Cannot change account to administrator!

Anonymous
2012-11-03T17:01:26+00:00

Hi. I need to change my account to administrator so I can make changes to my internet accounts but my internet provider told me that I am just a standard user in Windows 8 and I need to change it to administrator. When I try to change my user profile from standard to administrator, Windows 8 won't let me, even though I am logged in under my Microsoft account. How can I change this? It's pretty frustrating!!

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Accounts, profiles, and login

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Anonymous
2012-11-03T22:53:02+00:00

Hi. I need to change my account to administrator so I can make changes to my internet accounts but my internet provider told me that I am just a standard user in Windows 8 and I need to change it to administrator. When I try to change my user profile from standard to administrator, Windows 8 won't let me, even though I am logged in under my Microsoft account. How can I change this? It's pretty frustrating!!

Hi

You cannot use a Standard (Local) account to change the account to Administrator. You can only use an existing Administrator account to do this.

Open Control Panel (Move the cursor to the lower/left corner of the screen and Right Click, select Control Panel on the menu.

In Control Panel, select User Accounts.

Select Manage another account.

This will show all of the user accounts on the computer. If there is an Administrator account it will show that designation.

Sign Out and log on with any Administrator Account.

Go back to Control Panel/User Accounts.

Select Manage another account and then select the Standard account you wish to change.

Select the Change Account Type option.

Select the Administrator option to change the account and click the Change Account Type button.

If there are no other Administrator Accounts, let us know and we can try another recovery method.

Let us know what you find.

Regards

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-01-10T09:52:31+00:00

    Hi,

    I have no other administrator account what is another method to fix? 

    Thanks

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-01-11T23:50:01+00:00

    I have a very similar problem.  I really want to know how select WHO I WANT to be administrator, from the users & administrators already created, for any reason or circumstance.  it shouldn't be this hard.  So how's it done?

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-02-05T10:49:47+00:00

    I too have the same problem. I have a Windows Account and a Local Account. Neither have administrator rights. No Administrative Account is visible anywhere. If I try to make changes, such as installing Adobe, I'm asked for a finger swipe, but when I do, it says I need to be elevated. I tried to enter "Net User administrator /active:yes" at CMD prompt, but got system error 5. No matter what I tried or where I looked, I couldn't find or set up an administrator.

    Judy

    Hi Judy

    The following will recover your Administrator account.

    If there are no Administrator accounts on the system, you can boot to Safe Mode to access the Built-in Administrator account.

    1. Press WinKey+I to display Settings.
    2. Click the Power Options icon.
    3. Hold down the Shift Key while you click the Restart option.
    4. On the first screen, select Troubleshoot.
    5. On the next screen, select Advanced Options.
    6. On the next screen, select Startup Settings. Click the Restart Button.
    7. Press the Number4 Key.

    The computer will start in Safe Mode.

    Click the Arrow Icon.

    Select the Administrator account.

    After Safe Mode starts, open Control Panel / User Accounts.

    Select Manage another account and select the account you wish to change to an Administrator account.

    Select Change Account Type.

    Select the Administrator option and click the Change account type button.

    Exit Control Panel and Restart the computer.

    Log on with your Administrator account.

    Let us know if this works for you.

    Regards

    Hello,

    I did the things you asked. Even I tried from the "computer management" option in safe mode. but when I try to check off the 'Account is diabled" option in the local administrator account it says "Access is denied". Please send a suggestion

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-02-21T21:48:38+00:00

    How can you do this outside of windows 10? Windows, in all its Glory, does not recognize my well-used password. And from the outside I cannot change it to administrative account. It only gives me the option of using a local account with a password it does not want to recognize anymore

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