Multiple accounts come in handy when you have several users on the same PC. Not only it helps you avoid the disruption caused by an online administrator account, but it also gives you some ease of privacy protection. However, if you feel you've reached a point where multiple accounts have exceeded their utility, you don’t have to keep them.
In this article, we’ll go over the various methods you can use for deleting user accounts in Windows 11.
How to Remove User Accounts in Windows 11
Before we begin to remove user accounts, it’s crucial that you back up your Windows files. It's a good habit that you should do on a regular basis; however, creating a Windows backup before removing a user account is crucial in case something goes wrong.
You can store the backup anywhere you'd like; your hard drive, an external drive, or even the cloud. Here, we'll store the backup on a USB stick.
To get started with the backup, click on the Start menu search bar, type in ‘control panel,’ and select the Best match. Then follow the steps below:
- Click on System and Security.
-
Then, click on Backup and Restore.
- Select Set up backup.
-
Choose a Backup Destination and click on Next.
- Select Let Windows Choose and click on Next.
-
Finally, click on Save settings and run backup.
As soon as you do that, the backup process for your entire PC will begin.
Note: When creating a backup, always make sure that you save the backup in a drive beside the one where you’ve installed your Windows on.
With a full backup in place, you can then move on to the deletion of your Windows user accounts, starting with the help of Windows Settings.
1. Deleting User Accounts via Settings
You can delete the multiple user accounts from Windows Settings. Here’s how:
- Go to the Start menu search bar, type in ‘settings,’ and select the Best match. Alternatively, you can press the Windows key + I shortcut.
- Select Accounts > Family & other users.
- Pick the user account you’d like to remove and click on Remove.
- Finally, click on Delete account and data.
Do this and your user account information will be deleted.
2. Deleting User Accounts via Control Panel
If for some reason, the Settings method from above doesn’t help you fix the problem, then you can use the Control Panel. Here’s how you get started.
- Click on the Start menu and open the Control Panel.
- Click on User Accounts > Remove user accounts.
- Choose the account you want to remove and select Delete the account.
- Finally, select Delete files > Delete Account.
Do this, and your account and all files related to it will be successfully deleted.
3. Deleting User Accounts via Command Prompt
The Command line is a text-based interface useful in running and managing all Windows programs from the ease of your keystrokes.
First, to launch the Command prompt, go to the Start menu search bar, type in ‘command prompt,’ and then run it as Administrator.
Type the following command in the interface and hit Enter:
net user
It’ll show all the different user accounts present on your PC. Pick the one you’d like to delete, type the following command, and hit Enter:
net user <username> /delete
Here, replace the <username> with the account you want to delete. Follow the above steps and the account will be deleted instantly.
Removing User Accounts in Windows 11
A useful hack when you have to share a single machine, multiple user accounts can become a hassle and seem like an unnecessary complication otherwise. Follow the methods from above, and you'll be able to delete the user accounts in Windows 11