Create a local user or administrator account in Windows

If you're using Windows 10, version 1803 and later or Windows 11, you can add security questions as you'll see in step 4 under Create a local user account. With answers to your security questions, you can reset your Windows 10/11 local account password. 

Windows 10

Step 1: Create a local user account

1. Select Start > Settings >Accounts and then select Family & other users.(In some versions of Windows you'll see Other users.)

2. Select Add someone else to this PC.

3. Select I don't have this person's sign-in information, and on the next page, select Add a user without a Microsoft account.

4. Enter a user name, password, or password hint—or choose security questions—and then select Next.

Step 2: Change a local user account to an administrator account

1. Select Start > Settings >Accounts.

2. Under Family & other users, select the account owner name (you should see "Local Account" below the name), then select Change account type.

   Note: If you choose an account that shows an email address or doesn't say "Local account", then you're giving administrator permissions to a Microsoft account, not a local account.

3. Under Account type, select Administrator, and then select OK.

4. Sign in with the new administrator account.

Windows 11

Step 1: Create a local user account

1. Select Start > Settings >Accounts and then select Family & other users.(In some versions of Windows you'll see Other users.)

2. Next to Add other user, select Add account. 

3. Select I don't have this person's sign-in information, and on the next page, select Add a user without a Microsoft account.

4. Enter a user name, password, or password hint—or choose security questions—and then select Next.

Step 2: Change a local user account to an administrator account

1. Select Start > Settings >Accounts.

2. Under Family & other users, select the account owner name (you should see "Local account" below the name), then select Change account type.

   Note: If you choose an account that shows an email address or doesn't say "Local account", then you're giving administrator permissions to a Microsoft account, not a local account.

3. Under Account type, select Administrator, and then select OK.

4. Sign in with the new administrator account.