Every modern version of Microsoft Windows allows you to create two types of local user accounts.
In my opinion every PC should have one account of each type installed even if only one person will be using the computer.
This short video providing a quick rundown of the differences between the two account types will make it easy to understand why I make this recommendation.
The video also shows how to create a new Standard user account in Windows 11, step-by-step.
Note: You can watch this video at full screen by clicking the little “square” icon in the lower-right corner of the video after it begins playing.
If you prefer reading over viewing, here’s you go…
How do Administrator accounts differ from Standard accounts?
1 – Administrator Account – An Administrator account on a Windows PC is very much like the Root account on a Unix/Linux machine.
In a nutshell, a user logged into an account with Administrator privileges can do pretty much anything on the computer. He/she can view every file on the system, change system-wide system settings, run all installed programs, add new programs, install new hardware and change the usernames and passwords of other users.
2 – Standard Account – A Standard user account cannot change most system-wide settings, run software that the account hasn’t been given permission to use, install new software or hardware that affects the entire system or change the usernames and passwords of other users.
What’s more, using a standard account will prevent most malware and other malicious programs and apps from making changes to your Windows system. And as you can imagine, that makes your system more secure.
As you can see, when you’re logged into an Administrator you have the ability to do most anything you wish to do with the PC.
Unfortunately, you also have the ability to do things that you never really intended to do, some of which can cause major problems with the computer. It’s quite easy for an Administrator to accidentally delete an important system file or change a setting that renders the PC unstable or unbootable.
This is why every computer owner need to have both an Administrator account and a Limited (Standard) account on their PC.
The Administrator account should only be used when a task absolutely has to be done that a Standard user account is prohibited from doing.
During normal use it is always best to log in to a Standard account. And if more than one person will be using the same PC each user should have their own Standard account.
Here is the procedure for creating user accounts in Windows 11:
1 – Log in to a user account that has Administrator privileges.
2 – Right-click the Start button and select Settings from the menu.
3 – In the left-hand pane, click Accounts.
4 – In the right-hand pane, scroll down and click Other users.
5 – Click the Add account button.
6 – If you want to sign in to the new Standard account via a different Microsoft account, enter the email address or phone number that’s associated with that account and then click Finish.
If you want to sign in with a local account (which is my own personal preference), click the I don’t have this person’s sign-in information link, then click the Add a use without a Microsoft account link.
Here is the procedure for creating user accounts in Windows 10:
1 – Log in to a user account that has Administrator privileges.
2 – Press the Windows+S key combination to open a Search box.
3 – Type user into the Search box and select Add, edit or remove other users from the list of search results.
4 – Click Add someone else to this PC.
5 – Ignore the text box and click the link stating I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
6 – Ignore the form on the current screen and click the link stating Add a user without a Microsoft account.
7 – Fill out the form on this page, then click the Next button to create the account.
That’s all there is to it. Your computer will be safer from viruses and drive-by software installations now that you’ll be using it with a limited user account.