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Windows 10 can sign in to one selected account automatically after startup, but it cannot do that without knowing the account and its password. You enter the credentials once while configuring automatic logon; Windows then uses stored credential information so no one has to type them at each boot.
For most computers, use Microsoft Sysinternals Autologon. It is simpler than editing the registry. Use automatic logon only on a physically secured, single-user or single-purpose PC: anyone who can start the machine can use the logged-in session.
Windows 10 Home, Pro, Enterprise and Education reached general end of support on October 14, 2025; Windows 10 22H2 was the final general-release version. LTSC editions have separate lifecycles. See Microsoft’s Windows 10 support notice and lifecycle details before continuing to use an unsupported installation.
What “without a username and password” can mean
These settings are different, and only the first removes interaction at startup:
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| Goal | What Windows does | Authentication still required? |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic logon | Signs into one selected account after boot or restart. | No interactive prompt at startup; credential information is retained. |
| Windows Hello | Uses a PIN, fingerprint, face recognition or compatible security key instead of typing a password. | Yes. It is faster or passwordless sign-in, not unattended logon. |
| Passwordless Microsoft account | Removes password sign-in from the available choices. | Yes. Hello authentication remains required; see Microsoft’s passwordless Windows guidance. |
| Removing an account password | Changes the account itself and can weaken local security. | Not the same as configuring automatic logon. |
If a PIN prompt still appears, Windows Hello is working interactively; automatic logon has not been configured.
Before you configure automatic logon
- Choose the exact account that should be used. A Microsoft account may display an email address, a local account uses its local username, and a domain account needs the correct domain context.
- Know the account’s actual password. A Windows Hello PIN is not interchangeable with that password.
- Back up important data before changing registry settings, and test with a low-risk account where practical.
- Do not use an administrator account unless the use case requires it.
- Confirm the account is enabled, not expired, and not blocked by organizational policy.
- On domain- or Microsoft Entra-joined PCs, expect Group Policy, identity-service availability and network timing to affect the result.
Automatic logon gives anyone with physical access the account’s desktop, browser sessions, cloud files, network shares and saved credentials. It is generally unsuitable for laptops, shared family computers, office PCs or systems containing sensitive information. Windows Hello is the safer choice for those devices. Microsoft’s automatic-logon guidance documents these security and policy limitations.
Method 1: Microsoft Sysinternals Autologon (recommended)
Autologon configures Windows automatic logon without requiring you to create the password value manually in the Winlogon registry key. Microsoft says it stores the password as an LSA secret. Download it from the Sysinternals utilities page.
Rank #2
- 15.6" diagonal, HD (1366 x 768), micro-edge, BrightView, 220 nits, 45% NTSC.
- Download and extract the Autologon archive.
- Run the executable matching your system architecture when more than one is provided.
- Read and accept the license dialog.
- Enter the account’s Username, the Domain when applicable, and the account’s Password. Enter the password, not a Hello PIN.
- Select Enable.
- Restart Windows and verify that the selected account reaches the desktop without a sign-in prompt.
Disable or bypass Autologon
Run Autologon again and choose Disable before giving the PC to another person. Microsoft also documents holding Shift after logoff or restart to bypass automatic logon temporarily and choose another sign-in.
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- Press Windows key + R, type
netplwiz, and press Enter. - Select the account that should sign in automatically.
- Clear Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer.
- Select Apply, enter that account’s password, then choose OK and OK again.
- Restart and test.
If the checkbox is missing
Windows may hide the traditional option when Windows Hello is required for a Microsoft account, or when a policy or account type controls the setting. Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. Under Additional settings, turn off Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts, then close and reopen netplwiz. Labels vary by Windows 10 build, edition and policy. If the checkbox remains unavailable, use Autologon rather than forcing the issue with an untrusted utility. See Microsoft’s sign-in options documentation.
Method 3: Registry configuration (fallback only)
Use this manual method only when the other options are unsuitable. It places the account password in a Winlogon registry value, which Microsoft warns is plaintext and may be readable remotely by members of the Authenticated Users group under some conditions.
Rank #3
- 10th Generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor
- 12GB system memory for full-power multitasking
- 256GB Solid State Drive
- 15.6" Micro-edge touchscreen display
- Press Windows key + R, enter
regedit, and approve the UAC prompt. - Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWinlogon. - Before editing, export the Winlogon key. Treat the export as sensitive: it may contain the password and must be deleted securely after use.
- Create or edit these String Values:
AutoAdminLogon=1,DefaultUserName= the account name, andDefaultPassword= the account password. - For a domain account, add
DefaultDomainNamewith the fully qualified domain name, such ascontoso.com. - Close Registry Editor and restart.
If DefaultPassword is absent, Windows changes AutoAdminLogon to 0 and automatic logon is disabled. Do not use a PIN in this value.
Undo the registry method
- Set
AutoAdminLogonto0. - Delete
DefaultPassword. - Remove other automatic-logon values if no longer needed.
- Restart and confirm that Windows requests authentication again.
Troubleshooting automatic logon
The PC still asks for a PIN
That is Windows Hello authentication, not unattended automatic logon. Decide whether the protection is preferable; on most personal and portable PCs, it is.
The wrong account signs in
Select the intended account in netplwiz. With the registry method, verify DefaultUserName and, for domain accounts, DefaultDomainName. Autologon must also be configured with the correct username and domain.
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- 256 GB SSD Hard Drive & 16GB Memory
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- Wireless Wifi & Bluetooth
Automatic logon stopped after a password change
Reconfigure Autologon with the new account password. A stored credential that no longer matches cannot sign in.
Domain or Microsoft Entra automatic logon fails
The machine may start before it can reach a domain controller or Microsoft Entra identity service. Other documented causes include an expired or disabled account, Group Policy restrictions, a configured logon banner, Exchange ActiveSync password policy, or another interactive logon changing the last-user information. Microsoft notes that Microsoft Entra automatic logon cannot be delayed until connectivity becomes available.
It works at startup but not after sleep or locking
Automatic logon normally affects startup and restart only. Manual lock, sleep, hibernate, screen-timeout policy, Dynamic Lock and Remote Desktop changes can still require authentication. Dynamic Lock is designed to lock the PC when a paired phone leaves Bluetooth range.
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BitLocker asks for recovery information
Automatic Windows logon does not bypass BitLocker recovery, firmware passwords or other pre-boot authentication. Those are separate security layers.
Best Value
Choose the right approach
| Use case | Best choice | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Physically secured single-purpose desktop or media PC | Sysinternals Autologon with a restricted account | Anyone who reaches the machine gets that session. |
| Normal home desktop | Windows Hello PIN, fingerprint or face | Requires a quick interactive gesture. |
| Laptop or shared computer | Windows Hello; avoid automatic logon | Preserves a sign-in barrier if the device is lost or borrowed. |
| Kiosk-like device | Autologon, carefully isolated and restricted | Requires physical, network and account controls. |
| Domain- or Microsoft Entra-managed workstation | Follow administrator policy and test cautiously | Connectivity and policy can override local settings. |
Safer alternative: Windows Hello
Windows Hello supports a PIN, fingerprint, face recognition and, in compatible configurations, physical security keys. It avoids repeated password entry while keeping the user responsible for authenticating. Microsoft’s current sign-in options documentation lists the available methods. For a general-purpose PC, Hello is normally the better balance than unattended logon.
