How do I change the admin for Family Safety?

Question

How do I change the admin for Family Safety?

Russell Cox 25

My child is set as an Administrator on DESKTOP so certain Family Safety features won’t work. I am unable to see where he is set as an Admin nor change his status. I also can't see my status as an Admin anywhere on my profile. How do I change his status?

Russell Cox 25 Reputation points

2026-01-24T22:13:42.7266667+00:00

This statement is incorrect: "Modify Account Type: Click on your child's account, and you should see an option to change the account type."

Answer accepted by question author

Norah-L 10,660 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello Russell Cox!

Thanks for posting your question to the Q&A forum.

I understand that you're having an issue that certain Family Safety features won’t work properly when your child is set as an admin (on Desktop). Here’s what you can do to change your child's account type:

Please note that Windows account roles and Microsoft Family Safety roles are separate. Family Safety Organizers (parents) and Members (children) only control online family settings like screen time, app limits, activity reporting, and purchase approval. These roles do not determine who is a Windows administrator on the device.

This means that even if you’re an Organizer in Family Safety, it doesn’t automatically make you a Windows admin. Likewise, your child can still be a Windows administrator if the account was created that way on the PC. That’s why you can’t see or change their Windows admin status from your Microsoft account or Family Safety. It must be changed directly on the PC not via Family Safety.

To change administrator right on Windows, you first need to sign in with an existing admin account (your child's) on that PC. These methods below work on Windows 10/11, if you're using another Operation System, please let me know:

Method 1: Control Panel

Search Control Panel
User Accounts > Manage another account
Pick the account > Change the account type
Switch between Administrator or Standard and apply changes.

Method 2: Command Prompt (Admin)

Search CMD > right‑click > Run as administrator
Use the commands below:
Add admin rights: net localgroup Administrators "Username" /add
Remove admin rights: net localgroup Administrators "Username" /delete

(Replace "Username" with the actual account name)

If you also need to set your own account as an administrator, use one of the methods above, then sign out and back in for the change to fully apply.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need further clarification!

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Russell Cox 25 Reputation points

2026-01-25T15:52:38.1333333+00:00

Shortcut for this:

Windows Key + R, then type netplwiz.

This will bring you directly to the Account Manager, choose Group, then change settings.
Norah-L 10,660 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-01-25T23:23:16.1666667+00:00

Have a good day Russell Cox!

Thanks for confirming the solution. Your update is really helpful and can make it easier for others with the same issue to find their answer.

Best regards.
Phillip Cobb 0 Reputation points

2026-09-16T22:55:24.3733333+00:00
So this is great to find out how to do this after wasting so much time using the instructions Microsoft Family provided (below.) On the FAMILY SAFETY website I continually got the message my daughter was an administrator and it said click on the link to "fix it." Again, this is on the screen of the FAMILY SAFETY website.

Perhaps someone at MS could tell the other people at MS Family Safety that they are two different roles, and I don't know, explicitly include this info of yours below somewhere on the "Fix it" screen. It's not stated what Admin role they mean and I, like this man who asked the question, wasted time trying to change the wrong role on the FAMILY SAFETY website. Could MS make the effort to be clear and tell us what we need to know without having to go search for what should have been there already?!

"Please note that Windows account roles and Microsoft Family Safety roles are separate."

SJV is set as an Administrator on their Windows PC (CRICKETSYOGA), so there are multiple ways for them to change system settings that could break Family Safety. To help protect them, please update their account with these steps:

Step 1. Make sure you have administrator access

You may already have your account set up as an administrator on this Windows PC. If so, skip to step 2.

Sign into Windows with SJV’s account

Go to Settings

Select Accounts > Family & other users.

Choose your account > Allow access

Choose your account > Change account type

In the dialog, choose Administrator user and click OK to save the change

Step 2. Change SJV’s account type

Sign into Windows with your own Administrator account.

Go to Settings

Select Accounts > Family & other users.

Choose SJV’s account > Change account type

In the dialog, choose Standard user and click OK and restart the PC to save the change.SJV is set as an Administrator on their Windows PC (CRICKETSYOGA), so there are multiple ways for them to change system settings that could break Family Safety. To help protect them, please update their account with these steps: Step 1. Make sure you have administrator access You may already have your account set up as an administrator on this Windows PC. If so, skip to step 2.

Sign into Windows with SJV’s account

Go to Settings

Select Accounts > Family & other users.

Choose your account > Allow access

Choose your account > Change account type

In the dialog, choose Administrator user and click OK to save the change

Step 2. Change SJV’s account type

Sign into Windows with your own Administrator account.

Go to Settings

Select Accounts > Family & other users.

Choose SJV’s account > Change account type

In the dialog, choose Standard user and click OK and restart the PC to save the change.

1 additional answer

Your answer

Russell Cox 25 Reputation points

2026-01-24T22:13:42.7266667+00:00

This statement is incorrect: "Modify Account Type: Click on your child's account, and you should see an option to change the account type."
Russell Cox 25 Reputation points

2026-01-25T15:52:38.1333333+00:00

Shortcut for this:

Windows Key + R, then type netplwiz.

This will bring you directly to the Account Manager, choose Group, then change settings.
Norah-L 10,660 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-01-25T23:23:16.1666667+00:00

Have a good day Russell Cox!

Thanks for confirming the solution. Your update is really helpful and can make it easier for others with the same issue to find their answer.

Best regards.

Answer 1

To change your child's status from Administrator to Standard User for Family Safety, follow these steps:

Access Settings: Click on the Start menu and select Settings (the gear icon).
Navigate to Accounts: Choose Accounts and then select Family & other users from the sidebar.
Locate Your Child's Account: Under the Your family section, find your child's account listed there.
Modify Account Type: Click on your child's account, and you should see an option to change the account type. If it is currently set as Administrator, switch it to Standard User.
Apply Changes: Follow the prompts to confirm the changes.

Once your child's account is set to Standard User, the Family Safety features should function properly. If you cannot see your own Admin status, ensure you are logged in with an account that has administrative rights.

For additional help, you might want to refer to the official Windows support documentation.