Works on my systems too (I think it works from Windows XP on) to hide users from the home screen: [WayBack] How to Hide User Accounts on the Windows 10 Login Screen – Make Tech Easier.
Show only the last logged on user, but add a switch-user dialog
Run the below .reg file on your machine, or manually add this key (does not need any value): HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\DomainStyleLogon
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\DomainStyleLogon]
Note the empty line at the end of the .reg file: that is by intention.
This will show the last logged-on user on the home screen, but still allows users to perform a switch to other users.
Related: [WayBack] ALWAYS display the last / default user Windows 7 welcome screen
Disable the users on the logon screen from interactive logon
Warning: do NOT disable your administrator user this way!
For why not, see the various users that lost access: [WayBack] Hide User Accounts on Windows 7 Logon – Windows 7 IT Pro > Windows 7 User Interface
- use
net user
on the command prompt to list the usernames and note the username you want to hide from the login screen - run
regedit
to edit the registry - ensure this registry key exists
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
- Under that key, create a new key
SpecialAccounts
- Under the
SpecialAccounts
key, create a new keyUserList
- Under the
UserList
key, create a newDWORD
(32-bit
) value with theValue name
equal to the username and theValue data
to zero (0
, which is the default) - Reboot
- Observe that user is not on the login window any more.
Example:
If you lost access because of SpecialAccounts
If you would like to unhide the hidden
Administrator
account on Windows 7:
- Boot a Windows 7 Installation DVD or ISO
- go to command prompt and type
regedit -it
- click on
HKLM
hive and- next navigate
File
>>Load hive
- navigate to
C:\Windows\System32\config
folder and choose `SOFTWARE` file load it and assign this hive any name for exampleREM_SOFTWARE
- open key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\REM_SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList
- remove the
Administrator
account
- or better way remove the whole key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\REM_SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts
–jeroen