Windows operating systems like Windows 7, XP, and Vista are capable of creating multiple user accounts on one computer or machine. Aside from the administrator (usually the computer owner), other users can be named so they won’t have to log in to the computer as guests.
When more than one user accounts have been created on the PC, the Welcome Screen will be displayed, in order to allow users to click on their names and login.But did you know that there is a trick to make user accounts, which would normally be visible in the Welcome Screen, to be hidden from view?
To create a hidden account, or hide an existing user account, from the Welcome Screen in Windows 7, Win XP, and Vista, just go to Control Panel (START button --> Control Panel)
First, create an additional or a new user as normal:
Windows 7 and Windows Vista:
(Control Panel -> User Accounts and Family Safety -> User Accounts)
Windows XP:
(Control Panel -> User Accounts)
After creating the new account:
After creating a new user account, you may hide this, make it invisible or have it disappeared from the Welcome Screen by doing the following steps:
- Click on the START button, and then click on Run. Type in regedit to bring up the Registry Editor.
- Look for the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList
- Click on UserList, and right-click on any blank space in the right side of the window, and then choose New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- By default, you will get a New Value #1. Rename this to the exact same name of the user account you wish to make invisible or hidden.
For instance, if the user name of one account is John, the New Value #1 needs to be renamed as John.
- Double click on the renamed New Value #1 (this should now be renamed to the user account you wish to hide), and set the value data to 0.
(right-click --> Modify --> Value Data: 0)
This will make the account hidden from the Welcome Screen.
Tip: If you wish to make a hidden account visible to the Welcome screen again, just delete the renamed value (right-click --> DELETE) … or set the value data to 1 (right-click --> Modify --> Value Data: 1)
Exit Registry Editor.
- Log off or restart your computer to apply the changes.
Tip: If you wish to login to Windows using an invisible or hidden user account, press on Ctrl+Alt+Delete all at the same time to bring up the Windows Logon dialog screen, after that type in your user name and password manually.
