Log On with User Name and Password

How to Make Windows 7 Require a User Name and Password in Log On Screen​

   Information

This will show you how to make Windows 7 require all users to type in their user name and password in the Windows log on screen instead of only selecting their user icon and entering their password. This is like the old classic Windows log on screen.

   Note

For the "User name" entry field in the log on screen, you would type in your account's user name as it is on your C:\Users\(user-name) folder. To log on to a domain, you would type Domain Name (Computer Name)/User name instead in the "User name" entry field.

If you did not create a password (recommended to have one) for your user account, then just leave the field empty. You can press TAB or SHIFT+TAB to move between the User name and Password fields if you entered something incorrectly.

EXAMPLE: Log On Screen
NOTE: This is the default log on screen (left screenshot below) and the user name and password log on screen (right screenshot below).

OPTION ONE

Using a REG File Download

1. To Enable Enter User Name and Password Log On Screen
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Log_On_with_User_Name_and_Password.reg

Download


B) Go to step 3.
2. To Restore Enter Password Only Log On Screen
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Log_On_with_Default_Password_Only.reg

Download


3. Click on Save, and save the .reg file to the Desktop.

4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file and click on Merge.

5. Click on the Run, Yes, Yes, and then OK when prompted.

6. When done, you can delete the .reg file on desktop if you like.

7. Log off and log on to see the change.

8. You may also wish to set the same setting for the locked computer screen: How to Display User Information or Not when a Windows Session is Locked

OPTION TWO

Manually in Registry Editor

1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search box and press enter.

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

3. In regedit, navigate to: (See screenshot below)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

4. In the right pane, right click on dontdisplaylastusername and click on Modify. (See screenshot above)

5. To Enable Enter User Name and Password Log On Screen
A) Type 1 and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

B) Go to step 7.
6. To Restore Enter Password Only Log On Screen
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Type 0 (number zero) and click on OK. (See screenshot above)

7. Close regedit.

8. Log off and log on to see the change.

9. You may also wish to set the same setting for the locked computer screen: How to Display User Information or Not when a Windows Session is Locked

OPTION THREE

Through Local Security Policy

1. Open the Local Security Policy editor.

2. In the left pane, expand Local Policies, and click on Security Options. (See screenshot below)

3. In the right pane, right click on Interactive logon: Do not display last user name and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)

4. To Enable Enter User Name and Password Log On Screen
A) Select (dot) Enabled, and click on OK. (See screenshot below)

B) Go to step 7.
5. To Restore Enter Password Only Log On Screen
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Select (dot) Disabled, and click on OK. (See screenshot above)
6. Close the Local Security Policy window.

7. Log off and log on to see the change.

8. You may also wish to set the same setting for the locked computer screen: How to Display User Information or Not when a Windows Session is Locked
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Display User Information or Not when a Windows Session is Locked
• How to Automatically Log On a User Account at Windows 7 Startup
• How to Change the Windows 7 Log On Screen Background
• How to Change the Windows 7 Log On Screen Text Shadow
• How to Enable or Disable Secure Log on CTRL+ALT+DELETE in Windows 7
• How To Change or Remove the Windows 7 Log On Screen Text Branding
• How to Enable or Disable the Windows 7 Log On Screen Saver
• How to Add or Remove Ease of Access Center from Windows 7 Log On Screen
• How to Set Account Lockout Threshold for Invalid Logon Attempts
• How to Set Account Lockout Duration for Locked Out User Accounts
• How to Set the Reset Account Lockout Counter After Setting
• How to Enable or Disable Password Expiration for a User in Windows 7
• How to Change the Maximum and Minimum Password Age in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Password History Enforcement
• How to Change the Time to Warn a User to Change Password Before Expiration
• How to Display Information About Previous Logons During User Logon in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Remove the Password for Your or Another User Account in Windows 7​
• How to Fix Windows 7 Logon Screen Showing Only "Other User" and Last Logged On User Icon​

 

[ReluctantSysAdm]

These are not domain users so that is not the problem.

Using the Advanced Boot Options screen, to attempt to boot in Safe Mode, I have tried these these choices:

Repair
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

and for every one, I am asked for a username and password. However, the username/password combinations I was successfully using (prior to changing the registry following your instructions) are all rejected with the "incorrect login info" error message.

Other suggestions?

Thank you for your very prompt reply!

 

[Brink]

In that case, you could also do a system restore at boot using a restore point dated before you made the registry change to undo it.

 

[ReluctantSysAdm]

(I thought I posted this earlier but I don't see it ?)

From what I can tell, to do a System Restore at Boot, I will need the CDs with Windows 7 on them. Correct?

I don't have the CDs, as this is a new PC I just bought, and like almost all new PCs the CDs were not included.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Brink]

That's ok.

You can download a 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium ISO file at the link below.

Windows 7 Direct Download Links, Official Disk Images from Digital River

Afterwards, you can create a bootable Windows 7 installation USB or DVD with the ISO file.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31541-windows-7-usb-dvd-download-tool.html

Next, boot from the USB or DVD to do a system restore at boot.

 

[ReluctantSysAdm]

OK I did some of the next steps now:

* I downloaded the Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit "most current" ISO file.
* I used the Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool and burned a new DVD with the ISO file.
* By hitting F12 during bootup (this is a Dell Inspiron 3847) I was able to confirm that the boot mode is "legacy" not UEFI, and also that secure boot is disabled.

So I should now be equipped to do "System Restore at Boot", correct?

The reason I ask is that I put the new DVD in to the drive, did a restart, and then hit F12 and chose to boot from the DVD drive. Then I was given the "do a new Windows Installation" screen.

But I don't want to do a new installation, I just want to do a System Restore from a Restore Point created earlier. If I go ahead and say "next" anyway (which to me seems to imply I want to do a new installation)will I then be given the option to "repair" and/or do "system restore"?

Or do I need to create a "System Repair Disc"?

 

[Brink]

It sounds like you didn't click on the Repair your computer link when you got to the point below to go to "System Recovery Options".

 

[ReluctantSysAdm]

Alright I was just being very cautious. This time I went ahead and clicked "next", then chose Repair system, and then was able to do the system restore, back to a restore point prior to being locked out. So I am all set now.

Thank you Brink for your patience leading me back-- from a catastrophic situation in which I could not log in to any account on the machine at all (I believe the PC could be referred to as "bricked")-- to being able to use my PC again like normal.

However, I do strongly urge you to modify your tutorial!!!! It should state clearly that some users end up locked out (again, it happened to me as well as at least two others who posted), which will require doing a system restore in order to get one back in.

 

[Brink]

Great news.

The ones having an issue of it not accepting your user name, did you rename the user profile or anything similar?

 

[ReluctantSysAdm]

This problem did not have to do with renaming the account or profile. How could it? Both accounts were locked out.

Again I do think you really must update your tutorial to explain there is risk of getting all accounts locked out (catastrophic!)-- and to recommend that anybody who tries it should first create a restore point and have a bootable USB/DVD ready, in case they are one of the not-so-lucky ones.

 

[Brink]

That's the problem though. I've never had an issue of it not accepting user names on all my systems unless there was an issue with the user profile to begin with. I'm trying to see if there is anything related with the folks that are having this issue.

I'm thinking there may be an issue with the account's name VS full name. Check using this below to see if they show what you typed for the accounts.

User Accounts - View Detailed Information About in Windows

 

[blackant19682]

it works in windows 8.1 also

mine does not lock out because im on windows 8.1 so it would not affect with it i just type my real email but this tutorial works the same way with windows 8.1 and 8

 

[Brink]

Hello Blackant, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yep. Here's the Windows 8.1 version of this tutorial below.

Sign in with User Name and Password in Windows 8

 

[jpauljohnson]

Added Info

Sorry if this is too old. I just tried this on a Windows 7 Home Premium PC using the manual method to change the registry entry. This PC has 4 users: 2 admins and 2 standard, all in a Workgroup. I was logged into an admin account where the user had changed the name on his account. After the registry change, I was not able to log in as this user any longer, but I was able to log in as the other admin.

I tested this quite a lot, and my conclusion is that you need a clean profile where the name has not been changed, and I suspect that the user in the profile needs a password. Regardless, I really like the solution you provided (Brink) and am very impressed with your patience and skills. I'm going to create a new profile for the one that couldn't log in and I feel confident this will work fine.

Hope this helps a bit. Have you found any additional info for those experiencing a problem with this?

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Brink]

Hello Paul, and welcome to Seven Forums.

That's correct, and was my findings as well. Changing the user name of an account will not work for this since the account is still referenced by the original name.

It's best to create a new account with the user name you want instead.