The first account that logs into a Chromebook becomes to primary account or Owner. To change the primary account on your Chromebook, reset and log in using the new account.
Change Primary User of Chromebook
To change the Owner of your Chromebook:
- Log into your Chromebook using the current owner account.
- Open Settings > Advanced > Reset settings.
- Click Powerwash. Click Restart to confirm. This will reset your Chromebook and remove all the data.
- When your Chromebook restarts, log in using the new account that you want to make the “owner” of this Chromebook.
That’s the gist of this article. Now, let’s get into the details.
Who is “Owner” in Chrome OS
The first user who logs into a Chromebook becomes the “Owner” user. This is similar to the Administrator accounts on other computers.
Here are a few things that only an Owner user can do on a Chromebook:
- Sign-in permissions
- Network management
- Time zone
- System channel setting
- Usage statistics and crash reports
Change Owner (Admin) On a Chromebook
The first user who logs in to a Chromebook becomes the Owner user. So, if you reset the Chromebook and log in using the new user account, that new user will become the Owner of the Chromebook.
Factory resetting Chromebook to change Owner may not be the best possible solution, but for now, this is the only method that Chrome OS provides to change Owner account.
However, Chrome OS is different from other operating systems and can be set up quickly after a reset. Also, if you are changing the Owner to give your Chromebook to someone outside your family, it is a good idea to reset the device before giving it away!
So, how do you reset a Chromebook? Read How To Factory Reset a Chromebook, a guide from Chrome Story.
After resetting your Chromebook, log in using your new owner account. You can use this method when you hand over your Chromebook to a family member or sell your device.
School or Office Chromebooks
If your school or company IT administrator manages your Chromebook, you may not be able to do this.
You will need to contact your Chrome OS administrator to reset and change the Owner in such a case.
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