Usernames and passwords are a great way to protect your information from prying eyes, especially if you use public workspaces. However, if you are using your computer in a secure location with a private network, the persistent connection can become cumbersome.
If you want to get rid of all that paperwork and get to your desktop screen faster, automatic logins are the way to go. Keep reading to learn more about automatic logins and other automatic features on Windows 10.
How to enable automatic sign-in in Windows 10
When you enable automatic logins in Windows 10, you bypass that annoying password screen and go straight to your desktop. Sounds like a time saver, right?
The fastest way to achieve this is to follow the steps below:
Step 1 - Open the Run Dialog
First, you need to access the Run dialog box on your computer. You can do this by pressing Windows key + R or you can access the hidden quick access menu using the Start button. To access the quick access menu, right-click on the Start button and scroll down and select Run.
Step 2 – Open the user accounts window
Taper netplwiz in the Run window and click the OK button.
Step 3 - Disable password protection
In the new window, you will see a list of users registered to use the computer. At the very top, there is an option to check/uncheck a box that says "Users must enter a username and password to use this computer." Uncheck this box and click the Apply button.
Step 4 – Confirm your action
Another window appears after selecting the OK button. This asks for your username and password for confirmation. Enter the required information and select OK one last time.
Keep in mind that you'll see the login screen the next time you restart your computer, but you won't need to enter a password again. Using these steps also bypasses the lock screen.
How to Enable Auto Login with Windows 10 Registry
Changing your registry is never a simple process. It can have negative effects on your system if you perform wrong step. Before you begin these steps, you may first want to create a recovery point on your computer.
Step 1 – Access the Registry
Go to your Start menu and select Run. You can also press Windows logo key + R to get the same text box.
Step 2 – Open Registry Editor tool
Type or Paste Regedt32.exe in the Run text box. Press the Enter button when you're done.
Step 3 – Find the correct subkey
The Registry Editor tool has a variety of folders in the left pane. The exact location of the folder you are looking for is
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWinlogon.
Step 4 - Set Registry Change
Now it's time to start working in the right pane of the window. Double-click on the entry named DefaultUserName. In the next window, enter your username and select OK.
Find the Default Password entry and double-click on that selection. Enter your password when prompted and click OK again.
- Go to the Edit menu
- Select New, then String Value
- Name the new value as DefaultPassword and click Enter
Some users may not have a DefaultPassword entry. If not, you can create it manually by doing the following:
Now you can double-click DefaultPassword and enter your password when prompted.
Step 5 - Change Registry
This last step is just to create a new value for Windows 10 to run on startup. This is the part where you create the entry for automatic connections:
- Go to the Edit menu and select New.
- Click String Value.
- Enter AutoAdminLogon for the new string value and click the Enter/OK button.
- Double-click the new AutoAdminLogon string value.
- Go to the Edit String box and type the number "1" in the Value field.
- Click Enter/OK again.
- Quit Registry Editor and restart your computer.
How to enable automatic login with Windows 10 domain account
Enabling auto-login with a domain account means editing the registry and adding a new key for auto-login. Additionally, you need domain admin rights to make changes to the registry. It's a relatively simple process, though. Here's how to start:
- Open Registry Editor by typing “regedit” in the Windows search box or use Run and type Regedt32.exe.
- Find the following key in the folders in the left pane: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWinlogon
- Double-click DefaultDomainName and add your domain name.
- Double-click DefaultUserName and add your domain username.
- Double-click DefaultPassword and add your user password.
- Add the new AutoAdminLogon key using the Edit and New String Value buttons.
- Double-click AutoAdminLogon and change the field value to "1".
- Exit Registry Editor and restart the computer.
How to Enable Auto Lock in Windows 10
Did you know you can set your PC to automatically lock whenever you step away from it? Windows uses devices paired to your computer to detect when you're out of range and forget to set the lock screen. Here's how to enable Dynamic Lock on your PC:
- Press the Start button and go to Settings.
- Click on Accounts and then on Sign-in options.
- Select "Allow Windows to automatically lock your device when you're away" under Dynamic Lock.
The next time you step away from your computer, take your phone with you because Dynamic Lock works with Bluetooth. Within a minute or two of being out of range, Windows will automatically lock your PC without any additional steps on your part.
Additional FAQs
How to Bypass Lock Screen in Windows 10?
Bypassing the lock screen in Windows 10 involves a few quick changes to your registry. Here's how to start:
• Search for “regedit.exe” on your computer and open.
• Copy and paste this key location into the address bar:
ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindows
• Right-click the empty space in the right pane.
• Highlight the key and select New.
• Name it: “personalization”.
• Right-click the empty space again and select DWORD.
• Create a new one and name it NoLockScreen.
• Enter the value “1” and click on the OK button.
If you ever want to undo this disable, go back to the created DWORD and set the value to "0".
How to activate a guest account on Windows 10?
Windows 10 does not have a Guest account feature. Microsoft removed this capability in 2015 with build 10159. Using any of the online tutorials that involve registry changes or using a command prompt may mess up your computer.
A word about registry changes
You can find many resources online that casually advise you to make changes to your computer's registry. But be careful how you do it, because one mistake can create real problems in your computer's operating system.
If you need to make changes, create a restore point first in case something goes wrong. Or have someone with experience changing registers do it for you. Automatic functions can make your life easier, but not at the expense of your PC.
What are the automatic features you can't live without? Which do you always disable? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
