I am setting up my new Windows 11 computer and the computer is giving guidance. I was surprised to learn that I was signing in with an Administrator Account. I read during Windows 98 that it was best to use a User Account because this may stop unauthorised changes being made through the Administrator Account. I still used two user accounts with Windows 10 and rarely used the Administrator Account. I will try to improve my sign password. Thank you for the video, I now understand the accounts for Windows 11.
The admin capable account should not be used, unless you have a specific (and probably rare) use case (I provided an example, below). The admin capable account has access to all files on your computer. That is a risk. If you are using the admin capable account, and you are poking around at files in some obscure folder, or some other user's files, you can mistakenly delete those files, or move them, etc. That would not happen with a standard user's account, as you would not have permission to even go into a different user's directory, etc. If you are using the admin capable account, and you get infected with malware, then that malware can go into you system32 folder (or any user's folder) and create chaos. There will be no User Account Control prompt. It would be like having a command prompt with admin capable rights to encrypt files all over the place. No UAC prompt will be triggered. If you are a standard user, and you get malware, then that malware will not have access to other user's files, and will not have more than "read" access to system32 files (or other such directories). If you never make mistakes, and you never get malware, then enjoy the convenience of using an admin capable account. I will not roll the dice. I use a standard user account. A rare case where I used the admin capable account is when I wanted to put a batch script into the "windows" directory". A standard user cannot do that. If it became commonplace for me to use numerous scripts, I would create a new directory, and add that new directory to the PATH variable. But I had a one-off case, and it was simpler to use the Windows directory (which is already in the PATH variable). My cousin used to use his admin capable account. He was not a careful user. He clicked on anything that caught his attention. He went to sketchy sites, and downloaded who knows what, without a care in the world. That is, until he called me because his computer was running slowly. I got tired of providing him with remote help, to clean out background processes that he unwittingly installed. I then told him to create a new account, as a standard user. He did, and sometime later, he called me with the slow-down issue. This time, I told him to create yet another standard user account, and use only his newly created, standard user, account. As soon as he used that new standard user account, all was well. He never called me again for slow-down issues. He just keeps creating new standard user accounts. I speak to him often. He told me that he has created over 10 new accounts. In a way, it is absurdly funny. But he is not going to change his ways. He is somewhat absent-minded. He is still living dangerously. I told him so. But at least the "who knows what" stuff he runs is contained within his local, standard user, account, and only runs when he uses that account. When he uses a new standard user account, it is clean. It is not a perfect solution. But it saves me from having to deal with it. And he is happy with it, too. But if he was using an admin capable account, then all kinds of other background processes could be involved, where a new user account would not be too helpful. I do not know how common his situation is. But people routinely complain that their computer slows down. So a new standard user account might be an easy fix for them. And they can briefly use an admin capable account to copy or move their documents from their old, compromised account to their new, clean account. For nearly everyone, a standard user account will be all that they ever need to do everything they need to do. It is safer that way, and is why they should not use an admin capable account. They should have an admin capable account, for when prompted to install new programs. But they should use a standard user account for their daily routines.
If the normal administrator gives a normal user the PIN then surely they will have the same abilities? Even further they presumably could promote themselves to Administrator. PIN should be restricted to usage like supervisor overriding till problems at check out. The PIN would obviate the standard user needing to log out to say add program
Great and informative video as usual. Thank you. The side of your head keeps a disappearing again. I thought you were going to improve that? I understand why it’s happening but I find it very distracting.
Microsoft accounts confused me before and still. It might help if I knew the reasons for all the accounts. What can I do and not do? Perhaps some things can't be simplified. The K-I-S-S method never penetrated Microsoft's culture it seems. Thanks for trying Leo.
✅ Watch next ▶ How To Enable the Administrator Account in Windows ▶ ruclips.net/video/ugfjwVzElJ4/видео.html
I am setting up my new Windows 11 computer and the computer is giving guidance. I was surprised to learn that I was signing in with an Administrator Account. I read during Windows 98 that it was best to use a User Account because this may stop unauthorised changes being made through the Administrator Account. I still used two user accounts with Windows 10 and rarely used the Administrator Account. I will try to improve my sign password. Thank you for the video, I now understand the accounts for Windows 11.
That explains some things I've wondered about. Thank you.
Thanks Leo. So interesting.
The admin capable account should not be used, unless you have a specific (and probably rare) use case (I provided an example, below).
The admin capable account has access to all files on your computer. That is a risk.
If you are using the admin capable account, and you are poking around at files in some obscure folder, or some other user's files, you can mistakenly delete those files, or move them, etc. That would not happen with a standard user's account, as you would not have permission to even go into a different user's directory, etc.
If you are using the admin capable account, and you get infected with malware, then that malware can go into you system32 folder (or any user's folder) and create chaos. There will be no User Account Control prompt. It would be like having a command prompt with admin capable rights to encrypt files all over the place. No UAC prompt will be triggered.
If you are a standard user, and you get malware, then that malware will not have access to other user's files, and will not have more than "read" access to system32 files (or other such directories).
If you never make mistakes, and you never get malware, then enjoy the convenience of using an admin capable account. I will not roll the dice. I use a standard user account.
A rare case where I used the admin capable account is when I wanted to put a batch script into the "windows" directory". A standard user cannot do that.
If it became commonplace for me to use numerous scripts, I would create a new directory, and add that new directory to the PATH variable. But I had a one-off case, and it was simpler to use the Windows directory (which is already in the PATH variable).
My cousin used to use his admin capable account. He was not a careful user. He clicked on anything that caught his attention. He went to sketchy sites, and downloaded who knows what, without a care in the world. That is, until he called me because his computer was running slowly. I got tired of providing him with remote help, to clean out background processes that he unwittingly installed.
I then told him to create a new account, as a standard user. He did, and sometime later, he called me with the slow-down issue. This time, I told him to create yet another standard user account, and use only his newly created, standard user, account. As soon as he used that new standard user account, all was well. He never called me again for slow-down issues. He just keeps creating new standard user accounts. I speak to him often. He told me that he has created over 10 new accounts. In a way, it is absurdly funny. But he is not going to change his ways. He is somewhat absent-minded.
He is still living dangerously. I told him so. But at least the "who knows what" stuff he runs is contained within his local, standard user, account, and only runs when he uses that account. When he uses a new standard user account, it is clean. It is not a perfect solution. But it saves me from having to deal with it. And he is happy with it, too. But if he was using an admin capable account, then all kinds of other background processes could be involved, where a new user account would not be too helpful.
I do not know how common his situation is. But people routinely complain that their computer slows down. So a new standard user account might be an easy fix for them. And they can briefly use an admin capable account to copy or move their documents from their old, compromised account to their new, clean account.
For nearly everyone, a standard user account will be all that they ever need to do everything they need to do. It is safer that way, and is why they should not use an admin capable account. They should have an admin capable account, for when prompted to install new programs. But they should use a standard user account for their daily routines.
If the normal administrator gives a normal user the PIN then surely they will have the same abilities? Even further they presumably could promote themselves to Administrator. PIN should be restricted to usage like supervisor overriding till problems at check out. The PIN would obviate the standard user needing to log out to say add program
Great and informative video as usual. Thank you. The side of your head keeps a disappearing again. I thought you were going to improve that? I understand why it’s happening but I find it very distracting.
Why did you upgrade to windows 11? I heard it’s bad
It's fine. Seriously.
Microsoft accounts confused me before and still. It might help if I knew the reasons for all the accounts. What can I do and not do? Perhaps some things can't be simplified. The K-I-S-S method never penetrated Microsoft's culture it seems. Thanks for trying Leo.
My Microsoft account is not at Accounts> Other Users
Since it is a "secret" account, some people may not know that this account exists. Usually don't need to use this account