Windows 11: Adding a new user for daily use instead of the admin account

Johnm32073 · Friday at 12:55 AM

I am using Windows 11 Pro Version 25H2, and I am the only user on my home computer. When I boot up, I go straight into Windows. I am the admin, and there is no other account on the computer.I want to add a new user account (for myself) for daily use, both for safety and so I don't mess things up.

1. If I add a new account, will all my software work on my second account, or will I have to reinstall all my programs on it?
2. When I boot up my computer, do I have to choose which account I want to use? I do not use a password on my computer, and I have never had an account other than admin.

0. I also make an image backup after every 2 Microsoft updates or every 2 to 3 months.

John

OAT · Friday at 6:45 AM

Johnm32073 said:
1. If I add a new account, will all my software work on my second account, or will I have to reinstall all my programs on it?
2. When I boot up my computer, do I have to choose which account I want to use? I do not use a password on my computer, and I have never had an account other than admin.

0. I also make an image backup after every 2 Microsoft updates or every 2 to 3 months.

John

Hi John,
1.This usually depends on the software and how it was installed. Newest software tends to ask you to install machine wide or for single user.
UWP apps (windows app) usually get installed in the user folder, so those few might need to be re-installed.
Keep in mind that you will have access to program files & program files (x86), so you can create shortcuts for your new user from there.
2. The lock screen will show you 2 users to choose from or it will go automatically (if no password) to the last user that was logged in.
By right clicking on the start button, you will have the option to switch user, or to sign out. I would recommend choosing sign out so
that only one session is maintained in memory at one time.

kelper · Friday at 7:07 AM

I would create a new user as an admin. Log in and change your first user to a standard one; he will have all your programs and settings.

Bree · Friday at 7:26 AM

Johnm32073 said:
1. If I add a new account, will all my software work on my second account, or will I have to reinstall all my programs on it?
2. When I boot up my computer, do I have to choose which account I want to use? I do not use a password on my computer, and I have never had an account other than admin.

OAT said:
2. The lock screen will show you 2 users to choose from or it will go automatically (if no password) to the last user that was logged in.

kelper said:
I would create a new user as an admin. Log in and change your first user to a standard one; he will have all your programs and settings.

Kepler's suggestion is a good one, but be very careful to make the new user an admin before you make the original one a standard user. It is essential that at all times you have at least one admin account, else you'll loose the ability to manage your PC. I always make an extra local admin account on my PCs so that I have another way in for emergencies.

As OAT says, if your accounts have no password, on start up Windows will go straight to the desktop of the last user that was signed in. I would add to kepler's suggestion that you should create this new admin account as a local account, and that you should give it a password. Keep it simple and easy to remember, you could set it to be the same as the account name, for example.

That way, if the last signed in user was this admin account you'll not go straight in, rather you'll stop at the sign in screen where it asks for the password. You can leave your standard account with no password. That way you'll go straight in to the standard account, but stop yourself automatically going into the admin account by mistake.

pseymour · Friday at 9:10 AM

I totally agree with the admin account having a password, but if you did want to disable the automatic sign in….

Enable or Disable Auto Sign-in and Lock after Update or Restart in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable automatically sign in and lock last user after an update or restart in Windows 11. You can speed up the Windows sign-in process by turning on Use my sign in info to automatically finish setting up after an update to automatically sign in and...

www.elevenforum.com

FreeBooter · Friday at 12:21 PM

The Admin user account is a Standard user account till you elevate your Admin privileges that is where UAC prompt comes in asking you elevate your Admin privileges.

kelper · Friday at 12:33 PM

FreeBooter said:
The Admin user account is a Standard user account till you elevate your Admin privileges that is where UAC prompt comes in asking you elevate your Admin privileges.

Not really true. An administrator account normally operates with standard-user privileges because UAC uses a filtered administrator token. When administrative privileges are required, UAC prompts the user to elevate. A standard user can also initiate an elevation, but must provide administrator credentials.

FreeBooter · Friday at 12:38 PM

kelper said:
Not really true. An administrator account normally operates with standard-user privileges because UAC uses a filtered administrator token. When administrative privileges are required, UAC prompts the user to elevate. A standard user can also initiate an elevation, but must provide administrator credentials.

What is not true you repated my post.

kelper · Friday at 12:39 PM

"The Admin user account is a Standard user account" no, it isn't.

zbook · Friday at 12:40 PM

Most software will be available to all users but there are exceptions.

C:\Users\UserA\AppData\Local\Programs\

AI offered:
If you give me a list of the programs you currently have installed, I can go through them one by one and tell you "shared installation," "separate installation," or "depends on licensing."

FreeBooter · Friday at 12:40 PM

kelper said:
"The Admin user account is a Standard user account" no, it isn't.

Yes its you need Admin privileges elevated to complete Admin Tasks.

Johnm32073 · Friday at 4:12 PM

Here are a List of installed stuff

kelper · Friday at 4:17 PM

@Johnm32073 if you follow my suggestion, you don't need to move a single file. It takes a minute or two.

Johnm32073 · Friday at 4:23 PM

I just want another account Local user to use daily most of the time a try to make a change and i get a message That I have to have admin Privileges To make these changes . It screws with my head because i am on the only account and it admin.
I yell at the computer but it doesn't hear.
So if i have another account then I can log in on the admin account
Thanks again for all you're help again
John

Johnm32073 · Friday at 4:35 PM

Also I might add I do not have a Microsoft account, nor will I ever they are to controling
I use the accounts list on windows account

zbook · Friday at 9:45 PM

Johnm32073 said:
Here are a List of installed stuff

Please paste your post into ai.

If it accepts the image instead of a text list then you're set.

Johnm32073 · Saturday at 1:24 AM

Kelper I am going to do as you posted, I change it Monday when I get back from out of town.
I will also, Make a windows image first in case I mess things up, I can reformat my drive and reinstall windows

Steve C · Saturday at 2:36 AM

Johnm32073 said:
I am using Windows 11 Pro Version 25H2, and I am the only user on my home computer. When I boot up, I go straight into Windows. I am the admin, and there is no other account on the computer.I want to add a new user account (for myself) for daily use, both for safety and so I don't mess things up.

1. If I add a new account, will all my software work on my second account, or will I have to reinstall all my programs on it?
2. When I boot up my computer, do I have to choose which account I want to use? I do not use a password on my computer, and I have never had an account other than admin.

0. I also make an image backup after every 2 Microsoft updates or every 2 to 3 months.

John

Most software should be fine but some like Chrome can install per user. Store apps are installed per user. I uses a standard user account for routine work on all my PCs. When you start Windows you will see a selection of accounts to log in to. Not using a password is a brave decision. I would use a much more frequent backup schedule. I use a weekly scheduled Reflect backup plus hourly file & folder backup.

Windows 11: Adding a new user for daily use instead of the admin account

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