How do i change the name of my user folder?

[Dynentan]

I want to change the name of my user folder. The problem is that it's grayed out. I googled it and most of the solutions i found was for windows 10. So i created a new administrator account, signed into it, and then i could change the name of the folder.

User Profile Folder - Change User Account Folder Name - Tutorials.

I signed out of the account again and into my regular account, and suddenly windows began to prepare the desktop. All my settings were messed up completely. I spent about an hour changing them back again, but after restarting my computer and signing in again, windows then told me that i was signed in with a temporary profile, and then it messed up all of my settings again.

I also lost some important files because of this BS. It's completely crazy that you have to go through so much hassle just to change the name of your user folder.

Anyway, i was able to restore my computer with macrium. But how do i change the name of my user folder?

 

[Brink]

Hello,

You should be able to use the same method in the tutorial below to change the name of your user profile folder.

Change Name of User Profile Folder in Windows 11 Tutorial | Windows 11 Forum

 

[Dynentan]

Isn't that for windows 11?

 

[Brink]

It is, but it'll be the same steps in Windows 7.

 

[TechnoMage2016]

I find it incredible, how many things remain the same between Windows 7 and Windows 11.
It can boggle the mind!

 

[Dynentan]

Wow. That's a crazy amount of work just to change the name of the folder. Why's that?

 

[Brink]

The user profile folder is a shell folder linked to your unique account ID.

Changing it's name like any other folder would break this link causing you to be logged into a temporary profile instead of the one linked to the original profile folder.

All those steps make sure the registry is pointing to the correct renamed profile folder to avoid the issue above.

It would be nice if it was all done automatically when renaming, but nope.

 

[Megahertz07]

Isn't more easy to create a new administrator user with the desired name, move all data from the old profile to the new one and then delete the old profile?

 

[Brink]

Isn't more easy to create a new administrator user with the desired name, move all data from the old profile to the new one and then delete the old profile?

It would be, but data may not always be able to easily copy over without issues.

 

[Megahertz07]

It would be, but data may not always be able to easily copy over without issues.

I don't copy, I move them and you will probably have to Take Ownership on the files and folders and reconfigure to the way you like but I still think it's faster and easy. Anyway, you're proposing another solution and that is great.

 

[Dynentan]

Would it make sense if i took my most important files and put them on a usb memory stick, created a new administrator account, deleted the old one and then put the files back on the newly created administrator account?

Is it worth a try?

 

[Brink]

Would it make sense if i took my most important files and put them on a usb memory stick, created a new administrator account, deleted the old one and then put the files back on the newly created administrator account?

Is it worth a try?

That would work just fine for just files like that.

It only gets tricky if you're trying to copy over more than just files.

 

[Dynentan]

What happens with my programs if i delete the old user account? Is windows going delete them, or do they stay on my computer? Is there anything else i should be aware of? I realize that my personal settings will be reset, but i could probably change them back again in about an hour or so.

 

[Brink]

What happens with my programs if i delete the old user account? Is windows going delete them, or do they stay on my computer? Is there anything else i should be aware of? I realize that my personal settings will be reset, but i could probably change them back again in about an hour or so.

The programs will still be installed, but you would need to create new shortcuts of them where wanted. In addition, all data and settings for the programs will be lost since they are stored in the original profile folder.

 

[Dynentan]

Okay, i think im going to give it a try.

- - - Updated - - -

I was able to do it without any problems. It seems to be the easiest way to do it.

 

[Brink]

 

[Dynentan]

Actually, it seems like i ran into some problems. My desktop theme, which i had saved, had disappeared on my new user account. Also, spotify had been uninstalled for some reason, so i had to install it again. Plus, like brink said, i had to change back all of the settings on my programs.

 

[Brink]

That would be about normal when going the new account route vs changing the name.

 

[Dynentan]

I noticed that, at the bottom of ccleaner, right where ccleaner displays your username along with specifications about your computer, it still shows my old user name? Why is that?

 

[Brink]

Could be a stray reference it's using from Registry Editor.