Add Extra Security to Your Computer With Multiple Accounts

When you install Windows Vista for the first time, you’re asked to enter a user name and a password. Doing this creates an administrator account which has unlimited access to all files, folders, applications, and settings.

This is fine if you’re the only one who’ll be using your computer and if you know what you’re doing. However, if you’re not too tech savvy or there are other people who’ll be using your machine, only having the administrator account can be disastrous. You, or someone else using your computer, could accidentally change a setting, get rid of a file you need, or even install a virus. It is important to create at least one user account aside from the administrator one for everyday access and to share with others.

Ideally, the new user account should have fewer privileges than the administrator to avoid accidental deletes, installations, or undesired changes to settings.

If there’s someone outside your family who’ll be using your computer, you can add a guest account. Someone who logs in using a guest account will be able to create files, save, and edit them, as well as use the applications that you have installed. However, the guest account will neither have access to files created by other users, nor be able to perform tasks reserved for administrators.

In the following steps, we are going to outline how you can create an user account and activate the guest account. The user account will be password-protected so only those who know the password can use it. The guest account, on the other hand, will have no password so that anyone can jump on your machine.

Adding a new User Account

Boot up your computer. Once you’ve logged in, click the Start Menu button in the lower left corner of the screen. It’s the one with the Windows logo. Click the Control Panel.

You’ll then be taken to the screen shown below. Since you’ll be creating a new user account, click on ‘Add or Remove User Accounts.’

Two accounts will then be displayed: the Administrator account (called John in this tutorial; the name will vary on your screen) and the disabled Guest account.

We’d like to create the user account first, so click on ‘Create a new account’.

The following screen will allow you to enter the user account name. We’ve entered ‘Einstein’ for this example. Notice that you’ll be asked to choose between a ‘Standard user’ and an ‘Administrator.’ As explained earlier, we’d like to limit this user’s access rights, so select the ‘Standard user’ option. You can then click the Create Account button when you’re done.

Your newly created account (Einstein) will now be added to your list of accounts!

You can add more security to the account by adding a password to it. Doing so prevents people who don’t know the password from accessing the your machine and your files. To create a password for the newly created account, click on the user account’s button (Einstein).

Once the screen below is shown, click on ‘Create a password’.

You may now enter your password. Try to mix alphabets and letters for a strong and secure one. There’s also an option to enter a password hint. This will help you remember your password in case you forget it. When you’re done, click on the ‘Create password’ button.

You have now created your first password-protected user account!

Activating the Guest Account

Head on back to the Manage Accounts screen and click on the Guest button. Once you click that button, you’ll be asked whether you’d really want to turn on the guest account. Click the ‘Turn On’ button.

Your guest account will now be activated!

Conclusion

Try restarting the computer to see the results of everything we did. Here’s what you’ll see after your computer reboots:

As you’ll see, you will have several options and accounts through which you can log into your computer. When you click on the newly-created user account, you’ll be prompted for a password. Clicking on the Guest account, on the other hand, will allow you to login in without providing one.