How to Add Users from CMD

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 Tested

Do you need to add new users to a Windows PC? If you're writing a script, signed in remotely, or just prefer the command line, you can use simple commands to add new users, set passwords, and even grant administrator permissions using CMD, or the command prompt. This wikiHow guide will teach you the easiest way to add local users to Windows from the command prompt.

Things You Should Know

You'll need to run the Command Prompt as an administrator to add and manage users.
Use the command net user username password /add to create a new user from the command line.
To give a new user administrative rights, use net localgroup administrators username /add.

Steps

1
Open Start
. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
2
Search for Command Prompt. Type in command prompt to do so.

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3
Right-click
Command Prompt. It should be at the top of the Start window. Right-clicking it prompts a drop-down menu.
4
Click Run as administrator. This is in the drop-down menu.
5
Click Yes when prompted. Doing so opens the Command Prompt window.
6
Type in the "add user" command. The "add user" command uses the net user username password /add format, where "username" is the name you want to use for the user and "password" is the password you want to assign to the account.
- For example, to add a user named "Michael" with the password "hello123", you would enter net user Michael hello123 /add here.
- If you don't want to use a password for the account, don't type in a password—just enter net user username /add instead.
7
Press ↵ Enter. Doing so runs the command and begins creating the user account.
- Once you see the phrase "The command completed successfully" appear, your user has been added.
8
Grant the user administrator permissions. If you want to turn the user account into an administrator account, type net localgroup administrators username /add into Command Prompt—making sure to replace "username" with the name of the account you want to change—and press ↵ Enter.
- For example, to make a user account named "Michael" an administrator, you would type in net localgroup administrators Michael /add and press ↵ Enter.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I open a laptop password?

Community Answer

Access that account to reset your password. Boot your computer and press F8 repeatedly. Access Safe Mode. Key in "Administrator" in Username, with no password. Go to Control Panel, then User Accounts. Select the account you want to reset the password. Change the password.
Question

When I type user name and password it says access is denied. What should I do?

Community Answer

You have to run command prompt as an administrator. Right click the icon and click run as administrator.
Question

Why am I seeing a message that says my local group isn't there if I am being stopped at the point of entering the command line into the second stage of this process?

Community Answer

Check which language you are using. The local group is probably a bit different.