Windows 11 Admin User Buggerup

etienne_marais

etienne_marais

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Don't know how to phrase this properly to convey what happened.

Used Skype for years with username1 linked to email address emailaddress1

Switched to Teams when Skype died and still used username1/email1 for months

Company upgraded to Teams for Business, used username1/email1 for old contacts, and emailaddress2 (as username) for Teams for Business for our clients and company.

Used emailaddress1 for years for company laptop Microsoft Live user. Still have this laptop and am logged into Windows 11 with it.

Got new laptop today

Used emailaddress2 (which apparently already was a Microsoft Live user due to Teams for Business) for setting up Windows 11 on the new laptop.

Did not know what Windows Live password was for emailaddress2 and could not request password change without first having Windows 11 Setup email the designated email address of the company to request a new password.

This worked and I could change my password for emailaddress2 which I use to log into both Teams for Business and Windows 11 on the new laptop.

I can log in with the one and only user (emailaddress2) onto Windows 11 on the new laptop, but it is not an Admin user, if I try to install software it asks for an admin user email address and password.

How did this happen, why was the user not created as an admin user and how do I fix this ?
 
AI Overview

To change a standard user to an Administrator in Windows 11, go to Settings > Accounts > Other users, select the user account, click Change account type, and select Administrator.

You must be signed in as an existing administrator to perform this action.

********************************************
* Create a new user profile - make it a local account (call it 'user') with Administrator privileges & NO password, then you should be able to change (emailaddress2) from a Standard user to an Administrator with elevated privileges when logged in as 'user'.
 
Thanks @HAL 9000 But in order to create a new user with Admin rights I need to be logged in as a user with admin rights. There is only the one account on the system and it does not have Admin rights.
 
HAL 9000 said:
Time to use a 'Reset this PC' command, wipe it clean and set it up with a local account during the OOBE initial setup - you may have to use Rufus & a Win11 25H2 ISO file to do this (as Rufus allows you to create a local account and bypass all the privacy option settings during its install).
Click to expand...
this, NEVER use the MS linked accounts, as sometimes weird stuff happens,
if you really dont want to do all of what @HAL 9000 suggested, long shot/hail mary,

get Hiren, try to reset or enable the windows admin account, from hiren, sometimes it might work, sometimes it wont.
all depends how the secure boot is configured or whatever Microsoft has cooked up these days, especiually with booting to something other than windows.
 
HAL 9000 said:
Time to use a 'Reset this PC' command, wipe it clean and set it up with a local account during the OOBE initial setup - you may have to use Rufus & a Win11 25H2 ISO file to do this (as Rufus allows you to create a local account and bypass all the privacy option settings during its install).
Click to expand...

Jet-Fighter7700 said:
this, NEVER use the MS linked accounts, as sometimes weird stuff happens,
if you really dont want to do all of what @HAL 9000 suggested, long shot/hail mary,

get Hiren, try to reset or enable the windows admin account, from hiren, sometimes it might work, sometimes it wont.
all depends how the secure boot is configured or whatever Microsoft has cooked up these days, especiually with booting to something other than windows.
Click to expand...
Thanks guys, how do I set up a local account these days ? I was not given an option for that this time, did this change?. I had to choose between 'Home' account and 'Work or School" account and I chose work, then it went directly to entering an email address.
 
AI Says this:

why does windows 11 not allow me to create a local account

Windows 11 has increasingly restricted the ability to create local accounts, especially during the initial setup (Out-of-Box Experience). Here’s why you’re running into issues:

Why Microsoft Blocks Local Accounts​

  • Push toward cloud integration: Microsoft wants users to sign in with a Microsoft account to enable features like OneDrive sync, password recovery, and cross-device settings. Local accounts don’t support these.
  • Security rationale: Microsoft argues that online accounts provide better protection, including multi-factor authentication and easier recovery if you forget your password.
  • Business strategy: By requiring Microsoft accounts, the company ensures tighter integration with its ecosystem (Office 365, Teams, Store apps, etc.).

What Changed Recently​

  • In recent builds (24H2 and 25H2), Microsoft permanently removed all known workarounds for bypassing the Microsoft account requirement during setup. Tricks like unplugging the internet cable, using oobe\bypassnro, or hidden commands no longer work.
  • Now, an internet connection and Microsoft account are mandatory during installation. Local accounts can only be created after setup, through Settings → Accounts → Other users.

Options You Still Have​

  • Post-installation creation: Once Windows 11 is installed, you can add a local account manually in Settings.
  • Enterprise editions: Some business/enterprise versions still allow local accounts during setup, depending on IT policies.
  • Offline workarounds (limited): In rare cases, using modified installation media or third-party tools can re-enable local account creation, but these are increasingly blocked and not recommended for stability/security reasons.
In short, Microsoft has deliberately made local accounts harder to use in Windows 11, steering users toward Microsoft accounts for both technical and strategic reasons.

Would you like me to walk you through the exact steps to add a local account after installation so you can still use one despite these restrictions?
 
May have found something, gonna try tomorrow:

Step 1: Enable the Hidden Administrator Account
Since you cannot run commands as an administrator from your current account, use the Windows Recovery Environment:
  1. Hold the Shift key and select Restart from the Power menu.
  2. Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
  3. In the black command window, type the following and press Enter:
    net user administrator /active:yes
  4. Close the window and restart your computer.
 
etienne_marais said:
Thanks guys, how do I set up a local account these days ? I was not given an option for that this time, did this change?. I had to choose between 'Home' account and 'Work or School" account and I chose work, then it went directly to entering an email address.
Click to expand...
You HAVE to use Rufus & a Win11 25H2 ISO file as Microslop have removed the option to create a local account when using the OOBE setup on a new PC / laptop...
 
HAL 9000 said:
You HAVE to use Rufus & a Win11 25H2 ISO file as Microslop have removed the option to create a local account when using the OOBE setup on a new PC / laptop...
Click to expand...
should have picked work/school, and then picked the prompts to join domain, and gone through the settings,
Win 11 home doesn't even allow this, its MS account or nothing,

still think its best to go via hiren, manually create or unlock the admin account and go from there, otherwise its as hal says,
format reload, and be careful what options you pick.
 
This is a good comedy thread for sysadmins.

Keep up the good work.

<edit>
Be very cautious of the nonsense advice offered in this discussion. The respondents are not qualified,
 
Are you sure the account wasn't managed by your employer? Perhaps they didn't grant Admin rights.
 
"* In recent builds (24H2 and 25H2), Microsoft permanently removed all known workarounds"

This is bs. I recently setup a mini pc with a local admin account on 25H2. I don't use the oobe trick anymore. I just used Rufus and made a boot disk without the online account requirement.
 
Park@82 said:
"* In recent builds (24H2 and 25H2), Microsoft permanently removed all known workarounds"

This is bs. I recently setup a mini pc with a local admin account on 25H2. I don't use the oobe trick anymore. I just used Rufus and made a boot disk without the online account requirement.
Click to expand...
Yup - that's what I usually do as well when using Rufus - then once the PC / laptop is all set up with a generic local account in Windows 11 25H2 (I normally just name it 'user') - only then do I set up an actual MS account for the end user with login credentials as required (for MS Office / OneDrive / MS Store, etc etc)... ;)
 
Last edited:
etienne_marais said:
May have found something, gonna try tomorrow:

Step 1: Enable the Hidden Administrator Account
Since you cannot run commands as an administrator from your current account, use the Windows Recovery Environment:
  1. Hold the Shift key and select Restart from the Power menu.
  2. Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
  3. In the black command window, type the following and press Enter:
    net user administrator /active:yes
  4. Close the window and restart your computer.
Click to expand...
I do a shift-restart, then choose Troubleshoot, then Advances Option then Command Prompt.

Then it says "Enter the recovery key to get going again"

I do not have a recovery key ?

Anyway, you can then choose "Skip this drive" which I did. I then entered "net user administrator /active:yes".
and it said success, but after reboot there is no "administrator" user. (If you manually choose "Other User" at the login screen and enter "administrator" with no password it says: "Your account has been disabled. Please see your system administrator".
 
Last edited:
I'm not an 365 expert but here is what I think is happening:

emailaddress2 is tied to Teams for business which is tied to the company’s Microsoft 365 tenant.
The laptop was joined to the company’s cloud directory (Entra ID) when you logged in with that account.

You will probably have to ask the company IT staff to grant local admin access via the Entra portal.

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