Windows 7 - User Account - Delete

   Information

This will show you different ways on how to delete a user account or domain user account in Windows 7.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to delete a user account.

   Warning

• You will not be able to delete a user account that is logged in. It must be logged off first.
• Do not delete all administrator accounts on the computer. You need to have at least one administrator account created on the computer.
• Before deleting the user account, be sure to backup anything that you do not want to lose in it's C:\Users\(user-name) profile folder and subfolders.

1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click on the User Accounts icon.

2. Click on the Manage another account link. (see screenshot below)

3. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

4. Click on the user account (ex: Example-Standard) that you want to delete. (see screenshot below)

5. Click on the Delete the account link. (see screenshot below)

6. Click on the Delete Files button. (see screenshot below)

7. Click on the Delete Account button. (see screenshot below)

8. The user account and it's C:\Users\(user-name) profile folder has now been deleted.

9. When finished, you can close the User Accounts window.

1. Open Local Users and Groups, and click on the Users folder in the left pane to open it. (see screenshot below)

2. In the middle pane of Users, right click on the user account (ex: Example-Standard) that you want to delete and click on Delete. (see screenshot below)

3. Click on Yes. (see screenshot below)

4. The user account has been deleted. When finished, close the Local Users and Groups window. (see screenshot below)

5. In Windows Explorer, navigate to this user account's C:\Users\(user-name) profile folder (ex: Example-Standard), right click on it, click on Delete, and approve. (see screenshot below)

1. Open a elevated command prompt.

2. Do either step 3 or 4 below for how you need to delete the user account.

3. To Delete a User Account

A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute UserName in the command below with the user name of the user account (ex: Example-Standard) within quotes that you want to delete.

net user "UserName" /delete

B) Go to step 5.

4. To Delete a User Account if on a Domain
NOTE: This is for only if your computer is on a domain.

A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: Substitute UserName in the command below with the user name of the user account (ex: Example-Standard) within quotes that you want to delete.

net user "UserName" /delete /domain

B) Go to step 5.

5. The user account has now been deleted. When finished, close the elevated command prompt.

6. In Windows Explorer, navigate to this user account's C:\Users\(user-name) profile folder (ex: Example-Standard), right click on it, click on Delete, and approve. (see screenshot below)

1. Open the Start Menu, type netplwiz in the search box, and press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

3. Check the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box. (see screenshot below)

4. Select (highlight) the user name (ex: Example-Standard) of the user account that you want to delete, then click on the Remove button. (see screenshot above)

5. Click on Yes to approve. (see screenshot below)

6. If you had a user account set to be logged on automatically at startup, then you will need to set this again.

7. When finished, click on OK. (see screenshot below)

8. The user account has now been deleted.

9. In Windows Explorer, navigate to this user account's C:\Users\(user-name) profile folder (ex: Example-Standard), right click on it, click on Delete, and approve. (see screenshot below)