Solved Can we rename a User profile in Windows 11 Pro?

I bought a new HP laptop with Win 11 Pro and Microsoft created a user profile, named with the first 5 letters of my e-mail address ("medfa"). In File Explorer, I see six profiles with redundant accounts:

C:\Users
~ Administrator
~ All Users
~ Default
~ Default User
~ medfa
~ Public

I tried renaming medfa to my first name in Settings, ran Microsoft's Management Console (lusrmgr.msc), used the accounts tool (netplzwiz), also tried the Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) to change the profile name; but I still have C:\Users\medfa in File Explorer. Is there no way to rename the profile "medfa"?

Please kindly fill out your system specs when you get a chance.

I'm not sure how I succeeded in changing the profile name, having tried a myriad of things. I think the following worked.

1. Delete the Microsoft account that imposed the unwanted username.
2. Sign in to PC as super administrator (Ctrl+Alt+Del).
3. Use GPEdit or run the command "netplzwiz" to change the profile name.

I no longer have six accounts under C:\Users, only two profile folders...

C:\Users\Administrator
C:\Users\{my name}

Thanks for the responses.

Djard said:

I'm not sure how I succeeded in changing the profile name, having tried a myriad of things. I think the following worked.

1. Delete the Microsoft account that imposed the unwanted username.
2. Sign in to PC as super administrator (Ctrl+Alt+Del).
3. Use GPEdit or run the command "netplzwiz" to change the profile name.

I no longer have six accounts under C:\Users, only two profile folders...

C:\Users\Administrator
C:\Users\{my name}

Thanks for the responses.

Click to expand...

What happened to :

~ Public
~ Default
?

Sorry for the tardy response. the "Public" and "Default" directories were restored after the SSD was rebuilt.

I recall waaaay back Microsoft increasing adopting socialist policies, imposing more and more control over the way we use Windows. That special software is now required to bypass Microsoft's insistence we open an account in order to install Windows is offensive. No doubt, the next edition will seek more control under the pretense of safety.

Djard said:

I recall waaaay back Microsoft increasing adopting socialist policies

Click to expand...

Not everything can be interpreted according to politics.

Djard said:

, imposing more and more control over the way we use Windows.

Click to expand...

More to the point, is this increasing control required or opposed by business customers and OEMs?

Djard said:

That special software is now required to bypass Microsoft's insistence we open an account in order to install Windows is offensive. No doubt, the next edition will seek more control under the pretense of safet

Click to expand...

Probably to reduce the attack surface for hackers and bad actors.

How does forcing you to use the first five characters of your e-mail address as your username "reduce the attack surface"?

That's why you must stay offline during the initial configuration (aka OOBE stage) and when you see the Network connection screen, press SHIFT+F10 to open a Command Prompt. Then click inside so you can type and execute this command:

start ms-cxh:localonly

This will interrupt the OOBE stage and present you a screen to create a local Administrator account. In case you wanted to configure the rest of the options, you can find them in Settings, Privacy and Security section. The local account will have the name you want without the 5 letter restriction. Then, if you want, you can associate your Microsoft account with this local account and use that to login to Windows, but personally I prefer keeping my local account and use my Microsoft account only for specific apps and games.