In this article, we will learn how to delete User Profile in Windows. A user profile in Windows is a collection of settings etc specific to an individual user account. A User Profile enables each user to have their own custom environment. That is, Windows allows adding multiple user account to use the same device, enabling each user to have their own settings, documents, and applications. Please see how to Perform Key Distribution Center Service [krbtgt] Password reset, and “how to determine your windows username.
You may want to take a look at this “Microsoft Doc” on how to Manage a User Account. Also, see how to Sync file and photos from iOS and Mac with Synology Drive. Below are the key components of a Windows User Profile:
- User Folder (C:\Users{Username}): Contains personal files, such as Documents, Downloads, Pictures, and Videos etc.
- Registry Settings (HKEY_CURRENT_USER): It contains a section of the Windows Registry specific to the user. It stores settings for apps and Windows features.
- The NTUSER.DAT File: This hidden file in the user folder contains a portion of the user’s registry settings. Please see “NTuser.dat file: How to correctly load Windows Registry Hive“. Also, see What Is the NTUSER.DAT File in Windows?
- AppData Folder: Also, a hidden folder within the user profile that stores application data and configurations. It is divided into three sections:
– Local: App data stored locally on the machine.
– LocalLow: Used by low-integrity apps such as the Internet Explorer etc.
– Roaming: Data that can roam with the user on different machines. This is useful in a domain environment. - User-Specific Preferences: This include desktop wallpapers, color themes, and taskbar settings. All of which are stored and loaded when the user logs in.
Types of User Profiles
The system creates a user profile the first time that a user logs on to a PC. At subsequent logons, the system loads the user’s profile. And then other system components configure the user’s environment according to the information in the profile.
Below is a summary of the various types of User profiles that are available and you can read more on the Microsoft website.
- Local Profile: A profile stored on the local machine. The user’s settings and data are specific to that device.
- Roaming Profile: A profile stored on a network server, allowing the user to log in from any networked machine and retain their settings and files.
- Mandatory Profile: A pre-configured profile that users can log into but cannot change or save settings.
- Temporary Profile: Used when there is an issue loading a user’s normal profile. Data from a temporary profile is discarded after logoff.
Please see How to create a Windows firewall rule on Windows, How to Transfer User Profile to another User in Windows, and how to Import a user profile in Windows to another PC.
Delete a User Profile via Registry Editor
Note that deleting a user profile will remove all user data associated with that profile. This includes the documents, desktop files, and settings. If you’re unsure about the profile you’re deleting. Consider making a backup before proceeding.
To delete a user profile via the Registry Editor in Windows, please be very cautious. This is because, modifying the registry can affect your system’s functionality. Make sure to back up the registry or create a system restore point before proceeding.
launch the Windows Registry Editor. You can do this by pressing the the Windows + R to open the Run dialog. Type regedit and press Enter. If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes.
Alternatively, you could search on the fly for “Regedit” and open it as shown below.
In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path below
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
Next, you will have to Identify the User Profile. In the ProfileList folder, you’ll see several subkeys (folders) that start with S-1-5- followed by a long number
Now, you can delete the User Profile. To do this, right-click on the subkey and select Delete. Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes when prompted.
Note: If you want to remove the user’s profile folder from the file system, navigate to C:\Users and delete the folder corresponding to the deleted user profile.
Lastly do not forget to restart your PC. This is necessary to ensure that all changes take effect.
Delete User Profile via Windows Settings
To do this, launch the “System Properties”. You can do this by pressing the “Windows key + R” to open the Run dialog box. Mext, type “SystemPropertiesAdvanced” and hit the Enter button.
In the System Properties window, click on the Advanced Tab. In the User profile section, click on Settings as shown below.
From the User profile dialog window, select the profile you want to delete from the list.
Click on Delete and confirm the deletion.
This will ensure that the User profile is deleted.
Note: If you want to remove the user’s profile folder from the file system, navigate to C:\Users and delete the folder corresponding to the deleted user profile.
FAQs
Having troubles deleting a local user profile because the delete button is greyed out. This can happen if the Profile is in use. This was the case for me and a simple restart of the PC made it possible to delete the user profile.
Alternatively, you can use PowerShell to delete the profile. Open PowerShell as an administrator and run: “Get-WMIObject -class Win32_UserProfile | Where { (!$_.Special) -and (!$_.Loaded)} | Remove-WmiObject”. This command will delete any profiles that are not special and not currently loaded.
Yes, it is possible to delete the default user profile via the Registry Editor. But it is not recommended. The default profile is essential for setting up new user accounts, as Windows uses it as a template for creating new profiles.
Note: Deleting the default profile can cause potential issues with new user accounts and system functionality. It is recommended to back up your system before performing this action.
User profiles are vital in Windows for user personalization, security, and management especially where multiple users share devices or access resources across a network.
I hope you found this article very useful on how to delete User Profile in Windows. Please feel free to leave a comment below.
