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

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

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

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

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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.​

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

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   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.

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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)​

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   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.

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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)​

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

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   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.

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

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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)​

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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.

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

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

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

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

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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.​

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

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

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

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

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

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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)​

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

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

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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.​

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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)​

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I) Go to step 6 below.​

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

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

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

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

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

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

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E) Go to step 6 below.​

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6. When finished, close Registry Editor.​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• 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]

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.

Ah, ok. You were connected to an Exchange account. Happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[Hunk4TH]

Finally got around to doing a clean install (not refresh)And everything is working just fine! I wish I still knew what was causing it to not log in automatically

 

[Brink]

Hunk,

I'm glad to hear it's working again for you. To bad it took a clean install.

 

[Hunk4TH]

Yeah but I think I spoke too soon man. I just did a restart and it started doing it again lol. I don't know what is causing it.

 

[Brink]

Oh my. Try unsetting, applying, and resetting it again to see if it may just be a glitch.

 

[Hunk4TH]

Tried that with no luck. I ended up doing a system restore and that fixed it so not sure what caused it. I tell ya man I've never had this kinda of trouble with Windows automatically logging in lol.

 

[Brink]

Hunk,

Something messed it up good for you, but I'm glad to hear that a system restore sorted it for you.

 

[Hunk4TH]

Thanks man! Me too. Hopefully it doesn't happen again.

 

[no1cartman]

HI Brink,

Is this possible on a PC/tablet joined to a domain and using domain credentials instead of local/Microsoft account

Regards

 

[Brink]

Hello Cartman, and welcome to Eight Forums.

I'm afraid that I do not have a setup for that to test with, but it should as long as you select the domain user instead.

 

[streetwolf]

I noticed something peculiar about auto logon.

Without using auto logon the file C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache\WebCacheV01.dat is held by taskhostx.exe according to Processor Explorer. Shows up multiple times in fact.

With auto logon I got an error in my Event Log that taskhostx.exe couldn't obtain
C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache\WebCacheV01.dat because it was held by another Process.

Using Process Explorer I looked for WebCacheV01.dat and it was held by dllhost.exe multiple times and by taskhostx.exe one time.

Auto logon works but I wonder about my findings. Does anyone else see what I see and if so do you see a problem with it? I was thinking that perhaps the quickness of auto logon was causing this, not giving taskhostx.exe a chance to obtain the file first.

 

[Windunce]

Check box has gone missing? What now?

No matter which user is hightlighted, the results are the same.
There is no check box to check or uncheck

Yours....




Mine...




TIA
Windunce

 

[Brink]

Hello Windunce,

Are you part of a domain?

 

[Windunce]

Other mess while trying to fix the old mess...ha ha.

Hello Windunce,

Are you part of a domain?

No sir, I am not part of a domain. I am part of a group.

The group's name is "Village Idiots."
We interpret text is a strange ways. When we see a setting to exclude the last name at logon,
we assume that it will exclude the last name of the user.

Interactive logon: Do not display last user name
This security setting determines whether the name of the last user to log on to the computer is displayed in the Windows logon screen.
If this policy is enabled, the name of the last user to successfully log on is not displayed in the Logon Screen. “.

If this policy is disabled, the name of the last user to log on is displayed.

So this....

Name: Joe Blough
Password: ________

becomes this:

Name:Joe
Password:________

NOT!



Oh well, on with the hunt!

 

[Brink]

Ah, that would be for this: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/19412-sign-user-name-password-windows-8-a.html

Did this sort your missing check box in netplwiz?

 

[Windunce]

Thanks! Not giving up just yet....but

Ah, that would be for this: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/19412-sign-user-name-password-windows-8-a.html

Did this sort your missing check box in netplwiz?

Nope
Deleted all users but me
Unjoined my Home Network
Still no check box.

Will try a few other things, then go with the nuclear option.
It always seems to work with any software related problem...haha


ps...Thanks for the heads up on the 'red out' of my addy!
Nice catch, I missed it entirely.

 

[muiacir]

i enable administrative account in windows 8

now how can i autologin to this administrative account when turn on windows 8

 

[Brink]

Hello Muiacir,

You should be able to select to auto sign in to Administrator like any other account using the same method in the tutorial to do so.

 

[nguchiro]

Wow thanks!

 

[Brink]

Glad it could help Nguchiro, and welcome to Eight Forums.