How to Recover a Deleted Admin Account in Windows 11

Quick Tips

• If the account was switched to “Standard User” rather than removed, you just need to promote it back to administrator.
• The built-in Admin account appears when running Windows in Safe Mode if there are no other Admin accounts on the PC, and it has a blank password by default.
• A genuinely deleted account can’t be restored, meaning its personal files and profile may be gone. These methods only restore administrator access.

If you’ve accidentally deleted Admin account Windows 11 you normally use, you might not be able to install software or change most settings. This usually happens either by the account getting demoted to a Standard User by mistake or getting deleted outright. Here’s what to do when you want to restore a deleted Admin account.

Option 1 – Sign In With Your Microsoft Account to Restore Deleted Admin Account Windows 11

When you first set up Windows 11, the Microsoft account you used typically became the PC’s administrator. If that account still exists, it’s the fastest way back in.

Step 1. If your administrator account is linked to a Microsoft account, sign in using the same Microsoft account credentials associated with that Windows profile.

Step 2. To confirm the PC is still tied to that account, open account.microsoft.com in a browser on another device, sign in, and check the “Devices” list. If your PC is listed, the account is still linked.

Step 3. Once signed in, open “Settings,” then go to “Accounts” and recreate or promote an existing account to an Admin.

If the PC isn’t in your Devices list, this account is no longer linked to it, so you’ll need another method.

Option 2 – Use Another Administrator Account

If there’s a second administrator account, signing into it lets you fix all others.

Step 1. Sign in to the other administrator account.

Step 2. To promote the downgraded account, open “Settings,” go to “Accounts,” and select “Other users”

Alternatively: Press “Win + R,” type “netplwiz,” and press “Enter.”

Step 3. Choose “Change account type” (or go to “Properties” and “Group Membership” in netplwiz), then set the account to Administrator.

Step 4. If the account was deleted entirely, create a fresh one instead. You can use the same menu, choose “Add,” then make a new Administrator’s account.

Step 5. Sign out and log in with the restored or new administrator account.

Option 3 – Use the Hidden Built-In Administrator Account

Windows includes a built-in Administrator account that’s normally hidden. When no other admin exists, it appears when running the Safe Mode sign-in screen. Even if you delete Admin account, Windows 11 can default to this one.

Step 1. Open the Start menu, click the Power button, then hold “Shift” and click “Restart” to enter the Windows Recovery Environment. If you can’t sign in at all, power off during boot three times to trigger recovery automatically.

Step 2. Go to “Troubleshoot,” then to “Advanced options.” Choose “Startup Settings,” then click on “Restart.”

Step 3. When the list appears, press “4” or “F4” to start in Safe Mode.

Step 4. On the sign-in screen, select “Administrator” and log in. It may not have a password unless one has been previously configured.

Once you’re in the built-in Administrator account, you have two choices depending on whether your account was demoted or deleted:

If your account still exists (demoted to Standard):

Step 1. Press “Win + R,” and go to “netplwiz.”

Step 2. Select your account, go to “Properties” and “Group Membership,” choose “Administrator” and confirm.

If your account was deleted (create a new admin):

Step 1. Open Command Prompt and run: net user Admin password123 /add”.

In the command, replace “Admin” and the password with your own credentials.

Step 2. Run: “net localgroup administrators Admin /add”.

If the account doesn’t show up, right-click on the Start button and select “Terminal (Admin)”, then run the following command: “net user administrator /active:yes”.

Restart the PC and sign in using the newly created administrator account.