Here is how to create a new user on Windows 11 Pro. Unlike Windows Server, Windows 11 Pro ships with its built-in Administrator account disabled by default, so the security story here is different: the goal is not to lock down an account that is already active, it is to set up a real named account for whoever actually manages the server, instead of relying on whatever account got created during setup.
What you need
- A Hostner dedicated server running Windows 11 Pro
- Administrator access via RDP
- A chosen username, without spaces or special characters (save those for the “Full name” field instead)
Step 1: Open Settings
Connect to your server via Remote Desktop Connection using the administrator credentials from your Hostner dashboard. Once logged in, click the Start button, then click the gear-shaped Settings icon, or press Windows key + I directly.
Step 2: Create a new user on Windows 11 Pro
In Settings, click “Accounts” in the left sidebar, then click “Family & other users” on the right. Under “Other users”, click “Add account”.
Windows will try to push you toward a Microsoft account first, asking for an email address. Click “I don’t have this person’s sign-in information” at the bottom, then click “Add a user without a Microsoft account” on the next screen. This keeps the account local to this server rather than tied to an outside Microsoft account, which is what you want for a server.
Fill in your chosen username and a strong password, then click “Next” to finish creating the account.
Step 3: Make the new user an administrator
Back in “Family & other users”, click on the account you just created, then click “Change account type”. In the dropdown, select “Administrator”, then click “OK”. Without this step, the account defaults to a standard user and cannot install software or change system settings.
Step 4: Allow the new user to log in via RDP
Administrator accounts on Windows 11 Pro can use Remote Desktop by default, so if you selected Administrator in Step 3, no further action is needed here. If you want a standard (non-administrator) account to still be able to connect via RDP, open the classic Control Panel, search for “Allow remote access to your computer”, and add the account under “Select Users” in the Remote Desktop tab.
If it does not work
If the new account cannot log in via RDP at all, double check that Remote Desktop itself is enabled on the server, go to Settings, System, Remote Desktop, and confirm the toggle is on, this is a server-wide setting separate from individual account permissions. This trips people up more often than the account settings themselves, since a fresh Windows 11 Pro install typically has Remote Desktop switched off entirely until you turn it on yourself. If “Add a user without a Microsoft account” is not visible as an option, your server may be managed by an organizational policy that requires Microsoft accounts, in which case a local account is not possible without changing that policy first. For Microsoft’s own reference on account types and permission levels, see their documentation on managing user accounts in Windows.
No ticket needed. A few clicks in Settings, and you have a real named account instead of one that just happened to exist since setup.
See more guides in Docs, or check out Create a New User on Windows Server if you manage both server types.