change the user’s actual name, just the display name. – kinokijuf – 2014-09-01T05:32:23.187
OK, I will refine the answer. – Jet – 2014-11-23T16:10:53.973
@kinokijuf Now answer is refined and it works. – Jet – 2014-11-23T16:12:04.697
1Profile path is not the user name. On can change the username in Professional versions of windows using lusrmgr.msc. – kinokijuf – 2014-11-23T19:36:13.177
@kinokijuf Please read OP's post carefully. His aim is to change profile folder (C:\Users\John to C:\Users\John's PC), and the OP doesn't have Professional versions of Windows with lusrmgr.msc. So this is an alternative way of achieving it.(P.S. If smtg in my answer is wrong, feel free to edit or feedback;) – Jet – 2014-11-24T19:29:30.313
The question is unclear. – kinokijuf – 2014-11-24T22:10:55.503
1@kinokijuf - this pretty clearly answers it. Just ran into this with Windows 10. – cchamberlain – 2015-07-29T08:32:33.873
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This is what worked for me:
To open User Accounts, click the Start button Picture of the Start button, click Control Panel, click User Accounts and Family Safety, click User Accounts, and then click Change your account name. Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Type the new name, and then click Change Name. Make sure you restart your computer after this for the changes to come into effect.
Twix
Posted 2014-04-29T13:36:03.543
Reputation: 1
2Are you 100% positive your user name contains a space because thats unusual. What version of Windows 8.1 do you have exactly update your question to with this information – Ramhound – 2014-04-29T13:40:33.837
1Are you using a Microsoft or a local account to log into Windows? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2014-04-29T13:55:14.023
1@Ramhound Spaces are valid characters in Windows usernames. Seems to fit the same format of the auto-suggested PC name in newer versions of Windows too. – HopelessN00b – 2014-04-29T14:09:02.550