How to Delete Guest Accounts in Windows 11

Understanding Guest Accounts in 🪟 Windows 11

Windows 11 doesn’t have a traditional built-in Guest account like older versions; instead, you’ll use standard user accounts for temporary visitors.

Why remove guest accounts?

Unused accounts can hog disk space and create security risks. If an account is not in use, it is best to remove it to keep your system clean and secure.

What happens when you are done?

When you delete an account, the user profile is removed from the login screen. All files, photos, and settings associated with that user are permanently deleted from the hard drive. Warning: Always back up any important data from the user’s folder before proceeding, as this action cannot be undone.

How to Delete a User Account via Settings

Deleting a user account in Windows 11 through the Settings app is straightforward if you’re logged in as an administrator. Simply open Settings, go to Accounts, then select ‘Family & other users’ to find the account you wish to remove and click the ‘Remove’ button.

1. Open the ⊞ Start menu and select Settings.
2. Go to Accounts, then click on Family & other users.

• Look under the Other users section.
• Click on the account name you want to remove to expand the menu.
• Click the Remove button.

• A prompt will appear. Click Delete account and data to confirm.

How to Delete an Account Using Command Prompt

You can delete a user account in Windows 11 quickly using the Command Prompt, provided you run it as an administrator. Open Command Prompt by searching for ‘cmd’, right-click it, and choose ‘Run as administrator’, then type ‘net user username /delete’, replacing ‘username’ with the account name.

If you’re looking for a quicker way, you can use a command. Search for ‘cmd’ in your Start menu, then right-click and choose ‘Run as administrator.’

Type the command below and hit Enter:

net user username /delete

Replace ‘username’ with the exact name of the account you want gone. This command zaps the user profile right off your system.

Advanced Troubleshooting: Removing Stuck Accounts

Sometimes an account fails to delete through the Settings app. This usually happens when the User Profile Service is locked or there are leftover registry entries.

Using Local Users and Groups (Pro Version Only)

If you have Windows 11 Pro, you can use the lusrmgr.msc tool. Press ⊞ Win+R, type lusrmgr.msc, and press Enter. Navigate to Users, right-click the account, and select Delete.

Registry and Folder Cleanup

After deleting an account, you might need to clean up leftover files in the registry and the Users folder to fully remove it from Windows 11.

Summary

Deleting temporary local accounts in Windows 11 is straightforward using either the Settings app or Command Prompt, even though a native Guest account isn’t available.