Remove User Accounts from the Login Screen in Windows XP
So you login to your computer every single day, but there's more than one account to choose from… either because you got the computer from somebody else, or some software package added a user account that you really don't want to see. So how do we hide that other account from the login screen?
There's a simple registry hack that you can do to hide accounts from the login screen, or you could alternatively delete the user account if you really don't need it. Both methods are listed below.
Manual Registry Hack
Open up regedit.exe through the start menu Run box, and then navigate down to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\
CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList
On the right-hand side you'll see a list of keys that correspond to user accounts that are considered "Special" and are not to be shown on the login screen.
Create a new DWORD value with the same name as the user name that you want to hide. You'll note that the actual username in the illustration was "OtherPerson" and not the description that was shown on the login screen.
To unhide the account, simply delete the registry key that you created.
The next time you log off you'll see that the other account is gone.
Hide User Account with Tweak UI
You can also use the Microsoft Tweak UI PowerToy to do the same thing. (Thanks to Gustav for reminding me to include this)
Just click on the Logon key in the left hand side, and then uncheck the box for "Show <username> on Welcome screen"
Login to Hidden Account
You can still login to the account even though it's not shown… You'll just have to use a little trick.
At the login screen, just hit the Ctrl+Alt+Delete combination twice in a row, and you'll be presented with the old-school login screen, where you have to manually enter the username.
Type the name and password of the other user, and login.
Delete User Account
Alternatively you can always delete the user account if you are absolutely sure that you don't need that user account anymore. Right-click on "My Computer" and choose "Manage"
Navigate down through "Local Users and Groups" and then Users, and then locate the username in the list that you'd like to get rid of.
Just right-click and choose Delete. Note that this step cannot be reversed, so make sure you only delete accounts you really really don't want anymore. If you are unsure, you can just hide them using the first option above.
You can also use Tweak UI for that (without hacking in the registry).
Good point, you are correct… I always forget to include that. Updated the article to include that one too.
To temporarily disable an account (and thus make it disappear from the login screen) and without actually deleting the account use the NET command from a DOS prompt:
Net user USERNAME /active:no
Switch it on again with
Net user USERNAME /active:yes
Thanks for the "shortcut" for the hidden accounts! I had forgotten all about that! Now I can hide my admin account on the kids machine and still get to it when I need to uninstall the crap they seem to attract!
Another fine one, thank you!
@Solo
That's a good suggestion as well, I didn't even think of that one.
Or you could, like, you know, simply disable the welcome screen thus forcing the "old school" login prompt…
@Mike
That's another very good point!
Hi Geek
Could please help me remove the old-school login screen, I googled my prob and this web-site was one of the hits, one day when I switched on my computer, I got presented with the old-school login screen and not the normal one, I can't seem to get it back, could please advise me…
For some reason, I found the Tweak ui method to be a bit glitchy. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't; I had to reboot my computer a few times. However, the tweak ui method is a good one.
Hello. I have this problem that I don't know how to solve. I have this old HD that I need to access. It came from my old PC which is not working anymore. In this old HD, I have made a user account. Now, when I bought a new PC, I made this old HD a slave since I have this new HD where the new programs are installed in. I can access some the files but not those found in the My Documents folder of this old HD. For some reason, I cannot access them. When and everytime I try to switch their places so I can access it fully, it just keeps on rebooting before the Windows XP loading screen appears. I also tried formatting it but it won't let me. My question now is how can I delete the user account in my slave HD? I hope my concern didn't confuse you guys. Thanks a lot for any help that you may give.
Hi Friend,
How can i reset again my user login Username & Password?
Because i having a problems to login to my laptop. The window message box shown that the system cannot detected the match of my username & password. In fact those username & password that i am using from my first day using my laptop?
How can this problems happen?
Is there any ways for my to solve the problems?
Plaese give me any assistance on thie matter..
Thank you
Keff
Malaysia
hello. i cant get rid of the old school log-on log-off screen. there is Now only one user for my PC, that is me, the owner. i run xp sp2 and its comes up with this old looking box type log-in log-off thing. yuk! i hate it. strange thing is that when i installed the same xp sp2 on another PC, it never happened. by the way it only started to happen when i tried to connect my dial-up (dont shoot) service. before that is was the standard xp sp2 log-in log-off shut down screen HELP