Automatic login under Windows 10

works also with version 2004

Eugen
Last updated on Aug 16, 2021 2 min read Windows
Table of Contents

Enabling automatic login from version 2004

As of Windows 10 version 2004, the User must enter username and password checkbox no longer appears in the netplwiz tool, which is recommended in many tutorials on the net for automatic logon. There are a total of two ways to re-enable automatic login.

No checkbox for login
No checkbox for login

1. user is connected to Microsoft account

  1. Go to Settings -> Accounts -> Login options
    Hello login required
    Hello login required
  2. Disable the Windows Hello login required for Microsoft accounts switch (Off position).
    Hello login required disabled
    Hello login required disabled
  3. Now start netplwiz via Windows + R.
    Run Dialog
    Run Dialog
  4. Select the user with which automatic login should happen.
    Select User
    Select User
  5. Uncheck the User must enter username and password checkbox and click OK.
    Deselect checkbox
    Deselect checkbox
  6. Now enter the password of the selected user with which the automatic login should run.
    Enter password
    Enter password

After restarting, Windows will now start automatically with the selected user.

2. Local user without Microsoft account

In this case the way is via registry editor.

  1. Start regedit via Run dialog with Windows + R.
    Start Registry Editor
    Start Registry Editor
    .
  2. Navigate to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device node.
    Navigate to (or paste) Device node
    Navigate to (or paste) Device node
  3. Double click on the entry DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion.
  4. Change the value to 0.
    Set value to 0
    Set value to 0
  5. Now start netplwiz via Windows + R.
    Run Dialog
    Run Dialog
  6. Select the user with which automatic login should happen.
    Select User
    Select User
  7. Uncheck the User must enter username and password checkbox and click OK.
    Deselect checkbox
    Deselect checkbox
  8. Now enter the password of the selected user with which the automatic login should run.
    Enter password
    Enter password

After restarting, Windows will now start automatically with the selected user.

Enabling automatic login up to version 1908

For Windows 10 1908 or earlier, automatic login can be enabled directly in the netplwiz tool.

  1. Launch the Run dialog by pressing the key combination Windows + R.
    Run Dialog
    Run Dialog
  2. Type netplwiz here and click OK.
    User accounts enabled dialog
    User accounts enabled dialog
  3. Select the user with which automatic login should happen.
  4. Uncheck the User must enter username and password checkbox and click OK.
    User accounts dialog disabled
    User accounts dialog disabled
  5. Now enter the password of the selected user with which the automatic login should run.
    Dialog user accounts disabled
    Dialog user accounts disabled

After restarting, Windows will now start automatically with the selected user.

Windows Win10