Create and customize user accounts

 

•	Create a user account for each person who uses your computer.
•	Change the default display pictures or add passwords for the accounts.
•	After you have set up the user accounts, you can show everyone who uses your computer how to switch between user accounts.

How to add user accounts

To set up user accounts

1.	Log on to your computer as an administrator. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2.	Under Pick a category, click User Accounts.
3.	Under Pick a task, click Create a new account.
4.	In the User Accounts wizard, on the Name the new account page, type the name for the user. You can use the person's full name, first name, or a nickname. Then click Next.
5.	The User Accounts wizard displays the Pick an account type page. Click Limited, and then click Create Account.
6.	To create another account, return to step 3.

Note: In these steps, you created a limited account. Limited accounts offer better security than Computer administrator accounts. However, limited accounts cannot make system-wide changes or install some applications. If you need to make changes to your system, log on with the administrator account you used to create the new accounts.
Now that you have added new user accounts, you can change the default display pictures or create passwords for the accounts.

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How to choose pictures or create passwords for user accounts

By default, accounts have standard pictures but do not have passwords. You can add your own picture for each account, which can make it easier and more fun for children—and adults—to identify their accounts. To prevent other users from accessing an account, create a password.
To either choose a picture or create a password

1.	Log on to your computer as an administrator. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2.	Under Pick a category, click User Accounts.
3.	Under or pick an account to change, click the account for which you want to choose a picture or create a password.
4.	To choose a custom picture • a. Click Change the picture. • b. Click Browse for more pictures. • c. Click the picture you want to display for that account, and then click Open. Windows XP will display the picture you select on the logon screen.
5.	To create a password to prevent other people from using an account • a. Click Create a password. • b. On the Create a password page, type the password twice. Optionally, type a password hint. Then click Create Password.
6.	To choose pictures or create passwords for other accounts, return to step 3.