How to Create and Manage Two User Accounts in Windows 10
The full guide for setting up and switching between user accounts — the steps follow the video process in the same order.
What you need before starting
- Operating System: Windows 10 PC
- Permissions: Administrative access on the primary Windows account
- Network Status: Local account creation (Internet/Wi-Fi can be turned off to skip the Microsoft Account prompt)
The full guide for setting up and switching between user accounts — the steps follow the video process in the same order.
Open Accounts settings
Open the Start Menu, search for Settings, and click to open it. Select Accounts from the menu, then navigate to Family & other users on the left sidebar.
Add a local user account
Under the Other users section, click Add someone else to this PC. When prompted to sign in with a Microsoft account, click I don't have this person's sign-in information, then select Add a user without a Microsoft account.
Name the new account and set a password
Enter a username for the new profile (e.g., user12). Enter a password and complete the security questions if desired, or leave the password field blank and click Next to create a passwordless local profile.
Configure account privileges (Standard vs. Administrator)
Locate the newly created account under Other users. Click on the account name and select Change account type. Set the account type to Standard User (recommended for secondary/guest use) or Administrator (for full system access), then click OK.
Initial log in and profile setup
Lock your PC or click on the user profile icon in the Start Menu and select the new user account to switch over. On first login, Windows will initialize the user environment and present the privacy settings page—adjust or toggle off the privacy options as desired and click Accept.
Switch between user accounts
To return to your primary account or switch back at any time, open the Start Menu, click the current profile picture/icon, and select your main account name to jump back to the lock screen and sign in.
If something does not work
Microsoft sign-in loop appears: Turn off Wi-Fi or disconnect your Ethernet cable before clicking "Add someone else to this PC" to bypass the mandatory Microsoft email prompt and force local account creation.
Cannot change account type to Administrator: Ensure you are currently logged into an account that already has Administrator privileges before attempting to modify another user's permissions.
Files missing on new profile: Windows creates a separate C:\Users\<Username> folder for each user; shared files should be moved to C:\Users\Public to be accessible across both accounts.