Just like a company, your computer also has a hierarchy of users as well, where depending on your role, there are certain functions that may or may not be off-limits to you. With Microsoft Windows, the highest possible role you could have is administrator. This basically gives you access to all of the features of Windows where you can make changes that affect how the operating system runs.

This is important because it can also help prevent a regular user from making a change that could have a negative impact on performance as well as security, so obviously choosing the administrator is crucial, and here’s how you can assign that role to yourself or someone.

Change administrator on Windows 10

Method 1

  1. Click the Start menu and click on Settings
  2. Select Accounts
  3. Select Family & other users
  4. Click on the person’s name and select Change account type
  5. From the drop-down menu, select Administrator
  6. Click OK

Method 2

  1. Click the Start menu and type Control Panel and launch it
  2. Under User Accounts click Change account type
  3. Click the user account you want to change
  4. Click Change the account type
  5. Select Administrator
  6. Click Change Account Type and you’re good to go

Do note that when you give someone an Administrator role, they could make changes that might have negative consequences. As Microsoft warns on their support page:

“A user with an administrator account can access anything on the system, and any malware they encounter can use the administrator permissions to potentially infect or damage any files on the system. Only grant that level of access when absolutely necessary and to people you trust.”

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An Administrator account in Windows 10 basically lets the user do pretty much whatever they want on the computer. It will give them full system control, which includes changing global system settings, installing apps, delete files, changing security settings, and more.

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Administrator accounts have complete access to Windows and its settings, whereas Standard user accounts are limited. If you share a computer at home or at school or at the office, creating Standard accounts is a good way to ensure that the computer isn’t too affected by the changes the users make on it.

For example, if a school gave all students Administrator accounts, they could make changes to the computer’s security, delete system files, run programs that haven’t been approved, and more.

If it’s just you using the computer at home, making yourself the Administrator is probably a good idea so that you can make changes quickly and easily.

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