Setting an Account to Automatically Logon

by Eric Wyatt
(last updated March 8, 2021)

Passwords on our computers have been around for years. They help keep the contents of our computers private and secure from others. This is extremely helpful and a source of security for many. Passwords can be set for account login, file protection, network access, and more. I always encourage the use of a strong password and this is also encouraged by computer security experts around the globe.

Having said that, this week a colleague asked if it was possible to remove the need to enter a password from an account on a shared computer used for testing. This is a rather easy process:

  1. Press Win+R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type (without quotes) "netplwiz" and then press Enter. This opens the User Accounts dialog box.
  3. Uncheck the box marked "Users Must Enter a User Name And Password To Use This Computer."
  4. Click Apply in the lower-right corner of the dialog box. This opens the Automatically Sign In dialog box.
  5. Enter the password for the username entered into the User Name field and click OK. This closes the Automatically Sign In dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

    6. Figure 1. Enter the password and username for the account to be logged in automatically.

  6. Close the User Accounts dialog box.
  7. Your change should take effect immediately, however, I recommend restarting to verify the changes took effect.

It is important to state that removing the need for passwords does bring some inherent security concerns. It is only recommended to do this if you are not concerned about someone gaining access to your system.

 This tip (13832) applies to Windows 10.

Author Bio

Eric Wyatt

Eric Wyatt is a swell guy (or so his friends tell him). He is a formally trained designer and branding expert, bringing a wide range of skills to his Tips.Net articles. ...

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