How to Manage Windows User Accounts

User accounts have an important role in the security of Windows systems and here are some tips on how to manage them more easily.  Note that administrator privileges are required to make changes in user accounts.

Easy ways to access User Accounts

If you want to add/modify/delete a user account or change a user password, you can go the long way through Control Panel or you can take a shortcut. Here’s how to get right to the dialog for managing user accounts.

Windows XP: Open the Start menu and enter “control userpasswords2” in the Run line (without quotes).

Windows Vista/7: Open the Start menu and just click the account picture in the upper right corner of the menu OrIf you prefer to type, enter “user” in the Start search bar and select “User Accounts".

In each case the User Account dialog will open and you can carry out any desired changes. Another approach is to use the command line to get things done.

Use the command line to quickly manage User Accounts

• To change the user password, enter this command:
     net user username new-password
  Note that this a way to change a password that you have forgotten. This could come in very handy some time. 
• To  add a new user account, enter this command:
     net user username password /add
• To remove a user account, enter this command:
     net user username /delete

In each case, substitute the actual parameter for "new-password", "username". or "password".

Get your own favorite tip published!  Know a neat tech tip or trick?  Then why not have it published here and receive full credit?  Click here to tell us your tip.

This tips section is maintained by Vic Laurie. Vic runs several websites with Windows how-to's and tutorials, including  a computer education website and a site for learning about the command line.

Click here for more items like this. Better still, get Tech Tips delivered via your RSS feeder or alternatively, have the RSS feed sent as email direct to your in-box.