If Windows refuses to move the folder, you might have a program open that is using a file inside that folder.
: Once created, select the account, click Change account type , and choose Administrator . windows 11 change user folder
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run: If Windows refuses to move the folder, you
| Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | “Folder in use” error | Boot into Safe Mode or use a different admin account. | | Temporary profile on login | Registry mismatch – verify ProfileImagePath and folder name exactly match. | | Windows Store apps broken | Run wsreset.exe or repair via PowerShell: Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers \| Foreach Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml” | | User registry hive not loading | Use reg load to attach NTUSER.DAT from the renamed folder. | | | Temporary profile on login | Registry
For most Windows 11 users, is strongly recommended. Method B works but is error-prone and unsupported. If the goal is simply to change the display name (not the folder path), use:
: Log into the new account, then copy your files (Documents, Pictures, etc.) from C:\Users\[OldName] to the new profile.
If you must rename an existing folder without creating a new account, you can use the Registry Editor. This can cause system instability or data loss. Always create a system restore point first. Trying to Rename User folder, Yet cannot, Any way to do so?