How to Create a Local Emergency Administrator Account on Windows 11

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Open Computer Management

   Right-click the Start button and select Computer Management from the context menu. Expand the Local Users and Groups node in the left-hand sidebar.

   Note: If you are on Windows 11 Home, skip to the terminal-based instruction in Step 3.
2. 1 min

   Define the user profile

   Right-click the Users folder and select New User. Enter a unique username, such as 'EmergencyAdmin', and a strong, unique password that differs from your primary login.

   Note: Uncheck 'User must change password at next logon' to ensure the account is ready for immediate use.
3. 1 min

   Promote the account to Administrator

   Open Command Prompt as an administrator by searching for 'cmd' in the Start menu. Type 'net localgroup administrators EmergencyAdmin /add' and press Enter to grant the account full system privileges.

   Note: Ensure you replace 'EmergencyAdmin' with the exact username created in Step 2.
4. 30 sec

   Test account accessibility

   Press Win + L to lock your screen. Attempt to sign in using the new EmergencyAdmin credentials to confirm that the profile was created correctly and holds administrative rights.

   Note: If the sign-in succeeds, sign out and return to your primary account immediately.
5. 1 min

   Document credentials securely

   Store the EmergencyAdmin password in a physical vault or a secure, offline password manager. Never save these credentials in your browser or within your primary user profile.

   Note: Losing these credentials renders the account useless in a recovery scenario.