How to Change Your Account Name in Windows 11

When you first set up a new Windows 11 computer, the system asks you to create a user profile. If you quickly typed in a nickname, a typo, or an old email address, you will be forced to stare at that mistake on your lock screen every single day.

Fortunately, you are not permanently stuck with the name you chose during setup. You can easily change your account name, and how you do it depends entirely on whether you are using a local offline account or a connected Microsoft account.

How to Change a Microsoft Account Name

If you log into your computer using an email address (like Outlook or Hotmail), your Windows 11 profile is permanently linked to your online Microsoft Account. You cannot change your name locally on the computer; you must change it on Microsoft’s servers.

1. Press the Windows Key and open the Settings app (the gear icon).
2. Click on Accounts in the left-hand sidebar.
3. Click on Your info in the main panel.
4. Under the “Related settings” section, click on Accounts (Manage my account). This will open a new tab in your default web browser (like Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome).
5. Log into the website using your Microsoft password.
6. At the top of the webpage, click the Your Info tab.
7. Click the Edit name link on the right side of the screen.
8. Type your new first and last name, complete the CAPTCHA security challenge, and click Save.

To force the new name to appear on your computer, restart Windows 11 completely. It may take a few minutes for the computer to sync the new data from the cloud.

How to Change a Local Offline Account Name

If you bypassed the Microsoft sign-in during setup and created a traditional offline account, the process is entirely local and does not require a web browser.

1. Press the Windows Key, type Control Panel, and press Enter.
2. In the Control Panel, look for the “User Accounts” section and click the blue Change account type link.
3. Click on the specific local user profile you want to rename.
4. Click the Change the account name option on the left side.
5. Type your new preferred username into the text box.
6. Click the Change Name button.

The name on your login screen will immediately update to reflect the change.