IAM, IT, Windows

Windows Local Administrator Account

• Local Admin

• Built-In Admin

The Windows Local Administrator Account is a Windows Default Local Account.

Administrator account

The default local Administrator account is a user account for the system administrator. Every computer has an Administrator account (SID S-1-5-domain-500, display name Administrator). The Administrator account is the first account that is created during the Windows installation.

The Administrator account has full control of the files, directories, services, and other resources on the local computer. The Administrator account can create other local users, assign user rights, and assign permissions. The Administrator account can take control of local resources at any time simply by changing the user rights and permissions.

The default Administrator account cannot be deleted or locked out, but it can be renamed or disabled.

In Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016, Windows setup disables the built-in Administrator account and creates another local account that is a member of the Administrators group. Members of the Administrators groups can run apps with elevated permissions without using the Run as Administrator option. Fast User Switching is more secure than using Runas or different-user elevation.

(Microsoft, 2019(1)).

• Windows Default Local User Account (Dictionary Entry) Generic Term