How to remove your login password from Windows 10
Because not everyone needs to run his or her PC like Fort Knox.
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Eliminating your login password from your PC is a bad idea—unless you own a computer in your private home that no one but you will ever touch. In that case, why not remove your password and eliminate that initial step?
In the past, we’ve discussed getting rid of the Windows 10 password by tinkering with Windows’ power settings. There’s a better way to remove the password entirely, however, so that you’ll never need to enter it ever again. We’ve tested this with Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Home, and it’s worked using the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, the Windows 10 May 2019 Update, and now the Windows 10 November 2019 Update, as well. (There’s no reason to believe it won’t work on subsequent updates, either.)
We have to reiterate that a password, as well as biometric authentication, or at least a PIN, is still a good idea in case your PC gets lost or stolen, or someone wanders by and decides to poke around. (Windows Hello is great for this!) But if you’re confident such risks don’t apply, read on. You can also take our technique below and re-apply the password requirement if conditions change, such as a houseguest or a new roommate.
Run Netplwiz from the Start menu.
First, click the Windows 10 Start menu and type netplwiz into the Search bar and select the same-named program from the results.
After launching Netplwiz via the Start menu, you should see a screen that looks like this, with your account(s).
This window gives you access to Windows’ user accounts and many password controls. Right at the top is a checkmark next to the option labeled Users must enter a username and password to use this computer. Uncheck that.
Next, enter your current password. The passwords must match.
When you click Apply it will prompt you for your current password. Enter it twice and you’re finished. The next time you reboot, or your PC wakes up from a nap, you’ll no longer need to type in your password.
If, for some reason, you enter the wrong password, upon rebooting you’ll probably see an error message, then this odd screen where you’ll have not one but two accounts to choose from. They’re both identical, but you’ll still have to log in with a PIN or (gulp!) password.
Oddly, there’s no mechanism within Netplwiz to actually check the accuracy of the password; as long as they match, Windows is happy. If you manage to type the incorrect password the same way, twice, you’ll see an error message when you reboot. Windows will then show two accounts, both identical, that will require you to log in again. Once you do, just go back to Netplwiz and enter the password correctly.
In an earlier version of this story, a reader pointed out that this technique didn’t work with his Lenovo PC—though a Lenovo tech-support representative said it would. We checked this ourselves on a Lenovo PC recently and it definitely does work. (Keep in mind that if your PC is owned by an employer, your company’s administrator may enforce a password using Windows’ group policy editor, and this trick may not work or may be inaccessible to you.)
One last thing: If you like having some security on your PC but hate passwords, we recently showed you how to log in to Windows using a PIN instead. Or just log in with Windows Hello. If your PC supports it, your face or your fingerprint can log you in easily.
Updated on Dec. 20 with additional details by Mark Hachman.
Josh Norem is a freelance technology writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Windows 10 How to remove password from Start screen
After signing in to Microsoft to give feedback I now have to keep signing in with my Microsoft password in order to use my laptop.
In addition, the name for my Admin account is changed and now shows my entire email account address on the start-up screen.
After reading a few post I went to Windows +R, entered -> control userpasswords2 -> OK.
But notice the box is unchecked, that requires a password for users.
What should I do so that only my Name shows as Administrator, and I do not want to have to continually enter a password.
Note: This all happened after I was asked to sign in with an Outlook Account, which I initially did not have.
I can not see myself using outlook but created one as I thought it was part of the feedback process.
Re: “Windows 10 How to remove password from Start screen” http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-start/windows-10-how-to-remove-password-from-start/b8dee9e9-cac7-4558-a421-2c963c5e115b
After having posted the above questions I received an email from Microsoft titled:
“Welcome to Windows 10 Getting Started Series,
Learn about the Get Started app, navigating your device, and support.”
In short, I do not want to know anymore about Windows 10. In my estimation, and after reading endless complaints in the feedback page, the product was launched with many flaws in hopes that end users test-drive it—while providing feedback
that will, no doubt, help Microsoft with a new Windows product.
The download may have been free but the time it has taken many end users to fix issues, related to Windows 10, is not.
So I have to ask again the following.
#1. In Windows 10 “Windows Credentials” is it possible to Edit or Remove the log-in password so that one is not obligated to enter a password every time one opens a computer?
#2. If I revert to Windows 8.1, will the system revert to how it started up before i.e. I did not need to enter a password in order to get onto the start windows screen?
I would appreciate a response that is going to work and not further me any more lose of time
Replies (7)
Welcome to Microsoft Community and thank you for posting your query.
Sorry for the inconvenience caused to you. Let me help you to fix the issue.
Based in the description, please be informed that if you are using Microsoft account you need to log-in using password due to security protection. If you are not using Microsoft account you will not able to use lots of the Windows features. Follow the below steps to disable the password.
Go to settings and click on Accounts.
Click on Your Account on the left pane and click on Sign in with a local account.
Enter the password and follow the on screen instruction to convert the account to local account.
To remove the password try the below steps.
Now Press Windows key + R, type netplwiz and press Enter.
Click on the user account and uncheck the box User must enter a user name and password to use this computer and click on OK.
Hope this helps. Keep posting us with the status we will be glad to help you.
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To set an account to automatically logon :
Right Click the Start Button OR use WinKey + X
select Command Prompt (Admin) OR Windows PowerShell (Admin) —
type in —> control userpasswords2
(OR use WinKey + R = Run Or you can type in —> netplwiz )
All will get you to the same place.
Then uncheck «User must enter a user name and password to use this computer».
More methods & information to use if needed :
Also you probably want to change these :
In Cortana or the Search box type —> Control Panel then «Power Options» OR Start — Settings — System — Power & Sleep — Upper Right «Additional power settings «
«Choose what the power buttons do» OR «Choose what closing the lid does» — Change settings that are currently unavailable — tick Don’t require a password.
Start button — Settings — Personalization — Lock Screen — Scroll down to
Screen Saver Settings — click it — untick «On resume, display logon screen».
Start button — Settings — Accounts -Sign-in Options — Require Sign-in — set
to Never.
Alternative login with a pin :
If you are using a Microsoft Account then you have to have a password though
you can use a PIN. (Removing the login also dramatically reduces your Microsoft
account security).
Start — Settings — Accounts — Sign-in options — PIN
Or you can change your account type :
Or add another LOCAL account :
Start — Settings — Accounts — Your Account — you can add a Microsoft
Account or a Work or School Account.
OR Same place — Family & other user
Hope this helps.
———————————————————————————————
Rob Brown — Microsoft MVP Rob Brown — Microsoft MVP — Windows Insider MVP 2016 — current
Windows and Devices for IT 2009 — 2020
9 people were helped by this reply
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Sorry this didn’t help.
Great! Thanks for marking this as the answer.
How satisfied are you with this reply?
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This is a reply to all who have attempted to assist me in this matter.
#1. I do not know whether or not I am using a Microsoft Account, all I know is that in signing into Outlook for the first time, ever, I entered my yahoo email.
This action caused two things to happen.
Issue #1a) I now have an App that is titled “People” which when I click on it I see ALL of my contacts that are kept on my Windows phone.
Note : I do not like this because I would think that if my laptop is stolen, anyone who gets access to this app will see my contacts.
Question#1a : I need to know if deleting this app will solve this issue.
Issue #1b) When I turn on the computer the first screen I see has my Name & complete Yahoo email address.
Note: Initial technical support from the company I purchased the computer were able to make it that upon first opening a log-in password was not necessary, however, this has changed and ‘now’ everyone who uses the computer has to enter a password. I don’t know what they did but it worked.
The following do not have “require a password” box clicked
- Control Panel — Power Options — Require a password on wake-up
- Start button — Settings — Personalization — Lock Screen — Scroll down to Screen Saver Settings
- Start button — Settings — Accounts -Sign-in Options — Require Sign-in
Issue #2) I have searched my computer to find where my yahoo email is stored and have found it AND a listed password code in Control Panel -> Credential Manager -> Windows Credentials.
Question #2 : I see an option to Edit or Remove it —but I need to know what is the right thing to do.
Summary : Having to log-in with a password makes me feel that Microsoft is controlling how I use the computer “I” purchased, and “I” do not like this.
As soon as I iron out this issue with the password I intend on turning back the clock, to the former Windows that came installed. I will only reconsider Windows 10 upgrade as July 2016 nears closer.
How to remove login password on Windows 10
You can remove your account password on Windows 10, whether you’re using a Microsoft account or local account, and in this guide, you’ll learn how to perform this task.
Although using Windows 10 with a password (or another form of authentication) is the most secure way to keep your device and files safe and secure, sometimes, depending on the situation, a password may just add extra steps to the login process.
If you have a computer without important files, and you’re not concern about security, Windows 10 includes multiple ways to remove the account password.
In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to sign in automatically, or remove the logon password, from Windows 10 whether you use a local account or Microsoft account.
Disable password login on Windows 10
If you use a Microsoft account, you can’t remove the password entirely, because your credentials are linked to your online account, but you can configure your device to sign in automatically to mimic an account without a password.
To bypass the password logon on Windows 10, use these steps:
Open Start on Windows 10.
Search for netplwiz and click the top result to open the app.
Under the “Users for this computer” section, select the user account that you want to remove the password.
Clear the User must enter a user name and password to use this computer option.
netplwiz settings on Windows 10
Click the Apply button.
Type the Microsoft account information.
Automatic sign-in on Windows 10
Click the OK button.
Click the OK button again.
Once you complete the steps, the device will continue to have a password to stay secure from remote access, but it’ll login automatically every time you restart the system.
Remove password login on Windows 10
Alternatively, if you use a Microsoft account, you can remove the password entirely, but you need to switch to a local account.
Remove password for Microsoft account
To switch to a local account and remove password, use these steps:
Open Settings.
Click on Accounts.
Click on Your info.
Click the Sign in with a local account instead option.
Sign in with a local account option
Click the Next button.
Confirm your current password.
Click the Next button.
Create a username for the account.
Leave the “Password” and “Reenter password” fields blank to remove the password entirely.
Remove password from Windows 10
Click the Next button.
Click the Sign out and finish button.
After you complete the steps, your device will no longer be connected with a Microsoft account, and it’ll sign in automatically every time you start the system.
Remove password for local account
To remove Windows 10 password, use these steps:
Open Settings.
Click on Accounts.
Click on Sign-in options.
Under the “Password” section, click the Change button.
Remove password from local account
Confirm your current account password.
Click the Next button.
Leave the “Password” and “Reenter password” fields blank to remove the password entirely.
Windows 10 remove password local account
Click the Next button.
Click the Finish button.
Once you complete the steps, a password will no longer be required to access the Windows 10 desktop. Of course, this is unsafe, but there are still situations where a device may not need a password and risks a minimal when there are not strangers around.
If you want to remove a password just because it’s an inconvenience, it’s best to switch to a faster and more secure method of authentication, such as biometric authentication using PIN password or fingerprint reader, which only requires a simple finger swipe.
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