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]

Brink, YOU ROCK!! Are you in Central Texas? Should I bring you a homemade pie? Thank you!

Liz was enabled; I was able to add Liz under the Administrator Group. Now, the final question:

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???? Why, all of a sudden, did 'Liz' User not have the ability to download even Java updates??

Thanks so much.

You're most welcome.

The "Liz" account was changed to be a "Standard user" type somehow instead of being an "Administrator". A standard user doesn't have the rights to allow something like installing Java updates since it affects the whole PC and not just their account.

I'm in north central, but that's ok. I'm just happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[Benjamin123]

My fathers PC is a Windows 7 Starter, what shall I do if it cannot do it?

 

[Brink]

Hello Benjamin,

I'm not sure what you mean. What can you not do?

All editions of Windows 7 have a built-in administrator account. You just need to be logged in an administrator account to enable it as per the tutorial on the first page.

 

[Benjamin123]

Well, my fathers PC don't have a administrator, because it was been deleted by mistake.

 

[Brink]

Benjamin

In that case, it looks like you may need to reinstall Windows 7.

 

[seibelgl]

Hi,

Started following Option 2, but in order to open an Elevated Command Prompt to activate the administrator, I must first be an Administrator funny how that works

 

[Brink]

Hello Seibelgl, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yeah, while in Windows you would need to have administrator rights to be able to enable the built-in "Administrator" account.

You might see if Option Four may work for you instead though.

 

[jhexp67]

Thanks for the tutorial Brink. Merry Christmas!

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Paul, and I hope you have a Merry Christmas as well.

 

[Kawa]

Hello guys, i didn't read all posts so i have a question, can i make my user to be "Built-in Elevated Administrator Account" ?

 

[Brink]

Hello guys, i didn't read all posts so i have a question, can i make my user to be "Built-in Elevated Administrator Account" ?

Hello Kawa, and welcome to Seven Forums.

While you cannot make your administrator account to be the built-in elevated Administrator account since there already is one, you can make your administrator account to have the same elevated rights as the built-in Admin using an option the tutorial below.

How to Elevate All Administrator Accounts UAC Privilege Level

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Kawa]

Hello Brink, thanks for the welcome.

That tutorial didn't help me how i want, i say this because even i followed i still get a warning "Destination Folder Acces Denied", i want to modify the startup/shutdown sounds...

 

[Brink]

Hello Kawa,

Is your account an administrator account? If it's a standard user account, then you're out of luck.

What folder is this for?

If you haven't already, you might see if taking ownership of the folder, and setting the folder's permissions to allow your account "Full control" will let you be able to afterwards.

(step 2 in Option Three)
Take Ownership of file

 

[Kawa]

My user seems to be an administrator account. Dwm 2013-12-18 15-42-33-71 - Dwm 2013-12-18 15-42-33-71.bmp - Minus

In fact that's not even an folder, it's a file: "Windows Shutdown" (it's located in Windows\Media). I tried to take ownership but without results

 

[Brink]

It seems that your account has some sort of permissions issue.

As a test, create a new user account, make it an administrator type, and see if you area able to change sounds while logged in to the new account.

 

[Kawa]

Nope, doesn't work.

I tried with Administrator user (not Kawa user) and i get same warnig.

 

[Brink]

In that case, you might consider reinstalling Windows.

 

[Kawa]

Ok. Eh, i think that it was necessary anyway. Thanks a lot Brink

 

[Brink]

I hope it goes smoothly.

 

[jhexp67]

Reply to Kawa.

Yes, you can make user as a "Built-in Elevated Administrator Account"
Follow the tutorial closely and remember that for security, it is also not recommended to leave the built-in Administrator account always enabled, or to use it for everyday purposes.