Quick Tip: Change the Registered Owner in Windows
If you've ever wondered how to change the name of the person that Windows is registered to, this is the quick tip for you. It's not all that useful, but it might come in handy if you got a computer from somebody else.
Open up regedit.exe through the start menu search box, and then locate the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
Now you can find the RegisteredOwner and RegisteredOrganization keys in the right-hand pane. Change them to whatever values you want.
To show off the new changes, just type winver.exe into the start menu search box to see the About Windows box:
Kinda useless, but one of those things I have to write about if I want to cover everything 
The Geek is the founder of How-To Geek and a geek enthusiast. When he's not coming up with great how-to articles, he's probably writing at his personal blog. This article was written on 09/25/07 and tagged with: Windows Vista, Vista Tips & Tweaks
Thank you for this!
My new HP laptop automatically filled in their name in the organization box and every program I'd go to install later on would fill that in automatically. ugh.
Not a useless tip! I've been fighting for a way to do this for a couple months now.
It is only for Vista??
How about others windows version??
thanks…this is usefull, indeed.
Definitely not useless! I had no idea how to change this. I inherited this office computer and never knew how to update with my name. Thank you!
I'd like to know how to do something similar to that on OSX. I still have the original owner of my MacBook Pro's name on the home folder.
This works for Windows XP also. I just successfully did it.
WORKS WITH ALL VERSIONS OF WINDOWS
probly xp too.
well, it works with 2000 at least
*saves to del.icio.us* Oh thank you for this WONDERFUL tip! I just used it and it works (I'm on WinXP). I'll try to remember this the next time I run into this problem…as it happens frequently.
You can do this using a free application called Change Owner v1.0.
It is small and free. Works both with Windows Vista and Windows XP.
thanks
it changed the registered owner name.
but when i hybernate my laptop, and it try to relogin with the admin login, it shows the name of the previous owner. how do i change that?
Cheers mate! For your info on how to change the registered windows user name. Been anoyin me for ages and I thought it couldnt be done. But thx to you my problem has been solved.
That was great info, I was looking all over for that. I had changed every other "registered to" but couldn't find that one. AWESOME Thanks,
Your tip on how to change the owner name was not worthless. I have a situation where I bought a computer from a guy due to a cash flow problem, with the gentalmen's agreement he could buy it back if he found the money. He did, but I had already put my name as the computer's owner. Now I can sell it back with the computer saying he owns it.
Thanks.
Well, I'm very glad that this tip came in handy for so many people… I had no idea it would be so popular!
i change the rigister owner name but after i restart it i clicked my computer and properties to check if the changes activeted but it is still with the previous owner name how can i change it under my name thank you
re:Quick Tip: Change the Registered Owner in Windows
Many thanks, this has given a new lease of life an old laptop we obtained.
I've the registered owner's name successfully in my XP, but the old file extensions still show the old name. How do I change them as well?
I've successfully changed the registered owner's name, but my file extenstions still contain the old name. Any way I can change that too? Thanks!
Thank you for the helpful info. on how to change register name on a pc. I now know where to come if I have any future problems.
Thank you for the helpful info. on how to change register name on a pc. I now know where to come for any future computer problemx.
I thought it was extremely helpful information! I was very troubled by the previous owners name on the screen since I like to have the whole thing just mine (Yeah, I know it's a little off the wall, but I bought the thing). SO thanks a lot, it was truly appreciated!
Dean
Thanks! It works for my XP based PC.
Thanks a bunch. I was just about to blow the drive away and start anew. Not useless by any stretch of the imagination.
Thank you so much. I have been looking for a way to do this for over 6 months.
NOT too useless. I am selling a laptop to my girlfriend, and it has my previous girlfriends name on it!
@Alan
If I were you, I'd be reformatting just to make sure… nothing worse than getting caught with the ex's name somewhere!
Geek, thank you for this tip. I'm setting up my old PC XP-Pro for my father and I do not now how to remove my name at the startup and in Documents & Settings? When I try to rename, system responds with "Susan is a Windows system folder….. It cannot be moved or renamed."
Thanks for any advice.
Thank you very much it works…:)
Thank you very much for the useful information. Everything looks good except for the file extensions. As I go save a document, the previous owner of my laptop (vista) still has her name following my name. How can I completely wipe her name out? Any tips? Thank you
NOT useless!
I actually found this myself by opening RegEdit and guessing for search entries. Tedious.
I wish I hadda seen this first!
Thank you.
This has been doing my head in for so long.
You have made my day cheers mate.
this is great, many thanks
Thanks mate!
THANKS!!! I was successfully able to change my computers name to my own from : Staples Store#1047
