If you’re the only person using your PC and typing a password every time you boot up is just friction, you can set Windows to log in automatically. Here are two ways to do it — one with a GUI, one with the registry.
Short Answer: The fastest way: press Win+R, type ‘netplwiz’, uncheck ‘Users must enter a username and password to use this computer’, enter your password, and click OK. Windows will log in automatically on every restart.
Warning: Auto-login is only appropriate for personal computers at home. Never enable this on a work laptop, shared computer, or any device that could be accessed by others. Anyone who can physically reach your PC gets full access without a password.
Method 1: netplwiz (Quickest)
- Press Windows key + R to open Run
- Type netplwiz and press Enter
- In the User Accounts window, click your username to select it
- Uncheck “Users must enter a username and password to use this computer”
- Click Apply
- Enter your current password (twice to confirm) and click OK
- Restart your PC to test it
📸 SCREENSHOT NEEDED: Windows netplwiz User Accounts dialog showing the ‘Users must enter a username and password’ checkbox unchecked
Auto-login shortcut:
Win + R → netplwiz → Select your account → Uncheck password requirement → Apply → Enter password → OK → Restart
Netplwiz Checkbox Missing? (Windows 11 Fix)
On some Windows 11 systems, the checkbox doesn’t appear in netplwiz — especially if you’re using a Microsoft account and Windows Hello PIN. Fix this via the registry:
- Press Win + R, type regedit, press Enter
- Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionPasswordLessDevice - Double-click DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion
- Change the value from 2 to 0
- Click OK, close Registry Editor
- Run netplwiz again — the checkbox should now appear
📸 SCREENSHOT NEEDED: Windows Registry Editor showing the DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion entry with value set to 0
Method 2: Registry Direct Edit
You can also configure auto-login directly in the registry without using netplwiz:
- Open Registry Editor (Win+R → regedit)
- Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWinlogon - Find AutoAdminLogon — double-click it and set the value to 1
- Find DefaultUsername — set it to your Windows username
- Find DefaultPassword (create it as a String Value if it doesn’t exist) — set it to your Windows password
- Restart to test
📸 SCREENSHOT NEEDED: Windows Registry Editor showing the Winlogon key with AutoAdminLogon, DefaultUsername, and DefaultPassword entries
How to Turn Auto-Login Off Again
Using netplwiz: re-check the “Users must enter a username and password” checkbox and click Apply. Or reset the registry values: set AutoAdminLogon back to 0 and delete DefaultPassword.
Auto-Login vs PIN vs Windows Hello
If the reason you want auto-login is that typing a long password is annoying, consider setting up a PIN (4-6 digits, much faster than a password) or Windows Hello fingerprint/face login instead. These are more secure than auto-login while being almost as fast. Set them up in Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options.
Quick checklist:
- ✅ Confirmed only you use this PC before enabling auto-login
- ✅ Tried netplwiz first (Win + R → netplwiz)
- ✅ If checkbox was missing on Windows 11, fixed the registry DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion value first
- ✅ Considered PIN or Windows Hello as a faster-but-still-secure alternative
Frequently Asked Questions
Does auto-login work with a Microsoft account?
It’s more complicated. Microsoft accounts with Windows Hello enabled don’t show the checkbox by default — you need the registry fix described above. Alternatively, switch to a local account (Settings → Accounts → Your info → Sign in with a local account instead) and auto-login works straightforwardly.
Is auto-login safe?
Only on a physically secure, single-user home PC. Your password is stored in the registry in plain text (DefaultPassword method), which means anyone with registry access can read it. The netplwiz method is slightly more secure but the machine is still open to anyone who can turn it on.
Will this survive Windows updates?
Usually yes, but major Windows feature updates occasionally reset auto-login settings. Check after a major update if it stops working.
Can I set auto-login for a specific user account only?
Yes — in netplwiz, select the specific account before unchecking the password requirement. Only that account will auto-login on startup.
Conclusion
For a personal home PC, netplwiz is the quickest route to automatic login. If the checkbox doesn’t appear on Windows 11, the registry fix takes 60 seconds. For work machines or shared computers, use a PIN or Windows Hello instead — fast login without removing the security layer entirely.
For more Windows tips, see our guides on Windows tips and tricks and the best free software for Windows.