How to Log In as Administrator in Windows 10

To log in as an administrator in Windows 10, sign out of the current account and sign in with an account that has administrator rights: select Start, select your user picture or the Accounts icon, select Sign out, then choose the administrator account on the sign-in screen and enter its password or PIN. If your own account is a standard one, someone who already has administrator rights on the PC can upgrade it under Settings > Accounts with Change account type.

Applies to: Windows 10, on a PC you own or administer. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 7, 2026.

What “administrator” means in Windows 10

The word covers two different things, and mixing them up is the main reason this task feels confusing.

• An administrator account is any user account that belongs to the PC’s Administrators group. Microsoft’s documentation explains that Windows setup creates a local account in that group when the PC is first set up, so on most home computers the first account is already an administrator. Members of the group have full control of the device.
• The built-in Administrator account is a separate account that is literally named Administrator. Windows setup disables it, and Microsoft requires PC makers to ship computers with it turned off. You do not need it for everyday administration.

Even when you are signed in as an administrator, Windows 10 runs your apps with standard rights until something needs more. At that point User Account Control (UAC) shows a prompt on a dimmed desktop. An administrator sees a consent prompt and only has to approve it. A standard user sees a credential prompt that asks for an administrator’s sign-in details.

Before you start

• You need the password or PIN of an account that already has administrator rights on this PC. Every method below depends on that.
• On a work or school computer, administrator rights are usually held by the organization. Ask your IT administrator instead of changing accounts yourself.
• Signing out closes your open apps, and Microsoft warns that unsaved work may be lost. Save your files first.
• Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. The PC still works and these account steps still apply, but it no longer receives regular security fixes.

Sign in with an administrator account

Use this method when the PC already has an administrator account and you know how to sign in to it.

1. Save your work, then select Start in the corner of the taskbar. The Start menu opens.
2. Select your user picture or the Accounts icon. A short menu opens with account options.
3. Select Sign out. Windows closes your apps and returns to the sign-in screen.
4. On the sign-in screen, choose the administrator account. If the PC has only one account, it is selected for you.
5. Enter the password or PIN for that account and press Enter, or use Windows Hello if it is set up. The desktop for the administrator account loads.

From here, anything that needs administrator approval shows a consent prompt that you can approve without typing a password.

Switch to the administrator account without signing out

If you want to keep your own apps open, switch users instead. Select Start, select your user picture or the Accounts icon, and then select the administrator account in the list. Windows shows the sign-in screen for that account while your session stays open in the background. Microsoft notes that PCs managed by an organization also show a separate Switch user option.

If the other account does not appear in that menu, see our guide on how to enable Switch user in Windows 10.

Check whether your account is already an administrator

Many people who search for an administrator login already have one. To check, open Settings > Accounts > Your info. If your account has administrator rights, the word Administrator appears under your name.

You can also list every administrator on the PC. Open Command Prompt, type net localgroup Administrators and press Enter. The command prints the members of that group, which tells you which accounts can approve changes.

Make an existing account an administrator

If you own the PC and want your everyday account to have administrator rights, change its account type. This has to be done from an account that is already an administrator. The labels below come from Microsoft’s current Manage user accounts in Windows article, which covers Windows 10 and Windows 11.

1. Sign in with an administrator account and open Settings.
2. Select Accounts, then Other user. On many Windows 10 PCs this page is labeled Family & other users. The page lists the other accounts on the PC.
3. Select the account you want to change. Its options expand.
4. Next to Account options, select Change account type. A small window opens with a dropdown.
5. From the dropdown, select Administrator, then select OK.
6. Sign out of that account and sign back in so the new rights take effect.

Microsoft recommends keeping the number of administrators small, because each one can install software and reach every file on the PC. If you need a separate account for this purpose, our guide on creating a local account on Windows 10 covers adding one first.

Run one app as administrator instead

Often you do not need to sign in as an administrator at all. To raise a single app, find it in the search box or Start menu, right-click it, and select Run as administrator. If you are signed in as a standard user, the UAC credential prompt lets an administrator type their password right there, and only that app gets the extra rights.

This is the approach Microsoft describes as best practice in its local accounts documentation: sign in with a normal account, and use Run as administrator for tasks that need more.

Enable the built-in Administrator account

Use this only when you have a specific reason to sign in to the account named Administrator, such as a repair job on your own PC. You must already be signed in with administrator rights to turn it on, so this is not a way into a PC you cannot otherwise administer.

1. Type cmd in the Search box.
2. In the results, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Approve the prompt that appears. An elevated Command Prompt window opens.
3. Type net user administrator /active:yes and press Enter. The /active option of the net user command enables or disables an account.
4. Type net user administrator * and press Enter, then type a strong password when asked. The characters are not shown while you type.
5. Sign out. The Administrator account now appears on the sign-in screen, and you can choose it and enter the password you just set.

When you have finished, sign back in to your normal administrator account, open an elevated Command Prompt again, and run net user administrator /active:no. Microsoft’s guidance is to keep this account disabled when possible, because it is a well-known target. Windows does not let you delete it or lock it out, but you can disable or rename it.

Confirm the change, or undo it

• Confirm: after signing in, open Settings > Accounts > Your info and look for Administrator under your name.
• Undo an account type change: repeat the Change account type steps from a different administrator account and pick the standard option. Leave at least one administrator account on the PC that you can sign in to.
• Undo the built-in account: run net user administrator /active:no from an elevated Command Prompt.
• Go back to your own account: sign out of the administrator account from the Start menu and choose your account on the sign-in screen.

Troubleshooting

No administrator account appears on the sign-in screen

Your own account may be the administrator. Check Your info as described above. The built-in Administrator account stays hidden until it is enabled, so not seeing it is normal.

Change account type is missing or you cannot open it

Only an administrator can change account types, and you change other accounts from the list, not the one you are signed in with. Sign in with a different administrator account and try again.

The net user command is refused

The Command Prompt window was probably opened normally. Close it, then reopen it with Run as administrator and approve the prompt. If the prompt asks for a password you do not have, the account you are using is a standard one.

You forgot the administrator password

Use Microsoft’s supported recovery options for an account that belongs to you. For a Microsoft account, select I forgot my password on the sign-in screen. For a local account, Microsoft’s steps use the Reset password link and the security questions chosen when the account was created. Both are described in Microsoft’s article on changing or resetting your password in Windows. If the account belongs to someone else, ask that person to sign in or to change your account type.

The PC belongs to an employer or school

Administrator rights on managed devices are restricted on purpose. Contact the IT help desk and explain what you need to install or change.

Frequently asked questions

Is the built-in Administrator account the same as my administrator account?

No. Your account is a normal user account that belongs to the Administrators group. The built-in account is a separate one named Administrator that Windows setup disables. Both can administer the PC.

Do I have to log in as administrator to install a program?

No. If you are a standard user, the installer triggers a UAC prompt where an administrator can enter their sign-in details. If you are already an administrator, you only approve the prompt.

Why does Windows still ask for permission when I am an administrator?

That is User Account Control working as designed. Windows 10 gives administrators a standard set of rights for everyday apps and asks for approval before anything uses full administrator rights. You can review the notification level under Control Panel > System and Security > Change User Account Control settings, but Microsoft does not recommend turning it off.

Can I delete the built-in Administrator account?

No. Microsoft’s documentation states that it cannot be deleted or locked out. It can be disabled, which is its normal state, or renamed.

How many administrator accounts should a PC have?

As few as practical. Microsoft’s guidance is to limit membership of the Administrators group because every member has full control of the device. One administrator account plus standard accounts for daily use is a sensible setup for a home PC.

Do these steps work in Windows 11?

The Microsoft articles used here apply to both Windows 10 and Windows 11, and the commands are the same. Some Settings pages are arranged differently in Windows 11, so follow a Windows 11 guide for the exact clicks.

Once you can sign in with administrator rights, consider moving your daily work to a standard account and approving changes only when Windows asks. It takes a few minutes to set up and limits what a bad download can do.