Windows 10 includes two types of user accounts. One is a standard user or guest user, and the other is an administrator account. Even if you are the owner of the computer, it is safer to use the computer with a standard user account for security reasons. But what if you accidentally delete the administrator account? How to restore a deleted administrator account?
This is tricky, I admit. You can only use the administrator account to create a new administrator or standard user account. Once deleted, you will not be able to create new accounts. It’s like a hook 22.
Let’s get started.
1. BUILT-IN ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT
Microsoft’s development team seems to have anticipated this situation. That’s because they developed a built-in administrator account in Windows, which you cannot delete or use. Find and open a command prompt with administrator privileges. To do this, right-click or select the Run as administrator option in the search results yourself.
Give the below command to activate built-in administrator account.
net user administrator /active: yes
Wait for the process to complete. Now enter this command to convert your existing standard user account to an administrator account. Replace username with your current account name.
net localgroup administrators UserName /add
Try to create a new user account with administrator rights. If successful, enter the following command to disable the built-inadministrator account.
net user administrator /active: no
If you can’t even run the command prompt with administrative privileges or the option is grayed out, try this.
Click the “Start” menu, hold down the Shift key, and select “Restart”. This will boot your computer directly into the Windows 10 recovery environment.
You will now select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
See if you can provide the above command now. If it works, please create a new user with administrator rights immediately. Don’t forget to disable the built-in administrator account in question.
2. LOCAL SECURITY POLICY
If the command prompt still doesn’t work, this is another option. In the start menu, find and open the local security policy.
Drill down to the below folder structure.
Security Settings > Local Policies > Security Options
Check account status: whether the administrator account is enabled. If not, please double-click to open it and change the security setting here to enabled.
3. REGISTRY HACK
Still not happy? Wait until I get you. This technique should work for most users. First make a backup on the external hard drive. I keep talking, but I can’t emphasize enough.
Related: How to Fix Realtek HD Audio Manager Missing in Windows 10
Follow the steps above to restart the computer in the Windows 10 recovery environment. Open the command prompt again and enter this command.
regedit
That will open the Registry Editor. Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. Don’t double-click because that will expand it.
Click on the File menu button and select Load Hive.
Navigate to the following folder structure.
System root drive > Windows > System32 > config
Select file named SAM (Security Account Manager) and click on Open.
You will be asked to name it now. Name it REM_SAM. Don’t forget this name. Now navigate to the below folder structure.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\REM_SAM\SAM\Domains\Accounts\Users\000001F4
Highlight the 000001F4 key and in the right window pane, double-click on F DWORD file to open it.
You must place the cursor directly on line 0038 under the value data after the value 11. Press the clear key to delete this number and enter 10. Save it on your computer. Close everything and restart the computer. You should now have administrator rights. Create a new user with administrator rights, and then go back to undo the changes.
4. RESET COMPUTER
This is unfortunate, but there is really nothing you can do now. I recommend that you back up everything on the hard drive to ensure safety. You need to reset your computer. You can enter the advanced startup options shared in the steps above, or you can follow another method given below.
Press Windows key+I to open Settings and click on Update & Security.
Click on the Get started under Reset this PC heading in Recovery tab.
Click on Remove everything.
On the next screen, you can confirm or click “Change Settings” to select the option to erase only the C drive. Windows is usually installed there.
Follow on-screen instructions after that which involves agreeing to reset the PC.
Make sure your computer is plugged into a power source, as this process may take some time.
Note: If you don’t see “Remove everything and reinstall Windows” under “Recovery”, you need to click “Advanced Start” and then select “Reset”. Why? That’s because you don’t have administrator rights.
ADMIN IS ALWAYS RIGHT
Losing an administrator account can be scary. To ensure that something similar does not happen again, two administrator accounts are created this time. In this way, if you accidentally delete one again, there will always be one free to play.
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