How to Change Primary Account On Chromebook

The first account that signs into a Chromebook becomes its primary account, or “Owner.” To change the primary account on your Chromebook, powerwash it and sign in with the new account.

Change Primary User of Chromebook

Warning: A powerwash deletes all local files and settings on your Chromebook. Back up anything saved only to your Downloads folder first. Files stored in Google Drive are not affected.

To change the Owner of your Chromebook:

1. Sign into your Chromebook using the current Owner account.
2. Open Settings > Advanced > Reset settings.
3. Click Powerwash, then click Restart to confirm. This resets your Chromebook and erases all local data.
4. When your Chromebook restarts, sign in with the new account you want to make the Owner of this Chromebook.

That’s the gist of it. Now let’s get into the details.

Who Is the “Owner” on a Chromebook

The first person who signs into a Chromebook becomes its “Owner.” This is similar to an Administrator account on other operating systems, and it applies to personal Chromebooks that aren’t managed by a school or workplace.

Only the Owner can do certain things on a Chromebook, including:

• Control sign-in permissions for other accounts
• Manage network settings
• Change the time zone
• Switch the update channel
• Manage usage statistics and crash report settings

Change Owner (Admin) On a Chromebook

The first account that signs in after a reset becomes the new Owner. So if you powerwash the Chromebook and then sign in with a different account, that account becomes the Owner.

Powerwashing to change the Owner isn’t elegant, but it’s still the only method ChromeOS offers for changing the Owner account on a personal device.

That said, ChromeOS sets up quickly after a reset. If you’re handing your Chromebook to someone outside your household, it’s a good idea to powerwash it before giving it away, both to change the Owner and to clear your personal data.

Not sure how to reset a Chromebook? Read our guide: How and When to Powerwash (Reset) a Chromebook.

After resetting your Chromebook, sign in with the new Owner account. This same method works whether you’re handing the device to a family member or selling it.

School or Office Chromebooks

If your school or company IT administrator manages your Chromebook, you likely won’t be able to powerwash it yourself, and there’s no single “Owner” account in the same sense.

Contact your Chrome OS administrator if you need the device reset or reassigned.