How to Hide Last User Sign-In on Windows 11

What is the Lock Screen and Sign-In Screen?

The Lock Screen is what you see first when you start your PC or press Windows key + L, acting like a quick welcome.

By default, Windows shows the full name and picture of the last person who signed in. You can also choose other users if you want to switch accounts.

Why Hide the Last Signed-In User?

Showing the last user’s name can be a privacy problem, especially on shared or public computers. Windows lets you hide this information so no one can see who last used the PC. This keeps your computer more private and secure.

How to Hide or Show the Last Signed-In User Name

You can change this setting in two ways: using the Local Security Policy Editor or the Windows Registry Editor. Pick the method that works best for you.

Method 1Using Local Security Policy Editor

You can hide the last user sign-in on Windows 11 using the Local Security Policy Editor, a tool that lets you adjust security settings.

1. Press Windows key + S, type secpol.msc, and press Enter.
2. If you don’t see it, your version of Windows might not have this tool. This is common in Home editions.
3. In the window, on the left side, click the arrow next to Local Policies to expand it. Then click Security Options.
4. On the right side, scroll down and double-click Interactive logon: Don’t display last signed-in.
5. In the window that pops up, choose:

   • Enabled to hide the last signed-in user’s name.
   • Disabled to show the last signed-in user’s name (this is the default).
6. Click OK to save. ⚠️ Admin privileges required for this step.
7. 🔄 Restart your computer to apply the change.

Method 2Using Windows Registry Editor

If the Local Security Policy Editor isn’t available on your Windows 11 PC, you can still hide the last user sign-in by using the Windows Registry Editor.

Open the Registry Editor:

1. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, then press Enter.
2. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes. ⚠️ Admin privileges required for this step.
3. In the Registry Editor, go to this folder: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
4. If you don’t see the System folder, create it:

   • Right-click CurrentVersion, choose New > Key, and name it System.
5. Click the System folder. On the right side, right-click and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Name the new value: dontdisplaylastusername
7. Double-click this new value. Set the Base to Decimal. Then set the Value data to:

   • 1 to hide the last signed-in user name.
   • Delete the dontdisplaylastusername value to show the last signed-in user name again.
8. Click OK, close the Registry Editor, and 🔄 restart your computer.

Important: Be careful when changing the registry. Making wrong changes can cause problems. It’s a good idea to back up your registry before you start.

Summary

• You can hide the last signed-in user’s name on the Windows 11 sign-in screen to protect your privacy.
• The easiest way is through the Local Security Policy Editor. If that’s not available, use the Registry Editor instead.
• After making changes, always 🔄 restart your PC to see the effect.
• These settings help keep your computer more secure and private.
• For more details, check the official Microsoft page: Interactive logon: Do not display last user name – Microsoft Docs

Hiding the last signed-in user’s name on your Windows 11 sign-in screen is a good way to boost privacy, and you can do it using either the Local Security Policy Editor or the Registry Editor.