How to Create a New User Account on Windows

Edited 2 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Creating a new user account on your Windows computer can be important for a variety of reasons. Whether you want to create an account for a family member, friend, or create a separate account for work, the process is straightforward. This guide will introduce you to the steps to create a new user account on a Windows system. We'll explore different methods, including the Settings app, Control Panel, and the command line interface for more advanced users. Each method will be explained in simple, easy-to-follow steps.

Creating a new user account through the Settings app

Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 provide a user-friendly interface for creating new user accounts through the Settings app. Follow these steps to create an account:

1. Open the Settings app: Click the "Start" button in the lower-left corner of your screen or press the "Windows" key on your keyboard. Select the gear icon to open the Settings app.

2. Go to Accounts: In the Settings app, select "Accounts."

3. Select Family & other users: On the left-hand menu, click "Family & other users."

4. Add a new user: Under the "Other users" section, click the "Add another person to this PC" button.

5. Enter user details: You'll be asked to enter the new user's email address or phone number. If the new user doesn't have a Microsoft account, you can click the "I don't have this person's sign-in information" link.

6. Create a local account: To create a local account, click the "Add a user without a Microsoft account" option. Enter the user name and password for the new account, and then click "Next."

7. Complete the setup: After entering all the required information, click "Finish" to complete the process. The new user account is now created and can be accessed from the login screen.

Creating a new user account through the Control Panel

Another way to create a new user account is to use the Control Panel. This method works well for those who are familiar with previous versions of Windows. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Control Panel: Click the "Start" button and search for "Control Panel." Select it from the search results.

2. Go to User Accounts: In the Control Panel, select "User Accounts."

3. Manage another account: Click "Manage another account."

4. Add a new user: Click "Add a new user in PC settings" to be redirected to the Settings app. From here, follow the steps mentioned earlier in the section above.

Creating a new user account using the Command Prompt

Advanced users who prefer using command-line tools can create a new user account through the Command Prompt. Here's how you can do it:

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator: Click the "Start" button and search for "Command Prompt." Right-click on it and select "Run as administrator."

2. Enter the command: To create a new user account, type the following command and press Enter:

   net user NewUsername NewPassword /add

   Replace NewUsername with the desired username and NewPassword with the chosen password.

3. Verify the account: You can verify that the new user account has been created by typing the following command and pressing Enter:

   net user

   This command lists all user accounts on the computer, including the newly created account.

4. Add the user to the Administrators group (optional): To give the new user administrative privileges, type the following command and press Enter:

   net localgroup administrators NewUsername /add

   Replace NewUsername with the username of the new user.

Creating a new user account using PowerShell

PowerShell is another powerful tool that can be used to create new user accounts. Follow these steps:

1. Open PowerShell as administrator: Click the "Start" button, search for "PowerShell", right-click on it, and select "Run as administrator."

2. Create a new user account: Use the following command to create a new user account:

   New-LocalUser -Name "Username" -Password (ConvertTo-SecureString "Password" -AsPlainText -Force) -FullName "Full Name" -Description "User Description"

   Replace username with the desired username, password with the chosen password, fullname with the user's full name, and userdescription with the user's short description.

3. Add the user to a group: To add the new user to a group (for example, the Administrators group), use the following command:

   Add-LocalGroupMember -Group "Administrators" -Member "Username"

   Replace username with the username of the new user.

Summary

Creating a new user account on Windows is a simple and essential process that can be performed in a variety of ways, each of which is suitable for different user skill levels. Whether you choose the user-friendly Settings app, the traditional Control Panel, or the more advanced Command Prompt and PowerShell methods, you can easily set up a new account in just a few steps. Each method allows you to create both local and Microsoft accounts, and you can also manage user privileges by adding them to different groups. Follow the steps outlined in this guide to create a new user account on your Windows computer.

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