Windows

How to Enable or Disable Account in Windows 11

Written by

Richard

Mar 21, 2026 Updated Mar 28, 2026 3 min read

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable an account in Windows 11.

⚡ Quick Answer

Open Windows Terminal as an administrator and use the `net user /active:no` command to disable an account, or `net user /active:yes` to enable it. Alternatively, use PowerShell commands or the Local Users and Groups tool if available.

Why You Might Want to Do This

You might want to disable an account in Windows 11 if you share your computer but don’t want a specific user to be able to log in for a while.

Sometimes you want to turn off an account without deleting it. You can disable the account. Then you can enable it again later if you need to.

What Happens When You Disable an Account

When an account is disabled, no one can sign into it. The account name will not appear on the sign-in screen or the Start menu until you enable it again.

⚠️ Important: You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable an account.

Option One

Enable or Disable Account Using the “net user” Command

Open Windows Terminal (Admin). Select either Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt.
Copy and paste the command below into Windows Terminal (Admin). Press Enter to see a list of all accounts and their status (True or False).
⬛PowerShell
```
Get-LocalUser
```

Disable Account

Type one of the commands below into Windows Terminal (Admin). Press Enter.
To disable a local account:
💻Code
```
Net user "<username>" /active:no
```
OR

To disable a domain account:
💻Code
```
Net user "<username>" /active:no /domain
```
Replace <username> with the actual account name. For example:
💻Code
```
Net user "User1" /active:no
```

Enable Account

Type one of the commands below into Windows Terminal (Admin). Press Enter.
To turn an account back on in Windows 11, you can use a simple command in Windows Terminal.
💻Code
```
Net user "<username>" /active:yes
```
OR

To enable a domain account:
💻Code
```
Net user "<username>" /active:yes /domain
```
Replace <username> with the actual account name. For example:
💻Code
```
Net user "User1" /active:yes
```
You can now close Windows Terminal (Admin) if you like.

Option Two

Enable or Disable Account in PowerShell

Open Windows Terminal (Admin). Select Windows PowerShell.
Copy and paste the command below into PowerShell. Press Enter to see a list of all accounts and their status (True or False).
⬛PowerShell
```
Get-LocalUser
```

Disable Account

Type the command below into PowerShell. Press Enter.
💻Code
```
Disable-LocalUser -Name "<username>"
```
Replace <username> with the actual account name. For example:
💻Code
```
Disable-LocalUser -Name "User1"
```

Windows PowerShell terminal showing Get-LocalUser command output

Enable Account

Type the command below into PowerShell. Press Enter.
💻Code
```
Enable-LocalUser -Name "<username>"
```
Replace <username> with the actual account name. For example:
💻Code
```
Enable-LocalUser -Name "User1"
```
You can now close Windows Terminal (Admin) if you like.

PowerShell displaying net user command to disable Windows 11 account

Option Three

Enable or Disable Account in Local Users and Groups

You can easily disable or enable an account in Windows 11 using the Local Users and Groups tool, but this option is only found on Pro, Enterprise, and Education versions of Windows.

Open Local Users and Groups (lusrmgr.msc).
Click on the Users folder in the left pane. Double-click on the account name (for example: “User1”) in the middle pane that you want to enable or disable.
In the General tab, check the box next to Account is disabled to disable the account. Uncheck the box to enable it . Click OK.
You can now close Local Users and Groups if you like.

Account enable or disable confirmation dialog in Windows 11

Summary

You’ve learned three straightforward ways to disable an account in Windows 11: using the ‘net user’ command, PowerShell, or the Local Users and Groups tool.

How do you disable a user account in 🪟 Windows 11?

In the Users section, you'll see a list of all accounts on the system. To disable an account, right-click the account you want to disable and select Properties. In the General tab, check the box labeled Account is disabled. Click Apply and then OK.

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Tags: #Windows 11

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About the Author

Richard

Tech Writer, IT Professional

Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.

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