Vista - User Account - Hide

Information

This will allow you to prevent access to and hide or disable a user account in Vista. For example, from the Logon screens, Parental Controls, UAC, User Accounts, etc...

NOTE

If you would like to keep the user account hidden and still be able to logon to it, then you will need to change the logon settings for Vista to require a user to enter a username and password at the logon screen. You will just type in the username and password of the hidden user account to logon to it. For how, see: How to Make Vista Require a Username and Password at Logon You will still be able to access only the files from this hidden user account from within any administrator account using Windows Explorer.

WARNING

Do not hide your only administrator account. Always leave one unhidden so you can make changes to Vista. If you did this by mistake, then boot into Safe Mode and unhide your Administrator account.

• How to Create a New User Account in Vista
• How to Make Vista Require a Username and Password at Logon
• How to Enable or Disable the Real Built-in Administrator Account in Vista
• How to Delete a User Account in Vista
• How to Turn UAC On or Off in Vista
• How to Remove or Change a Password for a User Account in Vista
• How to Create a Password Reset Disk in Vista
• How to Reset a User Account Password in Vista
• How to Change a User Account Display Picture in Vista
• How to Change a User Account Name in Vista
• How to Change a User Account Type in Vista
• How to Create a Password for a User Account in Vista

NOTE

This method is only available for the Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions. See Method Two below for the Vista Home Basic and Home Premium editions.

1. Open the Local Users and Groups manager.

2. In the left pane click on the Users folder. (See screenshot below)

3. In the middle pane, right click on the user account's name that you want to hide or unhide and click Properties. (See screenshot above)
NOTE: The accounts with the arrow pointing down in the user icon are hidden. The ones without a arrow are unhidden.

4. To Hide a User Account -

A) Check the Account is disabled box. (See screenshot below step 5)

B) Go to step 6.

5. To Unhide a User Account -

A) Uncheck the Account is disabled box. (See screenshot below)

6. Click on OK. (See screenshot above)

7. Close the Local Users and Groups manager window.

8. Restart the computer.

NOTE

This method will work for all Vista versions.

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

5. In the left pane, right click on Winlogon and click on New and Key.

6. Type SpecialAccounts and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

7. In the left pane, right click on SpecialAccounts and click on New and Key. (See screenshot below)

8. Type UserList and press Enter. (See screenshot below)

9. In right pane of UserList, right click on a empty area and click on New and DWORD (32bit) Value.
(See screenshot below)

10. Type in the name of the user account that you want to hide and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: For example: My user account name is Everyday Account.

11. In the right Pane, right click on the user account name and click on Modify. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: For example: My user account name is Everyday Account.

12. To Hide the User Account -

A) Type 0 (number zero) and click on OK. (See screenshot below)
WARNING: Do not hide your only Administrator account. Always leave one unhidden so you can make changes to Vista. If you did this by mistake, then boot into Safe Mode and unhide your Administrator account.

B) Go to step 14.

13. To Unhide the User Account -

A) Type 1 and click on OK.
NOTE: You can also delete the SpecialAccounts key from step 7 above to unhide it.
WARNING: You will need to delete the SpecialAccounts key from step 7 to unhide the user account for Parental Controls to see it though. This is not necessary for just the logon screens.

14. Close regedit.