Adding a 2nd user account to Windows 11 Laptop

MouldyOldDough

I thought that this should be a simple job ?

but when I try :

1. In the Settings app on your Windows device, select Accounts > Other user or use the following shortcut:

   Other Users

2. Under Add other user , select Add account

nothing happens

it momentarily flashes but no more.....

Why and what's the fix ?

Newcad

Presumably you are using an Admin account to create the new user account.

You can try sfc (and maybe dism)  to see if it's a Windows System problem, if you don't know how to use those already there are plenty of how-to's online.

However I suspect that you may have a corrupted admin user profile, it happens.
See 'Fix corrupted user profile' here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/troubleshoot-problems-signing-in-to-windows-298cfd5f-df1f-c66b-36ad-f2a61a73baad

Of course the first step of that fix tells you to create a new Admin account to be able to replace the corrupted account, and you can't create a new account, so you seem to be stuck.

There is a way round that though - the 'Hidden' Windows Administrator account.
It is hidden for a reason, it's powerful and should only be used when absolutely necessary.
Enable it, use it to fix whatever the problem is, then disable (hide) it again.
See: https://www.ghacks.net/2021/10/01/how-to-enable-the-hidden-windows-11-administrator-account/

HillStreetBlues

Try: Open run box ( Windows key & R) type in netplwiz add the account.

MouldyOldDough

Newcad said:

Presumably you are using an Admin account to create the new user account.

You can try sfc (and maybe dism)  to see if it's a Windows System problem, if you don't know how to use those already there are plenty of how-to's online.

However I suspect that you may have a corrupted admin user profile, it happens.
See 'Fix corrupted user profile' here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/troubleshoot-problems-signing-in-to-windows-298cfd5f-df1f-c66b-36ad-f2a61a73baad

Of course the first step of that fix tells you to create a new Admin account to be able to replace the corrupted account, and you can't create a new account, so you seem to be stuck.

There is a way round that though - the 'Hidden' Windows Administrator account.
It is hidden for a reason, it's powerful and should only be used when absolutely necessary.
Enable it, use it to fix whatever the problem is, then disable (hide) it again.
See: https://www.ghacks.net/2021/10/01/how-to-enable-the-hidden-windows-11-administrator-account/

My user account has admin rights which I know is not the best way to do it but.... I'm not the only one 

Neil_Jones

You can make a new account on the command line.

Open a command prompt (as Admin) and type:

net user username password /add, where username is the name of the new user and password is the password for the new user account. 

For example, if the username is Kermit and the password is Frog, you would type "net user Kermit Frog /add". Then press Enter.  Only letters and numbers allowed

MouldyOldDough

Newcad said:

Presumably you are using an Admin account to create the new user account.

You can try sfc (and maybe dism)  to see if it's a Windows System problem, if you don't know how to use those already there are plenty of how-to's online.

However I suspect that you may have a corrupted admin user profile, it happens.
See 'Fix corrupted user profile' here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/troubleshoot-problems-signing-in-to-windows-298cfd5f-df1f-c66b-36ad-f2a61a73baad

Of course the first step of that fix tells you to create a new Admin account to be able to replace the corrupted account, and you can't create a new account, so you seem to be stuck.

There is a way round that though - the 'Hidden' Windows Administrator account.
It is hidden for a reason, it's powerful and should only be used when absolutely necessary.
Enable it, use it to fix whatever the problem is, then disable (hide) it again.
See: https://www.ghacks.net/2021/10/01/how-to-enable-the-hidden-windows-11-administrator-account/

I ran SFC/SCANNOW which found no faults

Newcad

MouldyOldDough said:

My user account has admin rights which I know is not the best way to do it but.... I'm not the only one 

So does mine, many/most people use an admin account particularly if they are the only user of the machine.

However the Hidden Windows Administrator has extra permissions to a 'normal' administrator account, that's why it's kept hidden/disabled.

I suggested trying it because what you describe with being unable to create another users account, and getting the screen flashing open then closed, is a common sign that the normal admin account is corrupted which is why it can't create another user account.
In those cases you need to use the Hidden Administrator account to fix things by creating a new, uncorrupted, normal admin account for yourself, and then copy you old admin account settings to the new one before removing the corrupted one. (See the links I gave above).

Olinda99

@Newcad

thanks for the information about enabling the more powerful administrator account on your machine

Could I just ask - once you have enabled it does that mean that your administrator account you have always used the get these elevated privileges or do you have to log on to the new administrator account - and if so how?

unforeseen

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/enable-or-disable-built-in-administrator-account-in-windows-11.709/

Newcad

You should only enable the Hidden Administrator account when absolutely necessary, and disable it again once you have done whatever it was needed for.

Leaving it enabled all the time can be a security risk - that is why it's default state is disbled/hidden..

Olinda99

thanks but I'm still not sure what happens once you enable it - do you have to log onto it or does your current administrator then have those elevated rights

I understand completely how to enable it but is what you do after you enable it that I am asking