Log On User Account Automatically at Windows 8 Startup

How to Automatically Sign in to User Account at Startup in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

This will show you how to have Windows 8 or 8.1 sign in to a local user account or Microsoft account of your choice automatically at startup without the user needing to enter a user name and password.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Note

If you only have one user account on the computer that is not password protected, then Windows 8 will automatically log on to that account at startup by default.

   Warning

If you change the password for the local account or Microsoft account that you have Windows 8 set to sign in to automatically at startup, then you will need to turn off automatic log on for this user, and turn it back on to enter the new password.

If you connect though RDP (remote desktop), have automatic log in set on for your MS account and change it to a local account, then you can't sign in. RDP prompts for your user and password but doesn't accept the new one on the Windows log-in screen. You need to sign in directly (not through RDP) and turn off automatic log on for the user, and turn it back on to enter the new password.

   Tip

You may also wish to set:

How to Enable or Disable Password Protection on Wakeup in Windows 8

How to Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows 7 and Windows 8

How to Require a Password after Display is Off for Specified Time in Windows 8.1

EXAMPLE: Windows 8 Sign in Screen

OPTION ONE

To Turn On or Off Automatic Sign-in at Startup in Netplwiz

​

1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box, type netplwiz or control userpasswords2, and press Enter.​

​

2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.​

​

3. Do either step 4 or 5 below for what you would like to do.​

​

​

​

4. To Turn On Automatic Sign in for a Local User Account or Microsoft Account​

NOTE: You could also use this step to change what user account you would like Windows 8 to sign-in to automatically at startup.​

​

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

​

​

   Note

Is your PC is a member of a domain by chance, then the "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer." box will not be available.

​

​

​

B) Select the User Name of the local user account or Microsoft account that you want to have Windows 8 log on to automatically at startup. (see screenshot above)​

​

​

   Note

If this is for a Microsoft account, then you do not want to select the one that is only a member of the HomeUsers group. You would want to select the one listed that is part of both the HomeUsers and Administrators or Users group instead.

​

​

​

C) Uncheck the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 3)​

​

​

D) Enter the password of the selected local user account or Microsoft account twice, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

​

​

   Note

If the selected local user account does not have a password created for it, then leave the password fields empty. Microsoft accounts will always have a password.

​

​

​

​

​

​

5. To Turn Off Automatic Sign in for All Users​

​

​

A) Check the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 3)​

​

OPTION TWO

To Turn On or Off Automatic Sign-in at Startup in Registry Editor

   Warning

This option is not as secure as using OPTION ONE above.

It is recommended to use OPTION ONE above if you are able to instead. OPTION ONE will save the password in the Credential Manager where it's encrypted and cannot be viewed by anyone.

This option (OPTION TWO) will save the entered password (steps 4G-4H) in the DefaultPassword string value in Registry Editor where it can be seen by anyone with access.

​

1. Press the :winkey: + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and click/tap on OK.​

​

2. In Registry Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)​

​

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon​

​

​

​

​

3. Do step 4 or 5 below for what you would like to do.​

​

​

4. To Turn On Automatic Sign in for a Domain, Local, or Microsoft Account​

NOTE: You could also use this step to change what user account you would like Windows 8 to sign-in to automatically at startup.​

​

A) In the right pane on Winlogon, double click/tap on the AutoAdminLogon string value to modify it. (see screenshot below step 2)​

​

B) Type 1, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

​

​

​

C) Double click/tap on the DefaultDomainName string value to modify it. (see screenshot below step 2)​

​

D) Type the computer name (if local) or domain name, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

​

​

​

E) Double click/tap on the DefaultUserName string value to modify it. (see screenshot below step 2)​

​

F) Type the user name (ex: Shawn) of the account you want to automatically be signed in to at startup, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

​

NOTE: This will be the same name as the user account's C:\Users\(UserName) profile folder.​

​

​

​

G) Double click/tap on the DefaultPassword string value to modify it. (see screenshot below step 2)​

​

NOTE: If you do not have a DefaultPassword string value, then right click or press and hold on an empty area in the right pane of the Winlogon key, click/tap on New and String Value, type DefaultPassword, and press Enter.​

​

H) Type the password of the user account you want to automatically be signed in to at startup, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)​

​

​

​

I) Go to step 6 below.​

​

​

5. To Turn Off Automatic Sign in for All Users​

​

A) In the right pane on Winlogon, double click/tap on the AutoAdminLogon string value to modify it. (see screenshot below step 2)​

​

B) Type 0 (zero), and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 4B)​

​

C) Right click or press and hold on the DefaultPassword string value, and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below step 2)​

​

NOTE: If you do not have a DefaultPassword string value, then that's ok, and go to step 6 below.​

​

D) Click/tap on Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)​

​

​

​

E) Go to step 6 below.​

​

6. When finished, close Registry Editor.​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Temporarily Bypass Automatic Logon at Startup in Windows
• How to Enable or Disable Password Protection on Wakeup in Windows 8 and 8.1
• Enable or Disable Screen Saver Password Protection in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Require a Password after Display is Off for Specified Time in Windows 8.1
• How to Sign in to Windows 8 and 8.1
• How Enable or Disable Secure Sign-in with Ctrl+Alt+Delete in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Create a Password for a User Account in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Change or Remove a Local Account Password in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Change or Reset Password of Your Microsoft Account in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Always Show "All Users" or "Last User" at Sign in for Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Require Users to Sign in with User Name and Password in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Go to Desktop or Start when You Sign in or Close Apps in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Boot Directly to Desktop using a Scheduled Task in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Turn On or Off Automatic Log On for a Remote Desktop Connection
• How to Display Information about Previous Logons during User Sign-in to Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Add or Remove Fingerprints for Your Account in Windows 8.1

 

[Brink]

This works perfectly on my laptop. However no matter what I try it just doesn't work on my desktop. I've tried it with both local and Microsoft accounts. Any ideas?

Hello Hunk, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Please go ahead and post back with screenshots showing your settings for this to see if anything may stand out as a cause.

A couple of things to check for now:

1. The password was entered correctly both times. You may need to re-enter it to make sure.
2. Have the correct user account selected if a Microsoft account.

 

[Hunk4TH]

Hello Hunk, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Please go ahead and post back with screenshots showing your settings for this to see if anything may stand out as a cause.

A couple of things to check for now:

1. The password was entered correctly both times. You may need to re-enter it to make sure.
2. Have the correct user account selected if a Microsoft account.

Whoa thanks for replying to quickly! And for welcome

Yeah, I've checked a few times if the password was entered correctly. To my knowledge it is. I use a Microsoft account. Here's the screenshot. Hope it helps.

 

[Brink]

It looks like you have it set correctly from your screenshot. As a test, check the box and apply, then set it to auto sign in again to see if that may help. I've had it where I had to set it again once before it would worked. The password would be the same Microsoft account password that you normally sign in with for that account.

 

[Hunk4TH]

It looks like you have it set correctly from your screenshot. As a test, check the box and apply, then set it to auto sign in again to see if that may help. I've had it where I had to set it again once before it would worked. The password would be the same Microsoft account password that you normally sign in with for that account.

Tried that and it's a no go. Even tried putting in my email as the username still no luck. I'll give the check box thing another try. Any other ideas if that doesn't work?

 

[Brink]

You might also check the yellow Tip box at the bottom of the tutorial to see if one of those may actually be the cause instead of automatic sign in at startup.

 

[Hunk4TH]

Checked if "require password on wake" was enabled it was already disabled. I don't use a screen saver so that was already set to none and the check box to display log in screen was unchecked.

Not sure what else it could be. I'm almost tempted to do a clean install. But everything else is working just fine

Is there anything I could do in "Local users and groups" ? Thanks for helping btw

 

[Brink]

As a test, create a new user account, and set it to be signed in to automatically at startup to see if it will work for it, and if it may just be some issue with your current account or the system.

 

[Hunk4TH]

Nah that didn't work either man lol. Not sure what else to try really

 

[Brink]

Are you part of a domain on the desktop?

You might see if changing your account's password, then going back to change the password in netplwiz may toggle it to work.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/12206-microsoft-account-password-change-reset-windows-8-a.html​

If not, then you can run a sfc /scannow command to check and repair any systems files if one may be corrupted causing this.

If that still doesn't help, then you could either do a repair install or refresh Windows 8 to hopefully get it sorted.

 

[Hunk4TH]

Not part of any domain that I'm aware of. Changed my password and still same thing. I haven't done a scan repair yet but I know when I tried before it didn't do anything. I'll try again though.

 

[Hunk4TH]

Anything else I might be able to try maybe in task scheduler or services before I end up re installing? As everything else works just fine :/

 

[Hunk4TH]

Or in gpedit? I had this problem back around Feb as well and some how managed to fix it but forget how. I think it was something in gpedit.

 

[Brink]

Hunk,

You could use the method in the tutorial below to quickly check to see if you may have any group policies enabled that may be affecting this. If you do, then setting it back to "Not configured" will undo that policy.

Group Policy Editor - Quickly View Enabled Policies in Windows - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Hunk4TH]

every one of those are set to "not configured" That's not normal is it?

 

[Brink]

Yes. That's the default setting for policies.

 

[Hunk4TH]

Ah ok that's good. Guess I can rule that out lol. I guess there isn't really anything else to try then

 

[Lann094]

Is it just me, or has a recent Windows Update broken this functionality? I noticed I've been requiring a password on boot again, then went to check the settings and was met with this.

 

[Brink]

Ah ok that's good. Guess I can rule that out lol. I guess there isn't really anything else to try then

Other than a refresh or repair install, I'm not sure what will.

 

[Brink]

Is it just me, or has a recent Windows Update broken this functionality? I noticed I've been requiring a password on boot again, then went to check the settings and was met with this.
View attachment 23146

Hello Lann, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Is your PC part of a domain?

This wouldn't happen from a Windows Update, but you might see if doing a system restore using a restore point (if available) dated before this happened may be able to help.

 

[Lann094]

Hello Lann, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Is your PC part of a domain?

This wouldn't happen from a Windows Update, but you might see if doing a system restore using a restore point (if available) dated before this happened may be able to help.

My PC isn't part of a domain and I didn't feel up to doing a system restore after just installing new hardware, so I did some deeper digging and found this thread. Not sure what caused this to happen for me, but it solved the problem. The fact that I didn't knowingly change anything made me quick to blame Microsoft; like so many others do..

Thanks for your prompt response, Brink, and thanks for this awesome guide.