How to Change the Login Screen Name in Windows 10
The login screen on Windows 10 displays your email and name. You can choose to hide your email from the login screen but your name is going to stick around. The name that’s displayed is the same one that you enter when you setup your system during installation. If you connect a Microsoft account to Windows 10, the name is replaced with your name. Your user folder name is shortened. If you want, you can change the login screen name.
SPOILER ALERT: Scroll down and watch the video tutorial at the end of this article.
Change Login Screen Name – Local Account (Windows 11/10)
On a local account, the name shown on the sign-in screen is your account’s display name. You can change it from Control Panel or via the classic user accounts tool.
- Control Panel route
Open File Explorer and paste the following in the location bar:
Control Panel\User Accounts\User AccountsClick Change your account name, type the new name, and click Change Name.
- Netplwiz (works on Home & Pro)
Press Win+R, typenetplwiz, and press Enter. Select your account > Properties > edit the Full name field > OK. Sign out and back in to see it on the login screen.
- Local Users & Groups (Pro/Enterprise/Education)
Press Win+R, typelusrmgr.msc, and press Enter. Open Users, double-click your account, change the Full name, and click OK.
Note: Changing the login screen name does not rename your user profile folder (C:\Users\Name). Renaming the folder is a different, advanced process and isn’t necessary for changing what appears on the sign-in screen.
Change Login Screen Name – Microsoft Account (Windows 11/10)
On a Microsoft account, the name comes from your Microsoft profile and syncs across devices you use with that account.
- Open Settings > Accounts > Your info and click Manage my Microsoft account.
- Sign in and choose Edit name on your profile page, update your first/last name, then save. (You can also go directly via Microsoft’s help page: change your Microsoft account name.)
- Give it a little time to sync. If you don’t see the change, sign out and sign back in. In some cases, updates can take up to 24 hours to appear everywhere.
With your Microsoft account, the name change happens on all devices that you use that account with. You cannot use this trick to change the login screen name on just one system. If you want to set different names for different devices, you’re going to have to opt for a local account on some of them.
If you’re unable to change the login screen name and your system is a company owned device i.e. it was provided by your employer, chances are this particular option has been blocked. You can get around it if your system admin lets you but outside that option, there’s nothing you can do.
FAQs
Will this change my user folder name?
No. The folder under C:\Users remains the same. Changing the folder name is a different, advanced procedure and isn’t required for changing the login name.
Does this work on Windows 11?
Yes. The Control Panel, netplwiz, and (on Pro/Edu/Enterprise) Local Users & Groups methods work on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
How long until my Microsoft account name appears on the sign-in screen?
It’s usually quick after a sign-out/sign-in, but in some cases it can take up to 24 hours to sync across services.
Can I set a different login name on just one device if I use a Microsoft account?
Not directly. The Microsoft account display name syncs across devices. To use a different name on one PC, switch that PC to a local account.
What’s New in This Update
- Preserved and reinserted all original screenshots with proper wp:image blocks.
- Expanded instructions to clearly support Windows 11 alongside Windows 10.
- Added alternative tools (
netplwiz, Local Users & Groups) and clarified when they’re available. - Clarified that changing the display name does not rename the user profile folder.
- New FAQs covering Windows 11 support, sync timing, and device-specific naming.
Last updated: 2025-10-10
