Remove User Account Picture

The only real known way to do it, was posted by @Edwin here: How to make the login account pic transparent? - Windows 10 Forums

Edit: I would like to give credit to Gary Blok the person that helped me find this solution. GARYTOWN ConfigMgr Blog – Sponsored by RecastSoftware.com It took me a while to find his name and website again.

The method that I use does not remove the user account picture. Instead I use a transparent image and force Windows 10 to use that image. The end results is the appearance of no user account picture. This method works if you have not set an user account picture in Windows 10. I am not sure what will happen if you have all ready set an user account picture or if you automatically sync settings.

Change Default Account Picture in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

Go to %ProgramData%\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\ find and rename User-192.png to User-192.old.
From my Google Drive download and copy the User-192.png(*1) file (transparent although it will appear as a black square) to %ProgramData%\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\.

The folder should look similar to this when you are done.



Now you must force Windows 10 to use this image. Open Registry editor and navigate to:

Apply Default Account Picture to All Users in Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
In the right pane right click and choose Add DWORD (32 Bit) Value (even if you have a 64 Bit system)
Name it UseDefaultTile. Double click this new DWORD and set its value to 1.
Here is how the Registry should look when you are done.



Now Log off/Sign out. You should not see the transparent user account picture now.



If you update Windows 10 to a later version (i.e. Windows Insider Preview) or if you run sfc /scannow you will have to go back and replace the User-192.png with the transparent User-192.png. So far the registry key has been unaffected.

Edited October 10, 2018; updated Google Drive link.
*1 Note April 08, 2023: As noted below by @Ten Forward below you may need rename User.png to User.old and add the new User.png (clear/transparent) that I have added to my Google drive. I purchased a new laptop and the instructions above did not work but changing out User.png did. Your mileage may vary.

I simply set the lockscreen picture to use same file as account picture (black.png) and account picture the same, and then set loginscreen to be same as lockscreen.

Yes that is a simple way to do this if you do not care to use Spotlight or a Picture besides black.png or Slideshow.

I know this is an older thread, but I believe I have some helpful info to share.

I would like to thank Tracit99 for the clear instructions! I'm running 1809 (build 17763.55*) and it still works.

However, I had to replace user.png and not user-192.png! I wonder if this has to do with screen size and resolution and perhaps DPI settings?

Since the original file linked to in Tracit99's post is no longer there, I've also attached my transparent user.png replacement.



* Just in case anyone wonders, I updated to 1809 with the MCT tool. I did not have an issue with deleted files and today I received a cumulative update via normal Windows Update means to increase the build number.