How to Restore Administrator Privileges in Windows 10 When You’ve Lost Them

If you’ve suddenly found yourself without administrator privileges on your Windows 10 computer, don’t panic. There are several methods you can use to regain your admin rights and take back control of your system. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to restore your administrator privileges, so you can get back to using your computer the way you need to.

Method 1: Enable the Built-in Administrator Account

Windows 10 has a built-in administrator account that is typically hidden. You can use this account to regain your admin privileges if you’ve lost them. Here’s how:

1. Restart your computer and press the Shift Restart keys to enter the Windows Recovery Environment.
2. Click Troubleshoot, then select Advanced options and Startup Settings.
3. Click Restart, then press 4 or F4 to boot into Safe Mode.
4. Once in Safe Mode, open the Command Prompt and type net user administrator /active:yes to enable the built-in administrator account.
5. Restart your computer normally and log in with the built-in administrator account.
6. Open the Control Panel and go to User Accounts.
7. Click Manage another account, then select your user account.
8. Click Change the account type and select Administrator.
9. Click Change Account Type, then restart your computer.

After restarting, your user account should have administrator privileges restored.

Method 2: Use the Command Prompt to Modify the Registry

If the first method doesn’t work, you can try modifying the registry using the Command Prompt. This method is a bit more advanced, so proceed with caution:

1. Restart your computer and enter the Windows Recovery Environment as in Method 1.
2. Click Troubleshoot, then select Advanced options and Command Prompt.
3. In the Command Prompt, type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
4. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SAM\Domains\Account\Users\000001F4.
5. Double-click the F value on the right side and change the value data from 11 to 10.
6. Click OK, then close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

After restarting, your user account should have administrator privileges restored.

If you’ve tried both methods and still can’t regain your administrator privileges, there may be a more serious issue with your Windows installation. In that case, it’s best to consult with a professional or consider reinstalling Windows as a last resort.

Losing administrator privileges can be frustrating, but with the right steps, you can get your system back under your control. By following the methods outlined in this article, you should be able to restore your administrator privileges and continue using your Windows 10 computer as you need to.