How to Create a New Local User Account in Windows 10

Last Updated: March 10, 2021 Tested

This article will show you how to create a new local user account on your Windows 10 computer. A local user account is different than a Microsoft account because with a local account, you don't need a Microsoft email address. Follow Method 1 if you are signed in to an Administrator account; follow Method 2 if you are signed in to a Standard account.

Steps

Download Article

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/68\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/68\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid7606442-v4-728px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

Open the Settings app . Click the Start

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/0\/07\/Windowsstart.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/07\/Windowsstart.png\/30px-Windowsstart.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":460,"bigWidth":30,"bigHeight":30,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of a Windows icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Public_domain\">Public Domain<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

button and select the settings gear

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/d\/d0\/Windowssettings.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d0\/Windowssettings.png\/31px-Windowssettings.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":445,"bigWidth":31,"bigHeight":30,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of a Windows icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Public_domain\">Public Domain<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

.
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6d\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-2-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-2-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6d\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-2-Version-2.jpg\/aid7606442-v4-728px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-2-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

Advertisement
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b2\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b2\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/aid7606442-v4-728px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/c2\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-4-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-4-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c2\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-4-Version-2.jpg\/aid7606442-v4-728px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-4-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

It's under the "Other people" category at the bottom, which means you might have to scroll down. Doing so will prompt a window to appear.
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/61\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/aid7606442-v4-728px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/22\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/22\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/aid7606442-v4-728px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

It's the link at the bottom of the window that just appeared.
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e2\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-7.jpg\/v4-460px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-7.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e2\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-7.jpg\/aid7606442-v4-728px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-7.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-8.jpg\/v4-460px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-8.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-8.jpg\/aid7606442-v4-728px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-8.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

Type a username and optionally, enter a password. If entering a password, you need to add a password hint.
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/9e\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-9.jpg\/v4-460px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-9.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9e\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-9.jpg\/aid7606442-v4-728px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-9.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/7d\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-10.jpg\/v4-460px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-10.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/7d\/Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-10.jpg\/aid7606442-v4-728px-Create-a-New-Local-User-Account-in-Windows-10-Step-10.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}

The account will appear under the "Other people" header.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

To change the account type to administrator, click the name of the account under the "Other people" header, click Change account type , click Administrator from the dropdown, and click OK .

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
It is recommended to create a password to prevent your new account from unauthorized access, but you don't have to.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
If you are creating a password, make sure you write it down and keep it in a safe place.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Show More Tips

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

If you don't create a password, an unauthorized person can access your account just by clicking "Sign in".

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
If you forget the password for a local account, there's no way to recover the password.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Log in

How to Create a New Local User Account in Windows 10

Steps

Expert Q&A

Tips

Warnings

You Might Also Like

References

About This Article

Is this article up to date?

Quizzes

You Might Also Like

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Trending Articles

Explore Categories