Web Analytics


This is a neat little trick for those spy wannabes, or those of you who are paranoid wanting a secret user account on your system. Okay it may not be a totally secret account, as the user folder will be visible after login anyways… Jokes aside, if you have a public available computer, you may want to make sure users log on, using the proper account(s). This can be achieved with a little tweak of the registry. The hidden accounts are of course available for log in, when you know where to look.

  1. Open registry editor (regedit.exe)
  2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE | Software | Microsoft | Windows NT | CurrentVersion | Winlogon
  3. Under Winlogon, look for a key named: SpecialAccounts If it’s not there create a New key (in the left pane) with that name.
  4. If The SpecialAccounts Key is present, inside there will be another key named: UserList (if not create it). If the UserList Key is present you may find several usernames listed, if the username you want to hide is there, skip to step 6.
  5. In the Right Pane, create a new DWORD value, and use the account name that you want to hide.
  6. Double click the new DWORD entry and set the value to 0 (zero) To unhide an account later on, set the value to 1 (one)

The next time you log on, the account will be hidden. To access the hidden accounts, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE at the welcome screen to open the “Log on to Windows” dialog box.

About Thomas

Computer geek from the age of 7, which amounts to 30 years of computer experience. From the early days (when every computer company had their own OS) of DOS, Windows 1.0 through Seven...

Free PC tips by email

Search Windows Guides




Comments

3 thoughts on “Hide accounts from welcome screen [How To]”

  1. UVAIS says:

    Good article 

    Thanks

  2. caryxander says:

    You can make the user folder invisible after login. Go to a command prompt and enter:
    C:> attrib +a +s +h C:Users%username%

  3. Steve Feldner says:

    This tweak works as you say but I am not able to use Ctrl-Alt-Del from the Welcome screen when I do a “Switch User”.

Comments are closed.


Computer tips in your inbox
Sign up for the Windows Guides newsletter to get PC tips and access to free Windows books (More details)

Subscribe now
Popular Guides

See which sites have been visited on your PC (even if private browsing mode is used)

Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc

Best Free Anti-malware

Hibernate vs. Sleep vs. Shut-Down

i3, i5, and i7; Dual, Quad, Hexa Core Processors. How to they Differ?

Intel's Ivy Bridge Processor: new Features

Windows Guides on Facebook