Want to give someone (or yourself) administrator rights on a Windows 11 PC — but don’t want to fumble through arcane menus? You’re in the right place. This guide walks you through every safe way to grant (and revoke) administrator permissions: Settings, Control Panel, Computer Management, Command Prompt, PowerShell, and quick tips for running apps as admin. Think of this as giving someone the master key to the house — so we’ll be careful, methodical, and practical.
Quick TL;DR — The Short Answer
If you want the fastest way: open Settings → Accounts → Family & other users, select the user, choose Change account type, and pick Administrator. Prefer command line? Run PowerShell as admin and use:
Or, in Command Prompt (admin):
Why Grant Administrator Permission?
Administrator accounts can:
-
Install/uninstall software, change system-wide settings, and manage other accounts.
-
Access advanced troubleshooting tools or configure network settings.
So, if someone needs to install developer tools or manage the machine, admin rights are necessary. But remember: admin = powerful. Treat it like giving someone a car with the keys — great when used responsibly, risky if not.
Before You Begin — Safety First
Before elevating accounts, take a minute to protect yourself and your data.
Create a System Restore Point
Why? If something goes wrong, this can return Windows to a previous state.
-
Search Create a restore point, open it, and click Create.
Understand the Risks
Admins can change security settings, disable antivirus, or uninstall protections. Only grant admin rights to trusted users, and prefer using a standard account for daily work.
Method 1: Use Windows Settings (Easiest)
This method works for Microsoft accounts and local accounts and is the most user-friendly.
Open Settings
-
Press Windows + I or click Start → Settings.
Add or Select the User
-
Go to Accounts → Family & other users.
-
If the user isn’t listed, click Add account to create or add a Microsoft account or local account.
Change Account Type to Administrator
-
Under Other users, click the user name → Change account type.
-
In the dropdown, select Administrator → OK.
Done — the user now has admin rights. Log out and back in (or reboot) to ensure changes take full effect.
Method 2: Control Panel (Classic Way)
If you prefer the old-school control panel UI, this is straightforward.
Open Control Panel
-
Search Control Panel → Open it.
-
Navigate to User Accounts → User Accounts → Manage another account.
Change the Account Type
-
Click the account → Change the account type.
-
Select Administrator → Change Account Type.
Control Panel is handy if you’re used to legacy menus.
Method 3: Computer Management (lusrmgr.msc)
This is the graphical admin tool for user and group management. (Available on Windows 11 Pro/Enterprise/Education.)
Open Computer Management
-
Right-click Start → Computer Management.
-
Expand System Tools → Local Users and Groups → Users.
Add User to Administrators Group
-
Right-click the user → Properties → Member Of tab.
-
Click Add…, type
Administrators, click Check Names, then OK.
Note for Windows 11 Home Users
Windows Home typically doesn’t include Local Users and Groups (lusrmgr). Use Settings, netplwiz, or the command-line methods below instead.
Method 4: Command Prompt (net localgroup)
Fast and scriptable — great for power users and admins.
Steps
-
Open Command Prompt as Administrator: search cmd, right-click → Run as administrator.
-
Add the user to Administrators:
-
To remove later:
Tip: Replace UserName with the exact account name. If the account name has spaces, keep the quotes.
Method 5: PowerShell (Add-LocalGroupMember)
PowerShell is the modern way to manage Windows.
Add an Administrator
-
Open Windows Terminal or PowerShell as Administrator.
-
Run:
Remove an Administrator
PowerShell is preferable for automation and scripts.
Method 6: Grant Admin While Creating an Account
If you’re creating a new account, you can make it an admin during setup.
-
Settings → Accounts → Family & other users → Add account.
-
Add user (Microsoft or local).
-
After creation, click the user → Change account type → Administrator.
This saves a step and is convenient for provisioning new machines.
How to Temporarily Run a Program as Administrator
Not every situation needs a permanent admin account. Often you just need to run one app with admin rights.
Right-click → Run as Administrator
-
Find the app or installer, right-click it, choose Run as administrator, confirm the UAC prompt.
Make an App Always Run as Administrator (Shortcut)
-
Right-click the program’s shortcut → Properties.
-
Go to Compatibility → check Run this program as an administrator → OK.
-
Note: changing this requires admin credentials.
-
If you need advanced elevated shortcuts without UAC prompts, Task Scheduler can create a task configured to Run with highest privileges and a shortcut to trigger that task — but that’s for power users.
How to Check If an Account Is an Administrator
Wondering if a user is already an admin? Easy checks:
Using Settings
-
Settings → Accounts → Your info — it will show Administrator under your name.
Using Control Panel
-
Control Panel → User Accounts shows account type.
Using Command Line
-
Run:
This lists all members of the Administrators group.
Or:
to inspect your current group memberships.
How to Revoke Administrator Permissions
Need to remove admin rights? Reverse the addition.
Using Settings or Control Panel
-
Settings → Accounts → Family & other users → select user → Change account type → choose Standard User.
Command Prompt
PowerShell
After revocation, the user will lose system-wide privileges immediately (may need logout/login to see changes).
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Can’t Change Account Type
-
Make sure you are logged in with an administrator account.
-
If Settings/Control Panel buttons are greyed out, run Settings as an admin or use PowerShell/Command Prompt.
No Admin Accounts Available
If all admin accounts are lost or corrupted:
-
Boot into Safe Mode and see if the built-in Administrator is available.
-
Recover with a restore point, or use recovery options.
-
As a last resort (and with caution) you can enable the built-in Administrator via an elevated Command Prompt:
Then set a strong password. Only do this if you know what you’re doing — it opens a powerful account.
Security Best Practices
-
Use a standard user account for daily work; elevate only when needed.
-
Keep a small set of trusted administrator accounts.
-
Use strong, unique passwords (or passphrases) for admin accounts.
-
Enable BitLocker and keep backups.
-
Regularly review who has admin rights and remove access that’s no longer required.
Conclusion
Granting administrator permission in Windows 11 is simple — but it carries responsibility. Whether you prefer the friendly Settings route, the classic Control Panel, Computer Management, or the speed of Command Prompt / PowerShell, you now have multiple safe ways to manage admin rights. Treat admin access like a master key: hand it out sparingly, and keep your system backed up and secure.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What’s the difference between a Standard User and an Administrator?
A Standard User can use apps and change personal settings, but cannot install system-wide software, change other users’ accounts, or modify protected system settings — tasks that require an Administrator.
Q2: Can I grant temporary admin rights to a user?
Windows doesn’t have a built-in “temporary admin” toggle. You can manually promote a user to Administrator and later revert them, or run individual programs as administrator when needed.
Q3: My PC is Windows 11 Home — can I still use these methods?
Yes. Settings, Control Panel, netplwiz, Command Prompt, and PowerShell work on Home. The Local Users and Groups (lusrmgr.msc) MMC is typically not available on Home editions.
Q4: Is it safe to enable the built-in Administrator account if I’m locked out?
Only as a last resort. The built-in Administrator is powerful and has no UAC prompts by default. If you enable it, set a strong password and disable it again once you’ve fixed the issue.
Q5: How do I grant admin rights to a Microsoft account vs a local account?
Both are treated the same once added to the PC. Use Settings → Accounts → Family & other users to add the Microsoft account (or create a local account) and change Account type to Administrator.