Safe Computing - Change Your Account Type

An Administrator level account can install any application and make any changes to a computer.
Many operating systems like Mac OS X and Linux provide a way to make your account an Administrator for a specific purpose and then allow that Administrator ability to go away. Windows however, does not currently have this process. Windows accounts when setting up a computer are an Administrator by default so that applications can be installed and changes can be made easily. Many do not change this, and as such those accounts that many people work with on their home computers every day are logged in as an Administrator. Here are the steps for creating a new Administrator account (use this account to install software and make changes) and how to turn your current account to a Standard User. 
Create a New Administrator Account 
  1. Open the Start Button 
  2. Go to Settings 
  3. Go to Accounts 
  4. Click Family and other users 
  5. Click Add someone else to the PC 
  6. Click I don't have this person's sign-in information 
  7. Click Add a user without a Microsoft account 
  8. Enter an Account name that you will use as an Administrator (Do not use Admin, or Administrator) 
  9. Enter a complex PassPhrase 
  10. Answer the Security Questions 
  11. Click Next 
  12. Select the Account that was just created 
  13. Click Change account type 
  14. Change Account type to Administrator 
  15. Click OK 
  16. This account is now an Administrator for this computer 
Change your existing account to a Standard User 
  1. Log out of your current account 
  2. Log in as the new Administrator account you just created 
  3. Open the Start Button 
  4. Go to Settings 
  5. Go to Accounts 
  6. Click Family and other users 
  7. Select the account that you were using to log in 
  8. Click Change account type 
  9. Change Account type to Standard User 
  10. Click OK Log out and 
  11. Log back in as your standard user 
When you need to add software, or make changes to the computer system you will be prompted for a User Name and Password, use the Administrator user name and password you just created. 

This process will eliminate many possibilities for malware to be installed on a computer.

Keywords:
administrator, Windows account, Administrator Account, safety  
Doc ID:
107068
Owned by:
IT Security in NDSU IT Knowledge Base
Created:
2020-11-09
Updated:
2021-11-03
Sites:
NDSU IT Knowledge Base