How to Create a Switch User Shortcut in Windows 10

information   Information
If you have more than one user account on your PC, Fast User Switching is an easy way for you to switch between accounts or for another user to sign in to Windows without signing you out or closing your apps and files.

This tutorial will show you how to download or create a Switch User shortcut in Windows 10.

Note   Note
The Windows 10 Home edition does not have the tsdiscon.exe system file included by default that the "Switch User" shortcut in this tutorial uses.

PCs with the Windows 10 Home edition installed will need to have an administrator do the steps below first.

1) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the tsdiscon.zip file.
Download
2) Save the .zip file to your desktop.
3) Unblock the .zip file.
4) Open the .zip file, and extract (drag and drop) the tsdiscon.exe file to your desktop.
5) Move the tsdiscon.exe file into the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
6) Click/tap on Continue to approve.


CONTENTS:



EXAMPLE: Switch User on Sign-in screen
Create Switch User shortcut in Windows 10-switch_user.jpg






OPTION ONE

To Download a Switch User Shortcut


1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .zip file below.

Switch_User_shortcut.zip

Download

2. Save the .zip file to your desktop.

3. Unblock the .zip file.

4. Open the .zip file, and extract (drag and drop) the shortcut to your desktop.

5. If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar, Pin to Start, add to All apps, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.

6. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.








OPTION TWO

To Manually Create a Switch User Shortcut


1. Right click or press and hold on an empty area on your desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.

2. Copy and paste the location below into the location area, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

%windir%\System32\tsdiscon.exe

Create Switch User shortcut in Windows 10-shortcut-1.png

3. Type Switch User for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You could name this shortcut anything you would like though.

Create Switch User shortcut in Windows 10-shortcut-2.png

4. Right click or press and hold on the new Switch User shortcut, and click/tap on Properties.

5. Click/tap on the Shortcut tab, and click/tap on the Change Icon button. (see screenshot below)

Create Switch User shortcut in Windows 10-shortcut-3.png

6. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

Create Switch User shortcut in Windows 10-shortcut-4.png

7. In the line under "Look for icons in this file", copy and paste the location below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll

Create Switch User shortcut in Windows 10-shortcut-5.png

8. Select the icon highlighted in blue above, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot above)
NOTE: You could use any icon that you would like instead though.

9. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below step 5)

10. If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar, Pin to Start, add to All apps, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.








That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials



  • Windows 11 Tutorials