How to Enable Administrator Account in Windows 10 Using CMD

To enable the built-in Administrator account in Windows 10 using CMD, open Command Prompt as administrator and run net user administrator /active:yes. You should see “The command completed successfully.” Sign out, and the Administrator account appears on the sign-in screen. Set a password for it straight away, and turn it off again with net user administrator /active:no when you’re finished, because this account runs everything with full rights and no permission prompts.

When you’d use the built-in Administrator

• Fixing a problem with your normal admin account, such as a corrupt profile.
• Recovering access when your only other account lost admin rights.
• Running a stubborn installer or tool that fails even with Run as administrator.

For everyday use, a normal account with admin rights is safer. See how to create an administrator account in Windows 10.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as administrator

1. Click Start and type cmd.
2. Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
3. Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt.

The window title should start with “Administrator:”. If you don’t get a UAC prompt or can’t approve it, your account isn’t an administrator. See how to check admin rights on Windows 10. More ways to open it are in how to run Command Prompt as admin.

Step 2: Enable the account

Type this and press Enter:

net user administrator /active:yes

On Windows in another language, the account may have a local name such as Administrador or Administrateur. Run net user on its own to list every account name, then use the right one in the command.

Step 3: Set a password

The built-in Administrator has no password by default. Run:

net user administrator *

Type a strong password and press Enter, then type it again. Nothing appears on screen while you type; that’s normal.

Step 4: Sign in

Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and choose Sign out, or open Start, click your account picture and choose Sign out. Pick Administrator on the sign-in screen. The first sign-in takes a minute while Windows sets up the profile.

Step 5: Disable it when you’re done

Sign back in with your normal account, open Command Prompt as administrator, and run:

net user administrator /active:no

Other ways to enable it

Method	How	Availability
PowerShell	Enable-LocalUser -Name "Administrator"	All editions, run as administrator
Local Users and Groups	Run lusrmgr.msc, open Users, double-click Administrator, untick Account is disabled	Pro, Enterprise and Education only
Computer Management	Right-click Start > Computer Management > Local Users and Groups	Pro, Enterprise and Education only

Why to keep it off

The built-in Administrator skips User Account Control prompts by default, so any program it runs, including malware from a download or email, gets full control of the PC. It’s also a well-known account name that attackers try first. Use it for the task at hand, then disable it.

Troubleshooting

“System error 5 has occurred. Access is denied.”

Command Prompt isn’t running as administrator. Close it and reopen it with Run as administrator.

“The user name could not be found”

The account has a different name on your system. Run net user to see the exact name.

The account doesn’t appear on the sign-in screen

Restart the PC. On work or school PCs, a policy may block it. Ask your IT team.

You can’t sign in to any admin account

You need another route, such as resetting a Microsoft account password online. See how to find the administrator password in Windows 10.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same on Windows 11?

Yes, the commands are identical. See how to enable the Administrator account in Windows 11.

How do I remove an admin account instead?

See how to remove an administrator account in Windows 10.

Summary

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Run net user administrator /active:yes.
3. Set a password with net user administrator *.
4. Disable it afterwards with net user administrator /active:no.