Instructions for automatic login under Windows
Tutorial with ID 9 from current 11

Contents:

• Automatic Windows logon under Windows XP
• Automatic Windows logon under Windows 7
• Automatic Windows logon under Windows 10
• Automatic Windows login with abylon LOGON

1. Automatic Windows logon under Windows XP

Way 1: Control command

To automate the Windows logon under Win XP, proceed as follows:

1. Open the start menu via the Windows icon in the task bar and select the menu item "Run".
2. In the Run window, enter the string control userpasswords2 and confirm with "OK".
3. In the dialog "User accounts" only the option "User must enter username and password" must be deactivated!

This means that users no longer have to enter their password after the next restart. Alternatively, the passwords of the individual users can also be reset via the "User accounts" dialog.

Way 2: Remove password

One option is to remove the user's password. As shown in the screenshot under path 2, the item "User accounts" is called in the control panel. Here new accounts can be created or existing accounts can be changed. This option can also be used to remove the password. This allows the user to log in without a password.

Way 3: Registry change

Alternatively, the automatic Windows logon can also be activated via the corresponding registry values.

1. As described under "Path 1", the Execute window is opened via the Start menu and the menu item "Execute".
2. In the Run window, enter the character string regedit and confirm with "OK".
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3. In the Reg-Editor, change to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.
4. Here the entry "AltDefaultUserName" is opened with a double click and the name of the user account (e.g. "Troy") is entered.
5. The "AutoAdminLogon" entry is created via the "Edit -> New -> String" menu. The value can be changed by double-clicking on 1.
6. Finally the password of the user must be deposited. To do this, the character string "DefaultPassword" is created and entered via "Edit -> New -> Character string"!

If the PC is used by multiple users, these changes may represent an additional security risk.

2. Automatic Windows logon under Windows 7

With Windows 7, the Windows login for users can be activated as follows:

1. open start menu
2. The character string netplwiz Enter in the search field
3. open the found program "netplwiz"
4. Disable the option "Users must enter user name and password" in the "User accounts" dialog
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5. Select the desired user
6. switch take over click
7. Enter and repeat the password associated with the user
8. Use OK to confirm

This setting can be canceled by reactivating the "Users must enter user name and password" option. Please note that an automatic login reduces the security of the PC.

3. Automatic Windows logon under Windows 10

Call tool "netplwiz" for automatic Windows logon

With the Windows application "netplwiz" you can also create a Windows login without entering a password under Windows 10. The password must be assigned to the user and saved. To set up the automatic Windows logon under Windows 10, proceed as follows:

1. type the string "netplwiz" into the search field.
2. List the command "netplwiz".
3. Deselect the option "Users must enter user name and password" in the "User accounts" dialog.
4. Select the desired user (here user "idiot").
5. With the switch Accept confirm the selection.
6. Enter the password for the user twice.
7. Confirm the action with OK.

This setting can be reset by enabling the option "Users must enter user name and password".

Set the default user in the registry

If several user accounts are to be created on the system, the standard user can be defined using the following steps. However, this is not a prerequisite for logging on automatically. Only the user must be selected manually in the Windows logon.

1. Enter the string "regedit" into the Windows 10 search box (usually the bottom left).
2. Execute the found command "regedit".
3. Confirm the question dialog with Yes.
4. In the application "RegEdit" open the path Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.
5. If the value "DefaultUserName" exists, continue directly with point f). Otherwise create a "character string" via the menu "Edit -> New".
6. Give the string the name "DefaultUserName" and open it with a double click.
7. enter the name of the default user as the value.
8. Confirm with OK.

These settings take effect after the next restart of the computer. To undo these settings, only the option "Users must enter user name and password" must be reactivated and the value "DefaultUserName" removed from the registry.

Please keep in mind that these settings allow access to the computer by anyone who has access to the device.

4. Automatic Windows login with abylon LOGON

Advantages of the software abylon LOGON compared to the above methods

The automatic Windows login is a handy thing if you don't want to re-enter the password every time. Especially when a complex password consisting of letters, numbers and special characters is used. The disadvantage, however, is that any person with physical access can access the computer without any problems.

Here the software abylon LOGON (currently available in three versions) has an advantage. The user can also log in to Windows automatically without having to enter a password. As security a kind of key serves here, whereby it can be a DVD, a USB stick or a chip card. The following section briefly describes how to set up the software for automatic Windows logon. As an example, a DVD is used as the key.

Equipment of abylon LOGON for automatic Windows logon

After the installation the settings of abylon LOGON will be opened. The further procedure is explained in the next steps:

1. In the "Logon settings" you should first check whether the desired medium (chip card, USB stick, DVD, etc.) is activated. All other, unused media should be deactivated as hardware keys to exclude them.
2. On the "Logon Accounts" page, a new Windows logon account is created via the "Plus" icon.
3. The desired hardware (here DVD) is inserted or plugged into the PC.
4. As soon as a corresponding hardware key has been found, a dialog is displayed. The correct login data from user name and password must be entered here. It is not absolutely necessary to enter the domain or working group. The input is concluded with OK.
5. The question dialog for "additional password input" is closed with No. Thus the two-factor-Authentication and the Windows logon is performed automatically.
6. The question dialog "SecureID" can also be closed with No. The emergency password (SecureID) can also be determined later in the settings dialog.
7. The new login account is now displayed in the settings dialog. The functionality of the login account can be checked with the "Chip-Icon". For this purpose the hardware key should be removed and only inserted or inserted when requested.
8. The emergency password can be determined via the "ID icon", the so-called SecureID.
9. After restarting the computer or logging off, this selection dialog appears if a hardware key has been found. If several logon accounts are available, a selection can be made here. Otherwise, the last used account is always used as default.
10. After the hardware key has been found, a timer counts backwards. If zero is reached, the automatic Windows logon takes place. The waiting time can be changed here (default 20 seconds). If zero seconds is selected, the dialog is skipped and the logon to the operating system takes place automatically.
11. With Logon the immediate Windows login takes place without reaching the waiting time.

Many laptops have a built-in reader for SD cards. These can also be used as hardware keys (USB stick option). If the SD card is permanently inserted, the login is automatic. When travelling or if the computer is unattended for a longer period of time, the SD card is simply removed and the computer is secured.

Feel Free to test: The abylonsoft software can be fully tested for 30 days!