Built-in Administrator Account - Enable or Disable

How to Enable or Disable the Built-in Elevated Administrator Account in Windows 7​

   Information

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the built-in elevated Administrator account in Windows 7.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the options in this tutorial.

   Note

Standard user (Users) - The standard account is an unelevated restricted users account. It can help protect your computer by preventing users from making changes that affect everyone who uses the computer, such as deleting files that are required for the computer to work. It is recommend to create a standard account for each user instead of an administrator account for the user. When you are logged on to Windows with a standard account, you can do almost anything that you can do with an administrator account, but if a standard user wanted to do something that requires elevated rights that affects other users of the computer, such as installing software or changing security settings, Windows will give the standard user a UAC prompt to enter the password of an administrator account for approval and confirmation before allowing the action.

administrator user - Is an unelevated administrator account that is created by default during the installation of Windows 7, or is already setup or you on a OEM (ex: Dell) computer. An administrator account has complete access to the computer, and can make any desired changes. To help make the computer more secure, this administrator account type will be prompted by UAC by default to give confirmation before allowed to make any changes that require elevated administrator rights. Such as those that affect the system, other users, or when running anything elevated (Run as Administrator) since running elevated will allow it to have access to the entire computer.

Built-in "Administrator" - Is the hidden elevated administrator account that has full unrestricted access rights and permission on the computer. By default, this elevated "Administrator" account is not prompted by UAC by default to provide confirmation before allowed to make any changes that require elevated administrator permissions since it is an elevated account.

   Warning

If you enable the built-in Administrator account, then it is recommended to create a password for better security.

For additional security purposes, it is also not recommended to leave the built-in Administrator account always enabled, or to use it for everyday purposes.

:note: For the updated Windows 10 tutorial, please see here: Administrator account - Enable or Disable in Windows 10 - Windows 10 User Accounts Tutorials

OPTION ONE

Enable built-in Administrator in Local Users and Groups

NOTE: This option will only be available in the Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions.
1. Open the Local Users and Groups manager.

2. In the left pane, click on the Users folder. (See screenshot below step 3)

3. In the middle pane, right click on Administrator and click on Properties. (See screenshot below)

4. To Enable the Built-in Elevated Administrator Account
A) Uncheck the Account is disabled box. (See screenshot below step 6)

B) Go to step 6.
5. To Disable the Built-in Elevated Administrator Account
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Check the Account is disabled box. (See screenshot below step 6)
6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

7. Close the Local Users and Groups window. (See screenshot below step 3)

8. Log off, and you will now see the built-in Administrator account log on icon added (enabled) or removed (disabled) from the log on screen. (See screeenshot below)
NOTE: Click on the Administrator icon to log on to the built-in Administrator account.

OPTION TWO

Enable built-in Administrator in an Elevated Command Prompt

NOTE: This option can be used in all editions of Windows 7. If your Windows 7 uses another language than English, then you may need to translate the word administrator part of the commands below to your language to use instead.
1. Open an elevated command prompt, and do step 2, 3, or 4 below for what you want to do.

2. To Enable the Hidden Built-in Elevated Administrator Account
A) In the elevated command prompt, copy and paste the command below and press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you had previously renamed the built-in "Administrator" account's name, then you will need to substitute administrator in the command below with the new name instead.
net user administrator /active:yes


3. To Enable the Hidden Built-in Elevated Administrator Account with Password
A) In the elevated command prompt, copy and paste the command below and press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you had previously renamed the built-in "Administrator" account's name, then you will need to substitute administrator in the command below with the new name instead.
net user administrator password /active:yes

   Note

Substitute password in the command above with the password you want to use to log on to the built-in Administrator account.

4. To Disable the Hidden Built-in Elevated Administrator Account
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) In the elevated command prompt, copy and paste the command below and press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you had previously renamed the built-in "Administrator" account's name, then you will need to substitute administrator in the command below with the new name instead.
net user administrator /active:no


5. Close the elevated command prompt.

6. Log off, and you will now see the built-in Administrator account log on icon added (enabled) or removed (disabled) from the log on screen. (See screeenshot below)
NOTE: Click on the Administrator icon to log on to the built-in Administrator account.

OPTION THREE

Enable built-in Administrator in Local Security Policy

NOTE: This option will only be available in the Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions.
1. Open the Local Security Policy editor.

2. In the left pane, expand Local Policies, and click on Security Options. (See screenshot below)

3. In the right pane, right click on Accounts: Administrator account status and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)

4. To Enable the Hidden Built-in Elevated Administrator Account
A) Select (dot) Enabled. (See screenshot below step 6)

B) Go to step 6.
5. To Disable the Hidden Built-in Elevated Administrator Account
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Select (dot) Disabled. (See screenshot below step 6)
6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below)

7. Close the Local Security Policy window. (See screenshot below step 2)

8. Log off, and you will now see the built-in Administrator account log on icon added (enabled) or removed (disabled) from the log on screen. (See screeenshot below)
NOTE: Click on the Administrator icon to log on to the built-in Administrator account.

OPTION FOUR

Enable built-in Administrator from System Recovery (WinRE) at Boot

1. For how, see: How to Enable the Built-in Administrator Account from WinRE
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Rename the Windows 7 Built-in Administrator Account
• How to Elevate All Administrator Accounts UAC Privilege Level
• How to Create a User Account in Windows 7
• How to Delete a User Account in Windows 7
• How to Create a Password for a Windows 7 User Account
• How to Turn the Guest Account On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Enable the Built-in Administrator Account from WinRE
• How to Change a User Account Type in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable a User Account in Windows 7
• How to Enable the Built-in Administrator Account in Windows XP Mode
• How to Reset User Profile of Built-in Administrator Account to Default in Windows
• Enable or Disable User Account Control (UAC) Prompt for Built-in Administrator in Windows

 

[Brink]

Lio,

You can't delete the built-in Administrator account. Instead you can only disable it as in the tutorial while logged in another administrator account (ex: LioSeven).

 

[Lio]

Lio,

You can't delete the built-in Administrator account. Instead you can only disable it as in the tutorial while logged in another administrator account (ex: LioSeven).

I've tried it but I don't have any possibility to disable.

I also tried to enter in the administrator account (OverLio) but from there I only can delete MY REAL account, LioSeven and same from LioSeven.
It's crazy!! I can delete my account (till 4 hours ago my ONLY account, with all my programs ..... ) but I cannot delete a new account just created.
I'm going to try a restore point but because I've tried to install and uninstall so many time that damned LSS, I can only restore till 3 days ago

and so I cannot solve any problem
Thanks and... if you have some good idea I'm only waiting for any help

 

[Brink]

Have you logged out of the built-in Administrator account, logged into your LioSeven administrator acccount, then try to disabled the built-in Administrator account using step 2 in OPTION TWO of the tutorial?

 

[Lio]

And no luck in the restore too
I already have the 2 account and this error too:

It seems really every steps I do, I run in another problem

 

[Lio]

Have you logged out of the built-in Administrator account, logged into your LioSeven administrator acccount, then try to disabled the built-in Administrator account using step 2 in OPTION TWO of the tutorial?

I'm logged in my usual account LioSeven where I'm administrator and I have this reply if I use Command Prompt

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\LioSeven>net user administrator /active:yes
System error 5 has occurred.

Access is denied.


C:\Users\LioSeven>

So, ANOTHER ERROR


OPS I see only now that I was not In the elevated Command Prompt, I try again

 

[Brink]

Did you type the command in a elevated (right click "Run as administrator") command prompt?

 

[Lio]

I just correct my previous post when I've seen that I was not in Elevated Command Prompt.

And PLEASE, don't tell me to reinstall all.
I'm now finishing to install my new system with all the program and till I have the problem with Lightscribe, all works like a charm and I was going to make the image of all the perfect installation to have my backup copy.
It's only for this reason I don't have the backup: I need to have all setting up, with my Photoshop, all the plugins, all the link and so on.........

I try with the elevated prompt

 

[Lio]

Now I've disabled (I hope and I'll see when I login next time).
But even I've solved this problem, I have the first problem: I cannot install the Lightscribe drive
But for now, THANKSSSSSSSSSSSSS

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Lio. I hope you will be able to get the Lightscribe drive issue sorted soon as well.

 

[negrometal]

Hello,
I've followed the steps in OPTION TWO of this tutorial, since my OS is Windows 7 Home Basic.
1) Opened an elevated command prompt, as described in the indicated topic;
2) When I typed the command net user administrator /active:yes , the system returned the message:

The user name could not be found

For more help, type NET HELPMSG 2221.

So, after a lot of searching, I've discovered that the problem was that my system language is Brazilian Portuguese (I'm Brazilian, by the way). So, changing the command line to net user administrador /active:yes it worked as well as it should. Note that the word "administrator" was placed by "administrador", its translating in Portuguese. I think that it could help for the ones with systems in other languages too.

Best Regards,

negrometal

 

[Brink]

Hello,
I've followed the steps in OPTION TWO of this tutorial, since my OS is Windows 7 Home Basic.
1) Opened an elevated command prompt, as described in the indicated topic;
2) When I typed the command net user administrator /active:yes , the system returned the message:

The user name could not be found

For more help, type NET HELPMSG 2221.

So, after a lot of searching, I've discovered that the problem was that my system language is Brazilian Portuguese (I'm Brazilian, by the way). So, changing the command line to net user administrador /active:yes it worked as well as it should. Note that the word "administrator" was placed by "administrador", its translating in Portuguese. I think that it could help for the ones with systems in other languages too.

Best Regards,

negrometal

Hello Negrometal, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Thank you. I have added a note for this in OPTION TWO so that it will be able to help others.

 

[negrometal]

You're welcome, Brink. This topic is really helpful for the users.
Thank you.

 

[Pepito]

Hello,
This thread is very interesting as usual on this forum.
As we are talking about full rights Administrator Account ,I will have a question,I wanted to discuss for long time already !
Let say,I am the one and only user on my machines (my wife is afraid even touching the mouse )
Why will I hesitate to be always logged as "Big chief "
Of course, I already know your answers
But could you give me good arguments for or against
I mean good arguments,not for exemple: virus infections...or it is not recommended etc...
I want to be able to decide the worth of it based on pro and cons conclusions

"Don't let me be misunderstood..." you know or remenmber this song

Ps: Forgive me for eventual English mistakes, I'm trying my best

 

[Brink]

Hello Pepito,

The best argument I can think of for against this is that not only do you have full access to everything on the computer while logged on to the built-in Administrator account, but so does everything that is running. Including malware.

Normally when logged into a normal administrator account, you would have UAC as a last line of defense to ask you to give permission when anything tries to run as administrator (elevated) before letting it do so. You do not have this while logged on to the built-in Administrator account.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Pepito]

Hello Brink,
this is a very reasonnable answer , but not enough convicing
as you surely aware of, a good active resident guard from a good firewall, deeply configurate
will offer equal or even best protection than the UAC settings
I prefere and easily accept the frequently and annoying prompts from my firewall resident guard,then I'll do from the UAC one's
In my opinion,there is no possible comparison in terms of efficency between this two solutions
by the way,my UAC is disabeled and all my bets on Comodo firewall

Hope to have other constructive opinions too
thank you

 

[Brink]

Pepito,

Not using the built-in Administrator account unless really needed is just another layer of built-in security and protection. That's all. If you use common sense along with other security measures to fill all aspects of this loss of protection, then that will help to minimize the risk.

It's really just up to you and what your needs are. If you are ok with losing that layer of protection for being able to always have full control, then that is your prerogative since it's your system. However, if you do not need to have full control of everything all of the time, then why put your system at additional risk for no reason. To each their own though.

 

[Pepito]

Hello,
you are absolutely right !
Anyway,I don't use this account permanently
I just wanted to have other opinions on this subject,as I am very new to Seven,only 2 weeks
thank you for your explanations

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Pepito. Anytime.

 

[ksanger35]

win 7 home pemium 64 bit error 5

I tried to enable the Administrator account and get "system error 5 has occurred" followed by "access denied".

I'm on a new laptop. First time with Windows 7. Would like my user account to not be the administration account just on general principles. But tried to create an administrator account and was told it already exists, yet it doesn't show up. this shouldn't be this difficult. Either its there, or its not there, and I should be able to control it. Don't know what the average person does.

 

[Petey7]

The Administrator account does already exist, as the computer stated. I recommend using option 2 of this tutorial, as I find it to be the easiest one. Remember that it must be an elevated command prompt. To make it an elevated command prompt, right click command prompt in the start menu and select "Run as Administrator". This gives you control through command prompt that you would otherwise only have when logged into the Admin account. If you need clarification on any instructions, let me know and I will try my best to explain more thoroughly what to do. Please let us know the outcome of you next attempt to activate the admin account.