New PC identity

janey6 · Oct 19, 2021

I’ve just received a new PC, Windows11.
I had no choice but to set it up with my abcdef@live.com address, rather than a local account. File Explorer has therefore put my User name as abcde, rather than my name (Janey).

I’ve tried signing in as a local account but can’t change the File Explorer profile.

I remember having this problem on a laptop but eventually managed to change it. Unfortunately, I can remember how I did it!
Can anyone help, please?

2112 · Oct 19, 2021

Try this:

Change Name of User Profile Folder in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to rename a user profile folder for any account (local account or Microsoft account) in Windows 10 and Windows 11. When adding a new user account in Windows, a profile for the account is automatically created when the user signs in to the new account for the...

www.elevenforum.com

The-Hive · Oct 19, 2021

You may want to have a look at this webpage
How to Change Username in Windows 11 or there are a lot of guides on the web.

Change User Account Name in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to change the name of a local account or Microsoft account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Having different accounts on a shared PC lets multiple people use the same device, all while giving everyone their own sign-in info, plus access to their own files, browser...

www.elevenforum.com

I hope you sort it Janey6.

Berton · Oct 19, 2021

janey6 said:
I had no choice but to set it up with my abcdef@live.com address, rather than a local account. File Explorer has therefore put my User name as abcde, rather than my name

Just a comment, I also got a new Notebook on Friday, came with Win10 Pro but during setup and updates got the Win11 Upgrade. I didn't have to use my Microsoft Account but set as a Local Account with Administrative rights, allowed the name I wanted. It's my understanding that the Pro version isn't as restrictive as the Home version. Using the Microsoft Account does tend to use the first 5 letters of the E-Mail address used.

Winuser · Oct 19, 2021

Berton said:
Just a comment, I also got a new Notebook on Friday, came with Win10 Pro but during setup and updates got the Win11 Upgrade. I didn't have to use my Microsoft Account but set as a Local Account with Administrative rights, allowed the name I wanted. It's my understanding that the Pro version isn't as restrictive as the Home version. Using the Microsoft Account does tend to use the first 5 letters of the E-Mail address used.

With Windows 10 Home or Pro you can set it up using a local account. With Win 11 Home you have to use a MS account or the work around posted on the forum. When I installed the Win 11 Home Dev build in a VM I used my MS account. Once I had Win 11 installed and working I created a new user account with my name and changed it to have Admin rights. Once I was sure that it was working correctly I deleted the old user account.

Wisewiz · Oct 19, 2021

Winuser said:
Once I had Win 11 installed and working I created a new user account with my name and changed it to have Admin rights. Once I was sure that it was working correctly I deleted the old user account.

That's the right (and easier than the convoluted process of actually changing the username) five-minute way to do it. Just create the new user with your preferred name (with admin rights) and password (if you wish), then (required step) log out as you (old username), login as <new username>, and delete the old username folder. That takes a coupla seconds, 'cuz it's a big folder, even now, so soon after you got the machine.

The disadvantage -- and the reason why you should do this ASAP when you get the new machine -- is that any setups and personalization you've finished as <old username> have to be redone. Do it early, and there's not so much to re-do.

What 2112 and The-Hive suggested is the long way 'round that you must take if you've had the machine for a while and don't want to go through the painful process of re-doing a LOT of stuff.

Try3 · Oct 19, 2021

Janey,

I agree with WiseWiz that creating a new local user account is the best course of action.
- Just to clarify matters, if you chose to change the existing account instead then you would need to follow both the procedure posted by 2112 and the procedure posed by The hive.

I'd also add that it is always worth having a spare [unused], local, password-protected Admin user account so you can be certain of getting into your computer to sort things out if your day-to-day Admin account ever got corrupted.
my ditty - Create two spare local, password-protected Admin accounts [post #2] - TenForums [This covers both Windows 10 & Windows 11]

Best of luck,
Denis

Wisewiz · Oct 19, 2021

BTW, Janey, welcome to 11Forum. It's a nice place to visit, and lotsa nice people practically live here.

janey6 · Oct 19, 2021

Wisewiz said:
That's the right (and easier than the convoluted process of actually changing the username) five-minute way to do it. Just create the new user with your preferred name (with admin rights) and password (if you wish), then (required step) log out as you (old username), login as <new username>, and delete the old username folder. That takes a coupla seconds, 'cuz it's a big folder, even now, so soon after you got the machine.

The disadvantage -- and the reason why you should do this ASAP when you get the new machine -- is that any setups and personalization you've finished as <old username> have to be redone. Do it early, and there's not so much to re-do.

What 2112 and The-Hive suggested is the long way 'round that you must take if you've had the machine for a while and don't want to go through the painful process of re-doing a LOT of stuff.

Thanks. The only problem with that is that my correct name comes up for sign in - it's just in Windows Explorer that the first 5 letters of my email address appear. To create a new user, how would I still use my real name? Sorry if this seems a bit daft but do I have to create a new Live/Outlook address?

Wisewiz · Oct 19, 2021

Absolutely not. I'm trying to remember how it all works. Before I come back, someone else will probably jump in here and answer your question completely. I don't think there's a problem, though: Once you've logged in on the new account, IIRC you log into your MS account, and your new username will be registered with your real "Janey" name.

Bree · Oct 19, 2021

janey6 said:
To create a new user, how would I still use my real name?

First create a new local account with the name you want to use as your user folder's name in Explorer.

Add Local User Account in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to create and add a local account as a user on the PC in Windows 11. Having different accounts on a shared PC lets multiple people use the same device, all while giving everyone their own sign-in info, plus access to their own files, browser favorites, and...

www.elevenforum.com

Important: remember to make it an administrator.

Change Account Type in Windows 10

How to Change Account Type of Users in Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

Switch your original account from a Microsoft account to a local account....

Switch to Local Account from Microsoft Account in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to switch to a local account from a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 11 with instead. You can sign in to Windows 11 with a local account or a Microsoft account. However, you can easily switch between using a local account or a Microsoft account to sign in...

www.elevenforum.com

...then you can switch the new local account to be a Microsoft account. You will now be signing in with your proper MS account name, but it will still use your chosen user folder name.

Switch to Microsoft Account from Local Account in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to switch to a Microsoft account from a local account to sign in to Windows 11 with instead. You can sign in to Windows 11 with a local account or a Microsoft account. However, you can easily switch between using a local account or a Microsoft account to sign in...

www.elevenforum.com

Wisewiz · Oct 19, 2021

See? Told you someone with the right answer would come along.

If you have any questions (or doubts about what you're doing) post back, Janey.

Dru2 · Oct 19, 2021

Berton said:
It's my understanding that the Pro version isn't as restrictive as the Home version. Using the Microsoft Account does tend to use the first 5 letters of the E-Mail address used.

I don't believe naming your PC is restricted to Pro or whether you have a local or Microsoft account.

Anyway, during my clean install of Windows 11 Pro, I was given the opportunity to name my PC "before" choosing an account - Local or Microsoft. And the naming of your PC is now part of the final setup process as shown in step #17 of this tutorial Clean Install Windows 11. I don't believe this is restricted to Pro.

Wisewiz · Oct 19, 2021

Hey, Dru!
I think the point here is that Janey wasn’t given the chance to name the user folder, not the computer.

janey6 · Oct 19, 2021

I've managed to change my name now, thanks.
Tomorrow, I'd like to do a clean install as I want to get rid of a lot of stuff that came with the PC so I shall probably be back on the forum!

Bree · Oct 19, 2021

janey6 said:
Tomorrow, I'd like to do a clean install as I want to get rid of a lot of stuff that came with the PC

Would this be a clean install of Home or Pro? If it's Home then MS will insist that you set it up initially using a Microsoft account, only Pro give the option to use a local account instead. You'd end up needing to switch accounts around again in order to give the user folder the name you'd like.

It is possible to clean install 11 Home with an initial local account though, it involves removing the internet connection part way through. Easy to do if you can connect with Ethernet, not so easy if you connected by WiFi. Instructions here.

Install Windows 11 Home using Local Account - post #48

Clean Install Windows 11

This tutorial will show you step by step on how to clean install Windows 11 at boot on your PC with or without an Internet connection and setup with a local account or Microsoft account. Windows 11 has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes...

www.elevenforum.com

Wisewiz · Oct 19, 2021

Janey, that's a great idea, and it avoids having to spend half a day getting rid of the junk the builders put on new machines.

But remember, if you do what we said above right away, before you start customizing and installing and uninstalling things, you'll get the username you want in File Explorer, and you can dump the username MS takes from your email addy, without having to re-do a ton of stuff.

Good luck tomorrow. Let us know how it goes!

janey6 · Oct 19, 2021

Thanks. I will do!
Don’t think I’ll be able to use Ethernet as my PC isn’t near enough to the router.
I’ll read through the instructions carefully.

Bree · Oct 19, 2021

janey6 said:
I'd like to do a clean install...

Before doing so, back up the current drivers in case you need to restore them later. This Ten Forums tutorial applies equally to W11.

Backup and Restore Device Drivers in Windows 10

How to Backup and Restore Device Drivers in Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

The-Hive · Oct 20, 2021

@janey6 I don't know if you have Macrium Reflect, it's a great backup program to create an image, good thing to do before you make changes

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