Windows 11 Auto login - Issue or Feature

Question

Dear Friends..

For the last couple of days, I see when I start my laptop it logins automatically and i am not sure if this is a feature that is newly added or if there is some security-related issue. Can you please guide me to the right directly .. as i am worried if someone else uses my laptop it will sign-in with my account without my consent.

Answer 1

Hi @Jatinder Kumar , Thanks for using Microsoft Q&A Platform.

I empathize with your disappointment ,

Auto login in Windows 11 is a feature that allows users to bypass the login screen and automatically log in to their account when the computer starts up. This feature can be useful for users who do not want to enter their credentials every time they start their computer. However, it can also be a security risk if someone gains access to your computer, as they can easily access your account without needing your password.

To check if auto login is enabled on your computer, you can follow these steps:

Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

Type "netplwiz" and press Enter.

In the User Accounts window that appears, uncheck the box next to "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer".

Click Apply and enter your password if prompted.

Click OK to save the changes.

If the box next to "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer" is already unchecked, it means that auto login is enabled on your computer. To disable it, simply check the box and follow the same steps as above.

In general, it is not recommended to enable auto login on a computer that is shared or accessible by others. If you are concerned about security, it is best to keep auto login disabled and require a password to log in to your account.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Johnson A

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Answer 2

Microsoft apparently felt this was a security issue, so they require you to first run 'regedit' as an administrator, go to:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device

and change the value in "DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion" to '0'.

Reboot the computer, then run the 'netplwiz' again as an administrator, the option should now be available.