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​

 

[Brink]

I have a question... is there some sort of way to make it so there's no pesky border... i do love loging in this way because i don't like the picture in the way of the log in screen but there's no point if there's no way to get rid of the border.

Hello Ajnineinchnails,

I haven't tried them, but there are these options below that one may work. Be sure to create a restore point before doing so in case it doesn't work, and you'll be able to do a system restore to undo it.

http://www.sevenforums.com/customiz...frame-startup-login-screen-2.html#post1515671

http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/134085-remove-user-picture-help-please.html#post1154097

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[doglover129]

it partially works for me because when i log out i get to choose between who just logged out and other user so when i click other user it still require a username and pasword even though i set it not to. pleas help!

 

[Brink]

Hello Doglover, and welcome to Seven Forums.

This is normal. When you select "Other User" instead of a specific user's icon, you will always have to enter the username and password so Windows will know what "Other User" you wanted to log in as.

 

[doglover129]

So is there no way to fix that?

 

[Brink]

It sounds like this is what you are experiencing with a possible solution.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...showing-only-other-user-last-logged-user.html

 

[doglover129]

Thank you so much! It worked

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Doglover.

 

[Yodrak]

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.

How do I do just the opposite - that is, how do I get a log on screen from which users can select their User Icon and enter only their password? The default on my fresh installation of Windows 7 is that Windows automagically logs on to the 'built-in' Adminsitrator account with no password required.

Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Hello Yodrak,

It sounds like you have not created a password for your user account yet. Once done, you should then have to log on afterwards.

In addition, check to make sure that you have your user account selected and the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box checked in ntplwiz.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/377-log-automatically-startup.html
Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Yodrak]

Hi Shawn,

I will repeat some info from my posts in another tutorial thread dealing with logins, then from now on I will stick to posting in this thread because this one is closer to the topic of what I want to accomplish.

I have an Administrator account that was 'just there' after the Windows 7 install completed. I'm guessing that it has no password because every time Windows starts up it starts in that account without requiring a password.
I have created a standard account with my name and a password.
I have created a standard account with my wife's name and no password.
I have turned on the Guest account.

Rather than automatically start up directly into the Administrator account, I would like to have a log-in screen that shows all of the User icons and names.

I do not want to have to enter a user name. I want to have to enter only the password for an account that is password-protected. This is the way that Windows 7 works on my wife's Dell PC. I don't know how it got that way, it just 'is'!

Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Hi Shawn,

I will repeat some info from my posts in another tutorial thread dealing with logins, then from now on I will stick to posting in this thread because this one is closer to the topic of what I want to accomplish.

I have an Administrator account that was 'just there' after the Windows 7 install completed. I'm guessing that it has no password because every time Windows starts up it starts in that account without requiring a password.
I have created a standard account with my name and a password.
I have created a standard account with my wife's name and no password.
I have turned on the Guest account.

Rather than automatically start up directly into the Administrator account, I would like to have a log-in screen that shows all of the User icons and names.

I do not want to have to enter a user name. I want to have to enter only the password for an account that is password-protected. This is the way that Windows 7 works on my wife's Dell PC. I don't know how it got that way, it just 'is'!

Thanks!

Check to make sure that you have the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box checked in ntplwiz at the link below.

Log On Automatically at Startup

 

[Yodrak]

Check to make sure that you have the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box checked in ntplwiz at the link below.

Log On Automatically at Startup

I'm quite sure that I do not have it checked, because I do not want users to have to enter a user name. I believe that I did check this at one point and that's what happened - Other Users came up and I had to enter a user name and password.

(Not to complicate this discussion, but because of that experience I'm also studying your 'Fix Showing Only "Other User" and Last Logged On User' tutorial. In my case, however, I never got a Last Logged On User. No matter who the last logged on user was I always got Administrator.)

Anyway, I will check that box and report back what the resulting behavior is.

Thanks!

 

[Yodrak]

Check to make sure that you have the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box checked in ntplwiz at the link below.

Log On Automatically at Startup

Hi again Shawn,

OK, that did it. I was leery, because I didn't want to have to enter a User Name, but with that box checked I don't have to - the user name shows under each User Icon and all I have to do is enter the Password for the selected account, if it has a password. Not at all intuitive, but just what I wanted.

Thank you! These forums, and the tutorials you've created, are outstanding! All one has to do is follow your instructions.

By the way, I don't know how often you run into users like me who are running Windows on a Mac. I suspect that most of us post our Windows questions on an Apple forum because we tend to think in terms of the hardware rather than the OS, but I have a tip for anyone like me who is lucky enough to think of asking Windows questions on a Windows forum - do not ever invoke Secure Login. Control-Alt-Delete is not recognized by Windows on a Mac. Turn Secure Login on and you will sit forever looking at the screen that tells you to press Control-Alt-Delete until you Force Quit and re-install Windows. Or do you have a work-around for that?

Thanks again, and Happy New Year

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Yodrak. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

Thank you for the CRTL+ALT+DEL tip. I'm afraid that I don't have a workaround for that though.

I hope you have a safe and Happy New Year as well.

 

[Darkdemise50]

I did Wht u had said using registry editor and I restarted the computer. I then tried to log
In but it did not allow me to. Why is this and how can I fix this??

 

[Infinite]

I did Wht u had said using registry editor and I restarted the computer. I then tried to log
In but it did not allow me to. Why is this and how can I fix this??

Try Option 1 or 3.

 

[Darkdemise50]

@infinite: but the thing is I can't even log into windows itself. So I dont think opt 1 or 3 will work

 

[Infinite]

What do you mean - what happens?

 

[Abhi1i1]

Hello shawn got a serious problem. I enabled the built in administrator account in windows 7 using your tutorial then i set a password for it. Then i hid the administrator account from login screen by tweaking the registry using your guide. I logged off and logged in with another user account which is after my name. Everything was going fine. Then i enabled the do not show last user name option by using step 3 of this tutorial of yours. Then i logged off again to see everything worked or not. Here the problem started i could not login to my account by writing my username and password. I am sure all spellings were correct but i was still getting the error 'username or password incorrect'. But i could login to the built in administrator account by typing in 'administrator' in user name section and its password. I disabled the option of showing the last user account. And then i could again log in my own account using my old password. But i want to login to my accountby typing both username and password. Can u tell me what went wrong. Please reply soon.

 

[Brink]

Hello Abhi, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Which tutorial did you use to hide the administrator account with just to make sure I know which one? Could you provide a link?

As a test, change the password for your user account, use step 4 of OPTION THREE again, and see if you are able to log on to your user account now. Be sure to also check that you do not have caps lock on.