How to Change user folder name in Windows 11

Question

I need to change my user folder name from xabcd to Abcd but there is no rename option.

Answer 1

Renaming a user profile folder in Windows 11 is not straightforward, as the folder name is tied to the user account configuration in the registry and several system settings. Here's how you can change the user profile folder name safely: Use the following process:

1. Create a New Local Administrator Account
   • Create a temporary administrator account to ensure you can manage your main account without being logged in to it.
     1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
     2. Click Add account under Other users.
     3. Create a local account by selecting I don’t have this person’s sign-in information, then Add a user without a Microsoft account.
     4. Assign administrative privileges by selecting the account under Other users, clicking Change account type, and choosing Administrator.

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2. Rename the User Profile Folder
   • Log in to the new temporary administrator account.
   • Navigate to the C:\Users folder.
   • Locate the folder named xabcd and rename it to Abcd.

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3. Update the Registry
   • Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
   • Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
   • Look for the subkey that corresponds to your main user account by checking the ProfileImagePath value.
     • For example: C:\Users\xabcd.
   • Double-click on ProfileImagePath and update it to the new folder path: C:\Users\Abcd
   • Save the changes and close the Registry Editor.

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4. Test the Changes
   • Log out of the temporary administrator account.
   • Log back into your main account and verify that everything is functioning correctly.
   • Check that files, settings, and applications are accessible.

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5. Remove the Temporary Account
   • Once you're sure everything is working as expected, delete the temporary administrator account:
     1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
     2. Select the temporary account and click Remove.

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Before making any changes, back up your important files and create a system restore point. If your account is linked to a Microsoft account, the folder name doesn’t impact the online account name. Some applications or settings may still reference the old folder name. You may need to manually update paths or reconfigure settings for these applications.

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hth

Marcin