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How to switch administrator accounts on PC?

luz c 0 Reputation points
2025-12-06T04:06:03.5133333+00:00

My computer currently has an email account that was hacked and one that I lost access to. I have since made a new one that I am trying to sync everything to. I am able to log into the new MS account on my internet browsers. However, when logging in to say, my X-Box account on PC, I am still prompted to log into that old account and oftentimes I have no option to sign in using another account.

I want to try backing up my account using Windows Backup. I want my files to be with the new account, so when I select the different options in Backup, I'm not given an option to back up my files to my new account. Is this possible? I don't see an option to sign into an account. It says, "You are signed out of OneDrive, so folders can't be shown." The most recent backup, I assume, is being done with the old account.

Through Settings>Your info, my old hacked account is still listed as the Administrator for my computer. I'm not able to manage the account because it prompts for a login, and when the account was hacked, the login credentials were changed. Other options listed ask to verify identity (using the hacked account), or to sign in with a local account instead (which then asks to verify identity).

Under Settings>Email & accounts, I added my new account under the section "Accounts used by email, calendar, and contacts". When I try to remove the hacked account, I receive a message that says, "If you delete this account, all content associated with it will be removed from this device. Are you sure you want to continue?" Is there a way to find out what content is attached to this account?

I feel like I am going in circles. Not sure what is possible, but ideally I want to go into settings, add the new account as an admin, back up/sync my files into the new account's OneDrive, and retain all the settings from my PC as they are. Once that is done, I want any MS app that asks for an account to stop trying to log me into the old hacked account without an option to change the account.

Please let me know what I can do.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Recovery and backup
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  1. Q&A Assist
    2025-12-06T04:07:19.1533333+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    To switch administrator accounts on your PC and manage your accounts effectively, you can follow these steps:

    1. Create a New Local Administrator Account: Since you cannot access the old hacked account, you can create a new local administrator account:
      • Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
      • Under Other users, click on Add someone else to this PC.
      • Follow the prompts to create a new account. Make sure to select Administrator as the account type.
    2. Sign in with the New Account: Once the new account is created, sign out of your current account and sign in with the new local administrator account.
    3. Transfer Files: You can manually transfer files from the old account to the new one. You may need to access the old account's files through File Explorer:
      • Navigate to C:\Users[OldAccountName] to access the files.
      • Copy the files you need and paste them into the new account's user folder.
    4. Backup to OneDrive: After transferring your files, sign in to your new Microsoft account on OneDrive:
      • Open OneDrive and sign in with your new account credentials.
      • You can then back up your files to OneDrive from the new account.
    5. Remove the Old Account: Once you have everything set up and backed up, you can remove the old account:
      • Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
      • Select the old account and click Remove. Be cautious, as this will delete all content associated with that account from the device.
    6. Manage Account Settings: To ensure that apps do not prompt you to log into the old account, you may need to check the settings of each app or service and ensure they are linked to your new account.

    By following these steps, you should be able to switch to your new administrator account, back up your files, and manage your accounts effectively.

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