If you find that local user accounts are not appearing on the login screen of your Windows system, it can be a frustrating experience. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive set of solutions to help you resolve this issue effectively. We will outline specific steps you can take to ensure that your local users show up as expected.
1. Check Group Policy Settings
Group Policy settings play a critical role in user account visibility on the login screen.
- Access Group Policy Editor: Press Win + R, type
gpedit.msc, and hit Enter. - Navigate to Logon Settings: Go to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> Logon.
- Adjust Settings:
- Find Enumerate local users on domain-joined computers and set it to Enabled.
- Ensure Do not enumerate connected users on domain-joined computers is set to Disabled or Not Configured.
- Restart Your Computer: After making these changes, reboot your system to apply the new settings.
2. Modify Registry Settings
Registry configurations can also affect the visibility of local user accounts.
- Open Registry Editor: Press Win + R, type
regedit, and press Enter. - Navigate to System Policies: Go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System. - Edit DWORD Value:
- Look for the DWORD value named dontdisplaylastusername.
- If it exists, set its value to 0 to allow all user accounts to display.
- If it does not exist, create a new DWORD (32-bit) value named dontdisplaylastusername and set it to 0.
- Restart Your Computer: Exit the Registry Editor and reboot your system.
3. Ensure User Accounts Are Enabled
Sometimes, user accounts may be disabled, preventing them from showing up.
- Open Local Users and Groups: Press Win + R, type
lusrmgr.msc, and hit Enter. - Check Users Folder: Click on the Users folder and verify that all accounts are listed.
- Review Account Properties:
- Right-click on any account that is not showing and select Properties.
- Make sure that the option Account is disabled is unchecked.
4. Verify User Account Settings
Double-check the settings for all user accounts to ensure they are enabled.
- Access Account Settings: Navigate to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
- Confirm Account Visibility: Ensure that all user accounts are listed and marked as enabled.
5. Activate the Built-in Administrator Account
If the above steps do not work, activating the built-in Administrator account may help.
- Boot into Recovery Mode: Hold down Shift and click Restart from the login screen.
- Open Command Prompt: Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
- Activate Administrator Account: Type the following command:
bash
net user administrator /active:yes
- Log In Using Administrator Account: Use this account to manage and troubleshoot other user accounts.
6. Check for Windows Updates
Occasionally, pending Windows updates can cause user account issues.
- Access Windows Update Settings: Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Check for Updates: Look for any pending updates and install them to ensure system stability.
7. Boot into Safe Mode
If the problem persists, booting into Safe Mode can help diagnose and fix user account issues.
- Restart Your Computer: Hold down the Shift key while clicking Restart.
- Select Safe Mode: In the recovery options, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings, then restart and choose Safe Mode.
- Check User Accounts: Once in Safe Mode, check if local user accounts are visible on the login screen.
Conclusion
If local user accounts are not appearing on the login screen, this guide offers a series of actionable steps to resolve the issue. By examining Group Policy settings, modifying registry configurations, ensuring accounts are enabled, and utilizing recovery options, you can effectively troubleshoot and fix this problem. If the issue persists despite these efforts, further investigation into system settings or professional assistance may be necessary.