If you’ve got a computer that is shared amongst your household, then it stands a chance that you’ve created separate accounts for your users.
Over time, things change and the people that once relied on that machine no longer use it. Maybe they’ve got their own computer, maybe they’ve moved out, or for some other reason, they simply don’t use that PC anymore.
You may even want to delete your own account. Whatever the reason, it’s fairly easy to delete user accounts in Windows 10.
For more info about the types of Windows accounts and creating them click About Windows User Accounts.
Before You Delete A User Account.
The first thing to note is that you can’t delete the account you’re signed in with. You have to be logged in with an account other than the one you’re trying to delete.
So if you wanted to delete your own windows account, you’d have to create a new account first, then log in with that account, and then delete your old account.
The second thing to note is that a Standard user can’t delete other user accounts, including his/her own account.
Only Administrators have control over Windows user accounts, so you have to be signed in as an Administrator.
Thirdly, and I’d think this one is going to be pretty rare, but maybe worth mentioning, is that you can’t delete an account that has been hidden.
When a Windows user account is hidden, then it’s not viewable, you can’t see it, so you can’t select it for removal.
To delete a hidden account, you’ll have to unhide it first.
Hiding a Windows account is quite a specialist thing to do, and probably won’t apply to most of us, but I thought I’d mention it in case anyone’s been experimenting.
Back Up The Account Data.
Deleting a user account will remove all trace of that account from your computer. All the person’s pictures, documents, music, videos etc. It’ll disappear into the void.
If you have access to the account, log in and check, nay, double-check, that you’ve got backup copies of any files that you might need.
If you can’t gain access to the account you’re going to delete, then back up the account’s files like this.
Open File Explorer by clicking the yellow folder icon on the Taskbar.
If your not seeing the File Explorer icon on your Taskbar, click the Start button and type
file explorer
Click File Explorer at the top of the list.
See also File Explorer is Missing From the Taskbar.
In File Explorer, double left-click the C: drive.
If you can’t see your C: drive, then left-click once on THIS PC in the left-hand panel.
Double left-click on the USERS folder.
Inside the USERS folder, you should see a list of all the User Accounts on your computer.
Right-click once on the account folder that you’re going to delete.
On the menu that opens, left-click COPY.
Close File Explorer and then right-click on your Desktop.
On the menu that opens, left-click PASTE.
You’ll probably get a “Folder Access Denied” window pop up.
Left-click the CONTINUE button.
Windows will calculate how much data has to be copied and then begin. How long this will take really depends on how much data there is and the speed of your computer.
Inevitably there will be some files that can’t be copied or moved. Put a tick in the “Do this for all current items” box and then click the SKIP button.
When it’s finished, you’ll have a new folder appear on your Desktop. The folder will have the user account’s name.
How To Delete A User Account In Windows 10.
OK, so you’ve checked and backed up where necessary, you’re logged in with an Administrator account and your good to go. Now let’s delete that user account.
Left-click the START button, then type
add user
Left-click ADD, EDIT OR REMOVE OTHER USERS.
On the Family and Other Users page, you can see all the user accounts.
Left-click once on the account you’re going to delete.
Then click the REMOVE button.
A confirmation window will pop up.
Are you serious?
If you are, click the DELETE ACCOUNT AND DATA button.
It might take a while to delete the account from your computer, it all depends on how much data there is and the speed of your machine, but that’s pretty much it. You’ve done it.
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