How do I remove need to enter a password to log on to windows 8.1?

I upgraded to Windows 8.1 from windows 8 using the update in the apps store, since then when I boot the computer it goes to a password screen that says other user then welcome.

I have to then change this to my normal user then enter my password.

How can I bypass this so that my computer does not need a logon password?

I am the only user on this computer.

July 4th, 2013 10:02am

It is possible to wake your PC without password, but you can't logon to computer after a boot. Only one is that you switch to a local account, but you can't use apps like store, news etc.

Thanks !

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July 4th, 2013 10:30am

So I can no longer switch my computer on without entering a password?

I'm going back to Windows 8.

If I can figure out how to do it.

July 4th, 2013 10:41am

It is possible to wake your PC without password, but you can't logon to computer after a boot. Only one is that you switch to a local account, but you can't use apps like store, news etc.

Thanks !

  • Proposed as answer by dadizzyd Monday, January 27, 2014 10:23 AM
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July 4th, 2013 2:27pm

It is possible to wake your PC without password, but you can't logon to computer after a boot. Only one is that you switch to a local account, but you can't use apps like store, news etc.

Thanks !

  • Proposed as answer by dadizzyd Monday, January 27, 2014 10:23 AM
July 4th, 2013 5:27pm

Use AutoLogon.exe and enter your username/password:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963905.aspx

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July 5th, 2013 1:23am

Thanks, AutoLogon does the job.

Good job I checked here before uninstalling the Windows 8.1 "upgrade"

July 5th, 2013 6:09am

Thanks, AutoLogon does the job.

Good job I checked here before uninstalling the Windows 8.1 "upgrade"

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July 5th, 2013 10:06am

Thanks, AutoLogon does the job.

Good job I checked here before uninstalling the Windows 8.1 "upgrade"

July 5th, 2013 1:06pm

First I tried to run AutoLogon.exe and my computer couldn't find the file. Then I realized you had to download it first from that technet.microsoft.com website link you mentioned and then run it.  Thanks it works great !



  • Edited by BobD13045 Friday, October 18, 2013 12:57 PM
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October 18th, 2013 12:54pm

winkey + R type in netplwiz  : unceck user must enter a username.... press apply insert your pw 2 time  and press ok restart and no pw 
  • Proposed as answer by yofa42 Tuesday, October 29, 2013 5:26 AM
October 18th, 2013 1:42pm

First I tried to run AutoLogon.exe and my computer couldn't find the file. Then I realized you had to download it first from that technet.microsoft.com website link you mentioned and then run it.  Thanks it works great !



  • Edited by BobD13045 Friday, October 18, 2013 12:57 PM
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October 18th, 2013 3:54pm

winkey + R type in netplwiz  : unceck user must enter a username.... press apply insert your pw 2 time  and press ok restart and no pw 
  • Proposed as answer by yofa42 Tuesday, October 29, 2013 5:26 AM
October 18th, 2013 4:42pm

Thanks TannuT. It worked.
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October 18th, 2013 6:44pm

Thanks TannuT. It worked.
October 18th, 2013 9:44pm

Perfect TannuT, this is exactly what I was looking for.  Works great!

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October 19th, 2013 2:58am

Thanks this happened once to me and was really annoying

October 19th, 2013 3:33pm

You do not have to set your account up to an email account. A password is not required if you set up as a local account.
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October 20th, 2013 9:22am

Sorry I'm Slow, but...Do I place the statement "autologon.exe usrnm/pswrd" in the command RUN box?

Thanks for your patience.

October 21st, 2013 12:56am

Simply run the tool as admin and type in the account and password in the UI
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October 21st, 2013 9:41am

Use AutoLogon.exe and enter your username/password:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963905.aspx

Unlike the popular "netplwiz" uncheck solution (which for some reason wouldn't stick), THIS did work, thanks.

  • Proposed as answer by iStrain Tuesday, October 29, 2013 9:46 AM
October 29th, 2013 9:46am

winkey + R type in netplwiz  : unceck user must enter a username.... press apply insert your pw 2 time  and press ok restart and no pw 

nope.. seen this "solution" on many sites.  It still requires me to enter a login pwd -- and I did verify that box was unchecked, so the reg setting sticks, it just won't stop forcing pwd from me.

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October 29th, 2013 12:38pm

Use AutoLogon.exe and enter your username/password:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963905.aspx

Unlike the popular "netplwiz" uncheck solution (which for some reason wouldn't stick), THIS did work, thanks.

  • Proposed as answer by iStrain Tuesday, October 29, 2013 9:46 AM
October 29th, 2013 12:46pm

That works for me also, however, since most Apps use Windows logon I still am prompted to logon when I open a Windows App. would it be best just to go ahead and logon 1 time and click stay logged in until my session is over then just log out ?
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November 4th, 2013 2:34am

you have to convert your account to a MS account (live id) and use those information in autologon.exe
November 4th, 2013 8:25am

Hi, I have tried this and also tried the "netplwiz" fix mentioned here, but I am still having to log in every time the computer hibernates. Any other ideas? How do I get rid of the email account log in...didn't used to be there before the update? Sorry, I'm not very tech savvy.
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November 6th, 2013 4:31am

Use AutoLogon.exe and enter your username/password:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb96390

November 6th, 2013 7:08am

Your autologon helped me a lot,i don't have to change my password all the time.thank you 1000 times!
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November 6th, 2013 6:47pm

Your autologon helped me a lot,i don't have to change my password all the time.thank you 1000 times!
You're welcome
November 6th, 2013 9:56pm

Really helpful for me. 

Thank you very much.

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November 11th, 2013 4:56pm

Thank you so much for posting this. AutoLogon does just what the name says, auto log on.
November 15th, 2013 12:25am

Autologon has been available for some time now and is the ONLY simple solution to the problem outside getting under the hood of w8 or w8.1

Well done for bringing this info to the Minions.

hawkwind99

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November 15th, 2013 6:33pm

easy just try this,, when you try  to  change your password  enter your current password and then in the box of the new password dont type nothing just press enter and then enter again,, and th

is work for me good luck

November 17th, 2013 7:50am

Use the answer from Tannut , under here , much better solution!

winkey + R type in netplwiz  : unceck user must enter a username.... press apply insert your pw 2 time  and press ok restart and no pw 

  • Proposed as answer by Sire Trasher Monday, December 02, 2013 6:00 PM
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December 2nd, 2013 5:59pm

Use the answer from Tannut , under here , much better solution!

winkey + R type in netplwiz  : unceck user must enter a username.... press apply insert your pw 2 time  and press ok restart and no pw 

  • Proposed as answer by Sire Trasher Monday, December 02, 2013 6:00 PM
December 2nd, 2013 8:59pm

Hi all,

I recently have bought a new laptop with windows 8, I did not like using a password to sign in. After removing that feature by accessing the users and checking the remove password box and restarting the computer I seem to have lost all administrative rights. I tried the trust this machine signup online however that did nothing. I am prompted to insert a smart card however I have no account to change to and I have no rights on this account. 

Any advice would be great,

Thanks,

Ryan

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December 8th, 2013 8:19pm

"winkey + R type in netplwiz  : unceck user must enter a username.... press apply insert your pw 2 time  and press ok restart and no pw "

Excellent and easy method. Thanks for that. I had done a much lengthier workaround before involving creating a new user account etc....

This method is so easy and I love it because I do want to have the password option on at times for security and then when I am at home I find it more convenient to not have to input a password.

Now I can change the requirement to sign in or not in just a few seconds.

December 8th, 2013 11:23pm

Thanks for response HOWEVER this requires admin privileges to access and it asks me to insert a smart card.

I switched to a local account and tried to reboot in safe mode. I enabled the guest account which had no access. The admin account also had no access.

Should I boot in safe mode with my Microsoft account?

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December 9th, 2013 12:25am

It appears that Windows 8.1 is turning out to be as big a piece of garbage as 8.0. I am switching to Apple.
December 9th, 2013 10:29pm

Wow - if YOU'RE switching it must be baaaad!  :-)

Don't let the firewall hit you on the way out.

I have a system in a place with good physical security, and used netplwiz to set it up to automatically log into Windows 8.1, no problem.  Of course it has a local account.  In my opinion it's irresponsible to set up any other kind.

 

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December 10th, 2013 4:39am

Worked perfectly

December 27th, 2013 3:11pm

do the following:

1. press the window button

2. type control panel

3. then click on remove user accounts and you done

thanks

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December 27th, 2013 4:15pm

swipe in from the right edge of the screen and tap SEARCH

type SIGN, then tap change sign-in options

choose sign-in option you would like to use.

THIS WAY, you don't end up using a website (ANY website that says they can remove that option) that would STEAL your PASSWORD.

  • Edited by FuryanRogue Thursday, January 09, 2014 2:27 PM
January 9th, 2014 2:25pm

swipe in from the right edge of the screen and tap SEARCH

type SIGN, then tap change sign-in options

choose sign-in option you would like to use.

THIS WAY, you don't end up using a website (ANY website that says they can remove that option) that would STEAL your PASSWORD.

  • Edited by FuryanRogue Thursday, January 09, 2014 2:27 PM
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January 9th, 2014 5:25pm

Thank you for posting this! Microsoft is so annoying with this new update. They were already failing to Apple... this just sealed their fate.
January 15th, 2014 6:52pm

Was hoping this was still the same command as in windows 7! Works a treat! Forget any of this extra programs requiring to run in the background nonsense!
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January 28th, 2014 7:52pm

Nonsense.  You don't have to put in your password when you boot.  

January 30th, 2014 1:29pm

swipe in from the right edge of the screen and tap SEARCH

type SIGN, then tap change sign-in options

choose sign-in option you would like to use.


This worked on my PC and the NETPLWIZ didn't work on this machine.  Thanks for posting what is the most simple and elegant way to change the logon.
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February 7th, 2014 10:04pm

NETPLWIZ didn't work on this machine.

I suspect that may have to do with using a Microsoft account vs. a local one, because it DOES work as always with a local account and UAC disabled.

Are those of you who have found NetPLWiz to work all using local accounts?

 

February 8th, 2014 2:19pm

Sorry to hear that, but I also have the same problem to you, and finally I follow an article to solve it, perhaps you can read it as well and try to find out your solution  -http://www.recoverlostpassword.com/article/windows/windows-8-1-password-remove.html
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February 10th, 2014 6:51am

Indeed. Its such a better operating system. You can actually do things on it instead of fighting it. Most things just work better. Im using all macs now at home and work and need to run windows on 1 mac to use an autodesk product. I hate it. I really hope autodesk makes mac versions available.
February 17th, 2014 2:35pm

This wiki handles autologin for both local user and Microsoft ids in windows 8.1:  howik.com/Log_Into_Windows_8.1_Without_Entering_Password_After_Waking_Up_from_Sleep_Mode

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March 2nd, 2014 10:01pm

Thanks. This was getting rather annoying since I am the only one that touches my computer. The auto-logon worked great. Silly Windows 8.1 :)

Lynn

March 21st, 2014 9:56pm

This solution is by far the best one here. No need to download anything. Thanks a lot!
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April 13th, 2014 3:21am

I found a solution simple one! after ages of searching.. 

Make sure your account is set to local- by clicking settings-> change pc settings-> accounts->disconnect.once completed bring up right side bar click or tap search. "sign" select "sign-in options" under password select "change" type in your current password then leave "new password, re-enter new password and hint" fields-  blank , click next . all done :) no password now . hope this helps

April 13th, 2014 7:08am

Press windows key + R 

type netplwiz in run command windows and press enter

there uncheck 'User must enter....'

click apply and then ok

now in charm search sign in and there disable password login

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April 15th, 2014 12:26pm

nice tips..better using this tips.....thumb up..thanks..
April 23rd, 2014 11:35am

It worked! Thank you TannuT.
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April 27th, 2014 1:41am

Perfect answer. Do not use third party softwares. This method helps disables the login functionality.
April 27th, 2014 2:49pm

This worked for me on windows 8.1 with latest updates installed
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May 4th, 2014 10:11am

I find this response just incoherent. I am fed up with poorly written responses like the one above. Microsoft needs to  approve individuals that can respond in clear fully explicit English language sentences.
May 4th, 2014 9:22pm

I find this response just incoherent...
Given that not everyone is using "threaded" view, yours isn't really much better, since without a quote identifying the response in question others can't tell what you're talking about.

Someone once said something pertinent about avoiding throwing stones while living in a glass house...

-Noel
  • Edited by Noel Carboni Sunday, May 04, 2014 11:04 PM Used HTML to get better line spacing
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May 4th, 2014 10:51pm

best answer for best solution thanks man alot
May 6th, 2014 4:55pm

winkey + R type in netplwiz  : unceck user must enter a username.... press apply insert your pw 2 time  and press ok restart and no pw 

 This is the one to use for sure.

Why use an .exe file when you don't have to?

This did the trick and is easy to undo using the same instructions.

The KISS method is always or most of the time the best way to solve a problem.

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May 15th, 2014 11:05pm

Hi.. I've made a few setting changes prior to downloaded the AutoLogon (my last resort before going back to windows 8) and it worked initially, but when I logged off and then logged back in again, there was that login screen asking me for my password again!!  grrrrrrrr..... I'm doing this all on my wife's laptop that doesn't leave our kitchen counter!! 
May 16th, 2014 3:09am

Thank you Tannu, it worked, good easy to follow instructions.
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May 30th, 2014 11:10pm

Don't have people download something as an option! Most people don't have that much memory for more windows bloatware!

June 5th, 2014 4:45pm

Fighting the same issue.  I had not problem on my laptop, but I just bought a new desktop and it insists on a password.  There is no netplwz when I go to win+r.  I really don't like giving out my password even though I don't want to use a password.  Originally I could put the computer to sleep or automatically with the sleep settings and just hit the spacebar to wake up, but on reboot or bootup it insists on a password.  In trying to change that to no password, now it insists on a password to wake it up from sleep even though I have set it to not require a password.

Frustrated.  Anyone want to go back to XP?

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June 9th, 2014 7:51pm

swipe in from the right edge of the screen and tap SEARCH

type SIGN, then tap change sign-in options

choose sign-in option you would like to use.

THIS WAY, you don't end up using a website (ANY website that says they can remove that option) that would STEAL your PASSWORD.

This.  /thread  :)   J/K.  I was unable to use the netplwiz solution on any of my Win8/Win8.1 machines (all of which I run as Admin.  That check box simply doesn't exist, or is buried behind something else.  Either way, this solution is the simplest, cleanest method for killing the pw requirement at startup.

June 28th, 2014 2:00am

you still are logging in with your email account, and probably do not have admin rights now.. I cant even load games anymore because I am not an admin and they wont load right, I was here looking to see how to kill the email sign-in user windows 8.1 made up all by itself and go back to admin.. im only one on this computer and don't want to be just a user on my own comp.

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August 13th, 2014 10:30pm

That you're non-privileged has little to do with whether you're using a Microsoft or local account.

Read about Microsoft Windows UAC some time to learn why you're not a full-time member of the Administrators group on your own computer.

You CAN kill UAC through a registry modification, which makes the system more XP-like to where you can run with Administrators group privileges full-time, but then you can't run any Metro/Modern software at all.  And, if you don't know what you're doing, running things in a privileged fashion can open the door a bit wider to infections.

   

August 14th, 2014 5:02am

Magical.  Thanks so so much.  I have spent hours trying to fix this. 
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October 3rd, 2014 4:59am

This is perfect - and 100% clear and helpful.

Just what I needed!!

December 4th, 2014 8:51am

Your solution apparently works, but I have no idea how to use autologon.exe or even where to find it. I used search and got no results.  Can you back up your reply a few steps for luddite readers?  I do apologize for my lack of knowledge in this area.  Thank you so much.
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May 22nd, 2015 11:11am

P.S. I should add that I tried another method. However, even though I entered the correct password, I was required to supply the password hint I had chosen when I first got my laptop.  I remember my password, but had forgotten the hint.  So, I tried the recommended way of making your password hint appear on your welcome screen, which was to indicate I'd forgotten my password. However, that did not work either.

Really, requiring a password, especially for a laptop, should not be the default.

May 22nd, 2015 11:21am

Look at the post in this thread that has the greatest number of upvotes.

NETPLWIZ works.

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May 22nd, 2015 6:56pm

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