Add User to Local Admin Group in Windows

This guide shows you how to add a user account to the local administrators group on Windows 10 and Windows 11. This grants the user full control over the computer, including installing software, changing system settings, and managing other user accounts. You’ll need an account that already has administrative privileges to perform these steps.

What You’ll Need

• An administrator account on the PC (you’ll be prompted for its password).
• The username of the account you want to promote.

Step-by-Step

1. Open Computer Management. Press Win + X (or right-click the Start button) and select Computer Management from the menu. If you don’t see it, type “Computer Management” in the Start search and click the top result.
2. Navigate to Local Users and Groups. In the left sidebar, expand System Tools → Local Users and Groups → Groups. (If you don’t see “Local Users and Groups,” skip to the alternate method below.)
3. Open the Administrators group. Double-click Administrators in the middle pane. A properties window will open.
4. Add the user. Click Add… in the Administrators Properties window. This opens the Select Users dialog.
5. Enter the username. In the “Enter the object names to select” box, type the username of the account you want to add. If you’re not sure of the exact name, click Advanced → Find Now and pick the user from the list. Click OK.
6. Apply the change. Back in the Administrators Properties, click OK to save. The user is now an administrator.
7. Verify (optional). To confirm, open the Administrators group again—the user should appear in the list.

Alternate method (if Local Users and Groups is missing): Some Windows editions (like Windows 10/11 Home) don’t show the Local Users and Groups snap-in. Use the net localgroup command instead:

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator (right-click Start → Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin)).
2. Type the following and press Enter:

   net localgroup administrators <username> /add

   Replace <username> with the actual username. For example: net localgroup administrators johndoe /add.

3. You should see “The command completed successfully.”

Common Mistakes

• Typing the username incorrectly. The name is case-insensitive but must match exactly (including spaces). Use the Advanced search to avoid typos.
• Adding a Microsoft account name instead of the local name. If the user signs in with a Microsoft account, the username is usually the first part of their email (e.g., alex for alex@outlook.com). You can check the exact name in Settings → Accounts → Your info.
• Forgetting to click OK after adding. The change only applies after you confirm the dialog.
• Using a non-admin account to perform the steps. You’ll get an access denied error if you aren’t an administrator.
• Adding the user to the wrong group. Make sure you double-click Administrators, not Users or Guests.

Tips

• Restart the user’s session. The new permissions take effect the next time that user logs in. If they’re currently logged in, ask them to sign out and back in.
• Use the command line for speed. The net localgroup method works on all editions and is often faster than clicking through the GUI.
• Keep the number of administrators low. Only grant admin rights to people you trust, as they can change almost anything on the PC.
• For domain users: If the PC is joined to a domain, you can add a domain user by typing DOMAIN\username in the Select Users dialog.
• Check if User Account Control (UAC) prompts appear. Admins still get UAC prompts, but they can click “Yes.” If you want to disable prompts entirely, that’s a separate security setting—not recommended.

Troubleshooting

• “Access is denied” error. You’re not running as an administrator. Log off and log back in with an admin account, or right-click the program and choose “Run as administrator.”
• “The user name could not be found” in the Select Users dialog. Check the spelling, or click Advanced → Find Now to search all accounts. If the account is a Microsoft account, try the email address without the domain part.
• Local Users and Groups doesn’t appear in Computer Management. This happens on Windows Home editions. Use the net localgroup command method instead.
• The user still can’t install software after being added. They need to log off and on again. Also, some installers may require running as administrator—right-click the installer and choose “Run as administrator.”
• You accidentally removed an admin and now can’t make changes. If you have another admin account, use that. If not, you may need to boot into Safe Mode (which has a built-in Administrator account) or use a recovery environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a user to the administrators group without being an admin?

No. You need an existing administrator account to grant admin rights to another user. If you’ve been locked out, you’ll need to use another admin account or recovery tools.

Does the user need to restart the computer?

No, a full restart isn’t required. Logging off and back on is enough for the new group membership to take effect.

What’s the difference between a local admin and a domain admin?

A local admin has full control over that one PC. A domain admin has control over all computers in the domain. This guide covers local admins only.

Can I add a Microsoft account to the local admin group?

Yes. Use the local username that corresponds to the Microsoft account (usually the first part of the email). For example, if the account is alex@outlook.com, type alex.

How do I remove a user from the administrators group?

Follow the same steps, but in the Administrators Properties select the user and click Remove. Or use net localgroup administrators <username> /delete.

Is it safe to add a standard user to the admin group?

It’s safe from a technical standpoint, but it increases security risk. Only do it if the user needs to install software or change system settings regularly.

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