Do you have two or more administrator accounts on your Windows 10 PC? Need to delete or remove an admin account in Windows 10? In this guide, we will see how to delete or remove an admin account in Windows 10.
Deleting an administrator account is as simple as deleting a standard user account. However, you need to sign in as an administrator in order to delete an administrator account.
When you delete an admin account, all data saved in that account will be deleted. For instance, you will lose your documents, pictures, music and other items on the desktop of the account. So, it’s a good idea to back up all data from the account to another location or move desktop, documents, pictures and downloads folders to another drive.
Here is how to delete an administrator account in Windows 10.
NOTE 1: You need to sign in as an administrator in order to delete an administrator account. In other words, you cannot delete or remove an admin account from a standard user account.
NOTE 2: You cannot delete or remove the admin account you are currently signed in to. To remove it, please create a new admin account (if you have only one), sign in to the new admin account, and then delete the current one.
NOTE 3: Deleting an account will also remove all its data from your PC. All items on the desktop, documents, music, pictures, and downloads will be deleted. If the data is crucial, please back up them before proceeding further.
Method 1 of 1
Delete an admin account via Settings
Step 1: Open the Settings app by simultaneously pressing the Windows logo and I keys on the keyboard.
Step 2: In the Settings app, navigate to Accounts > Family and other accounts. If you are on the Enterprise edition of Windows 10, please navigate to Accounts > Other accounts.
Step 3: Here, you can see all admin as well as standard user accounts. As said before, the account, which you have currently signed in doesn’t appear in the list here. For instance, if you have two admin accounts “A” and “B” on your PC, you need to sign in to account “A” to delete admin account “B.”
Step 4: Click on the admin account that you want to delete or remove. Click the Remove button.
Step 5: When you see the following confirmation dialog, click the Delete account and data button to delete the account and all data from the account.
Method 2 of 2
Delete admin account via Control Panel
Step 1: Open the Control Panel. Change View by to Small icons. Click User Accounts.
Step 2: Click Manage another account link to see all user accounts on the PC.
Step 3: Click on the admin account that you want to delete or remove.
Step 4: Click Delete the account link.
Step 5: When you see the following confirmation dialog, either click the Delete Files or Keep Files button. If you click the Keep Files button, Windows automatically saves the account’s data in a folder on your current desktop before deleting it.
Hope this helps!
Chris says
Yay, thanks
Kris says
It is not true that to delete admin account you need to be admin.
I had an account (admin) and my daughter (standard). She went to standard settings for accounts (not control panel) and she blocked login on the laptop for me first and then removed the account.
Now I cant login as no option for me to do so.
Donald Truex says
I have myself as administrator, and had this computer 2 years, all of a sudden I have an account named administrator, did everything you suggest only problem it doesn’t give me the option to delete in user accounts, nor in settings, I’ve even tried changing permissions.. I think I have been hacked, under credentials it has some off the wall name and password, what do I do?
walter keeney says
I Forgot my administrator password. How can I get a new one if I can,t login?
Tamara says
A previous employee set up our computers and set herself as ADMIN. I need to have her removed and don’t have her password. Please help. We are a non profit and I can provide computer detail, ED’s information, and whatever is needed, just not the password to the ADMIN account because I don’t have that. please help.
Brenda Dunson says
Recently, my logon scrren showed my email address. This email address has become the administrator-although i have not set up an administrator account which would require having a password and consequently, there are many changes I cannot effect due to this lockout. The demand for administrator/password is only a box in which administrator entries cannot even be made anyway. How my e mail morphed into an administrator is a wonder and my local account simultaneously became password protected itself without any entry of one from me. Any and all actions nearly, require an administrator’s permission for even the
simplest matters. As the sole user, I have a pin for signin and no password was set for the local account. My screens have become a snap of blue and yellow administrator’s permissions. There is no way I can change my local account at all. My other issue is that if
my email address is removed, will that affect my email account, my primary email account as well?