How to delete a user profile in

Sometimes deleting your user profile in Windows 10 can fix several issues. For example, if your user profile is corrupted, some apps no longer work, or you want to reset your user profile settings to default. What is important to know is how to delete a user profile without deleting your user account.

In this guide, we will show you how to delete a user profile in Windows 10. We will also explain the difference between user profiles and user accounts, and how you can delete both.

Difference Between User Accounts and User Profiles in Windows 10

Many people tend to think that a user account and a user profile in Windows are one and the same thing. However, these are two completely different sets of data.

The first step in setting up your computer requires creating an administrator user account to allow you to log into your PC or laptop. If you share your computer with other family members or a colleague, you can create separate user accounts. Each user account can be password protected, so you don't have to worry about other people accessing your account.

Every time you turn on your device, you can choose which user account you want to log in to. If you want to create a new user account on your Windows 10, you can choose between an administrator account, a standard account and a standard account with family safety. Administrator accounts are the only types of user accounts you can use to change system settings and other accounts on your device.

Switching between different user accounts in Windows 10 is very simple. Here's how it's done:

1. Click on the Start menu in the lower left corner of your screen.
   
2. Go to your user account icon in the left sidebar.
   
3. Choose "Disconnect".
   
4. Select another user account.
   
5. Enter the password and press the "Enter" key on your keyboard.
   

A user profile in Windows 10, on the other hand, refers to all of your personal preferences, application and desktop settings, and other forms of information within your user account. If you want to know how to locate your user profile, go to "My Computer" or "This PC", then "Local Disk (C 🙂). Go to "Users", then your account username.

In this folder, you will be able to see various subfolders, such as Contacts, Desktop, Music, Downloads, Favorites, Pictures, Links, Saved Games, Videos, and many more. Your user profile includes all settings and personalization that you have applied to the device. Even the smallest changes to your device, such as backgrounds and screensavers, all fall into the category of a user profile.

Deleting a user profile in Windows 10

As mentioned earlier, user profiles are a collection of folders that help personalize your user account. If you want to delete your user profile, be sure to do so from another user account, not from the profile that will soon be deleted.

Additionally, the account you will use to delete the user profile must have administrative privileges. Once a user profile is deleted, all photos, videos, documents, and other types of files will also be deleted. This is why it is important to back up all these files or create copies of them that can be stored in a safe place.

There are two ways to delete a user profile in Windows 10; with "System Properties" and manually. To get started, let's cover the first method:

1. Simultaneously press the "Windows and R" keys on your keyboard. This will launch the “Run” dialog box on your screen.
   
2. In the “Open:” box, type “systempropertiesadvanced.” 
   
3. Click "OK". This will open the System Properties window.
   
4. Choose "Advanced" from the top menu.
   
5. Under "User Profiles", navigate to the "Settings…" button.
   
6. The “User Profiles” window will appear. Under "Profiles stored on this computer", choose the profile you want to delete.
   
7. Select “Remove”.
8. Confirm that you want to delete the user profile by clicking "Yes" in the pop-up window.

That's it! The next time you log into your user account, Windows 10 will automatically create a new profile with default settings and preferences. There is another way to delete a user profile in Windows 10. Here's how:

1. Open "My Computer", "Computer" or "This PC" on your desktop.
   
2. Double-click “Local Disk (C 🙂”).
   
3. Navigate to the "Users" folder.
   
4. Find the user profile you want to delete and right-click on it.
   
5. Select "Delete" from the drop-down menu.
   
6. Simultaneously press the "Window and R" keys on your keyboard.
   
7. Type "regedit" in the box to open the Registry Editor.
   
8. Copy this registry key:
   “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList”
9. Paste it into the registry editor.
   
10. Navigate to the "Profile List" folder, then search for "ProfileImagePath". It should be listed as C:Usersusername, except replace "username" with the exact name of your user profile.
    
11. Delete this file and any identical files you find in other folders.
    
12. Confirm that you want to remove these files from Registry Editor.
    
13. Close the registry editor.
    

Restart your computer and the next time you log into your user account, there will be a new default user profile in the local drive (C:).

Deleting a user account in Windows 10

Deleting a user account in Windows 10 is quite simple and only takes a few quick steps. If you have multiple accounts on your computer, you should know how to delete them in case you no longer need them.

To delete a user account in Windows 10, follow the steps below:

1. Click the "Start" button in the lower left corner of your screen.
   
2. Go to the "Settings" icon on the left sidebar.
   
3. Scroll down until you find "Accounts".
   
4. Go to “Family and other users”.
   
5. Under "Other users", find the user account you want to delete.
   
6. Click on their username and select "Delete".
   
7. Confirm that you want to delete this account.
8. Choose "Delete account and data".
   

This will delete the user account and all offline files in it. However, it will not delete any files stored in the cloud.

Additional FAQs

How to restore a deleted user profile?

If you accidentally deleted a user profile or there are files you want to restore, there is a way to restore that user profile. This is why it is always important to back up all your files before deleting a user profile.

Here's how to restore a deleted user profile in Windows 10:

1. Click on the magnifying glass in the lower left corner of your screen.

2. Type “Command Prompt” and click on “Open”.

3. Copy “whoami /user” and paste in command prompt.

4. Press "Enter".

5. Under "Username SID", you will be able to see the security identifier of your user profile.

6. Press the “Windows and R” key.

7. Type “regedit” to open the Registry.

8. Copy “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows NT>CurrentVersion>ProfileList” and paste it into the registry.

9. Under "ProfileList", search for the same SID from the command prompt.

10. Click on the correct SID folder.

11. Find “ProfileImagePath” on the right side of the registry and double-click it.

12. Under "Value Data", enter C:Users and the correct username from your user profile.

13. Click “OK”.

14. Find "Status" under "ProfileImagePath" in the right pane.

15. Double click on it. This will open a new window.

16. Under "Value data", write "0".

17. Select “OK”.

You have successfully restored your user profile. The next time you access the local drive (C:), you will see your restored user profile there.

Delete all unwanted user profiles

Now you know how to delete a user profile in Windows 10. You also know the difference between user profiles and user accounts in Windows 10, as well as how to delete a user account. Deleting and restoring user profiles can be a little tricky, but as long as you follow our guide, you'll do it effortlessly.

Have you ever deleted a user profile in Windows 10? Have you used any of the methods explained in this guide? Let us know in the comments section below.