NET HELP USER: creates and modifies user accounts on computers. When used without switches, it lists the user accounts for the computer. The us ...
The command: "NET HELP USER" is on Windows 11, 10, .. available
"NET HELP USER" Excerpt from Microsoft Windows Help
Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19045.3693]
(c) Copyright 1985-2023 Microsoft Corp.
C:\\WINDOWS>
The syntax of this command is:
NET USER
[username [password | *] [options]] [/DOMAIN]
username /ADD [options] [/DOMAIN]
username [/DELETE] [/DOMAIN]
NET USER creates and modifies user accounts on computers. When used
without switches, it lists the user accounts for the computer. The
user account information is stored in the user accounts database.
This command works only on servers.
username Is the name of the user account to add, delete, modify, or
view. The name of the user account can have as many as
20 characters.
password Assigns or changes a password for the user's account.
A password must satisfy the minimum length set with the
/MINPWLEN option of the NET ACCOUNTS command. It can have as
many as 14 characters.
* Produces a prompt for the password. The password is not
displayed when you type it at a password prompt.
/DOMAIN Performs the operation on a domain controller of
the current domain.
/ADD Adds a user account to the user accounts database.
/DELETE Removes a user account from the user accounts database.
Options Are as follows:
Options Description
--------------------------------------------------------------------
/ACTIVE: Activates or deactivates the account. If
the account is not active, the user cannot
access the server. The default is YES.
/COMMENT:"text" Provides a descriptive comment about the
user's account (maximum of 48 characters).
Enclose the text in quotation marks.
/COUNTRYCODE:nnn Uses the operating system country code to
implement the specified language files for a
user's help and error messages. A value of
0 signifies the default country code.
/EXPIRES: Causes the account to expire if date is
set. NEVER sets no time limit on the
account. An expiration date is in the
form mm/dd/yy or dd/mm/yy, depending on the
country code. Months can be a number,
spelled out, or abbreviated with three
letters. Year can be two or four numbers.
Use slashes(/) (no spaces) to separate
parts of the date.
/FULLNAME:"name" Is a user's full name (rather than a
username). Enclose the name in quotation
marks.
/HOMEDIR:pathname Sets the path for the user's home directory.
The path must exist.
/PASSWORDCHG: Specifies whether users can change their
own password. The default is YES.
/PASSWORDREQ: Specifies whether a user account must have
a password. The default is YES.
/PROFILEPATH[:path] Sets a path for the user's logon profile.
/SCRIPTPATH:pathname Is the location of the user's logon
script.
/TIMES: Is the logon hours. TIMES is expressed as
day[-day][,day[-day]],time[-time][,time
[-time]], limited to 1-hour increments.
Days can be spelled out or abbreviated.
Hours can be 12- or 24-hour notation. For
12-hour notation, use am, pm, a.m., or
p.m. ALL means a user can always log on,
and a blank value means a user can never
log on. Separate day and time entries with
a comma, and separate multiple day and time
entries with a semicolon.
/USERCOMMENT:"text" Lets an administrator add or change the User
Comment for the account.
/WORKSTATIONS: Lists as many as eight computers
from
which a user can log on to the network. If
/WORKSTATIONS has no list or if the list is *,
the user can log on from any computer.
NET HELP command | MORE displays Help one screen at a time.
The examples for the command "NET HELP USER"
The
`NET USER` command on the Windows command line is used to manage user accounts. Here are some examples of using this command:
Example 1: Create user account
net user username password /add
Description:
This command creates a new user account named
"username". The password for the new account is set by
"Password". The
`/add` option indicates that a new user account is being added.
Example 2: Delete user account
net user username /delete
Description:
This command deletes the user account named
"username". It completely removes the user account from the Windows user database.
Example 3: Deactivate user account
net user username /active:no
Description:
This command disables the user account named
"username". This means that the user will no longer be able to log in, but the account will not be deleted.
Example 4: View user account information
net user username
Description:
A detailed list of information for the user account named
"Username" is displayed here. This includes group memberships, permissions and other account details.
Example 5: Change user account password
net user Username NewPassword
Description:
This command changes the password of the user account
"Username" to
"NewPassword".
Example 6: Add user account to group
net user username groupname /add
Description:
Here the user account
"Username" is added to the group
"Groupname". This allows the user to access resources and features authorized for that group.
Example 7: Create a user account in a specific department
net user Username Password /add /comment:"Department XYZ"
Description:
This command creates a user account with the name
"Username" and the password
"Password". The comment
"Department XYZ" is used for documentation and organization.
Example 8: Add user account to Administrators group
net localgroup administrators username /add
Description:
Here the user account
"Username" is added to the local Administrators group. This gives the user administrative rights on the local computer.
Example 9: Create a user account with an expiration date
net user Username Password /add /expires:MM/DD/YYYY
Description:
This command creates a user account named
"Username" and password
"Password" that expires on the specified expiration date. After this date, the user will no longer be able to log in.
Example 10: Show all user accounts
net user
Description:
This command returns a comprehensive list of all user accounts on the system, including their properties and status information.
These detailed explanations should provide you with a better understanding of the various functions of the
`NET USER` command. Always pay attention to security aspects and use these commands with caution, especially when working with user accounts on a production system.
Important information, tips for the "NET HELP USER" command
There are a few important points to note when working with the `NET USER` command on the Windows command line:
1. Administrator Privileges: Most `NET USER` operations require administrator privileges. Therefore, open Command Prompt as an administrator to ensure that you have the necessary permissions.
2. Credential Security: Be careful when managing credentials, especially when setting passwords. To minimize security risks, avoid displaying passwords on the command line.
3. Deactivation vs. Deletion: When deactivating a user account (`/active:no`), the account remains but can no longer be used. Deleting an account (`/delete`) removes it completely.
4. Group Memberships: Adding or removing users from groups can have a significant impact on system permissions. Be sure to understand the impact on access rights.
5. Password Policies: Pay attention to your system's password policies, particularly minimum lengths, complexity requirements, and expiration dates. Adherence to these guidelines is critical to safety.
6. Expiry Date: When setting an expiration date for a user account (`/expires`), ensure that you consider the impact on the user and resources.
7. Comments and Descriptions: Use comments and descriptions (`/comment`) carefully to document accounts. This makes management and organization easier.
8. Assign Administrator Rights: Adding a user to the Administrators group should be done with extreme caution to prevent unauthorized access.
9. Automation: If you use `NET USER` commands in an automated manner, ensure that you use security-conscious practices and ensure that automated actions are clearly understood and monitored.
10. Version Compatibility: Available options and their behavior may vary depending on the version of Windows. Check the documentation for your specific version of Windows.
11. Logging: Carefully monitor actions related to user accounts and enable appropriate logging features to identify suspicious activity.
12. Careful Execution: Execute `NET USER` commands carefully to avoid unintended changes or accidental deletion of user accounts.
Always follow good security practices and execute such commands carefully to avoid undesirable effects on the system.
