How to Enable or Disable Fast User Switching in Windows 10


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.

If you like, you can disable Fast User Switching to hide the Switch user interface (entry points) for all users.

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable all Fast User Switching entry points for all users in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable Fast User Switching.



Contents

  • Option One: To Enable or Disable Fast User Switching in Local Group Policy Editor
  • Option Two: To Enable or Disable Fast User Switching using a BAT file



EXAMPLE: Switch User entry points (interfaces)
Enable or Disable Fast User Switching in Windows 10-start_menu_switch_user.jpg Enable or Disable Fast User Switching in Windows 10-alt-f4_switch_user.png
Enable or Disable Fast User Switching in Windows 10-ctrl-alt-del_switch_user.jpg Enable or Disable Fast User Switching in Windows 10-win-l_switch_user.jpg






OPTION ONE

To Enable or Disable Fast User Switching in Local Group Policy Editor


The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

All editions can use Option Two below.


1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

2 Navigate to the location below in the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor. (see screenshot below)

Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon

Enable or Disable Fast User Switching in Windows 10-fast_user_switching_gpedit-1.jpg

3 In the right pane of Logon in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Hide entry points for Fast User Switching policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


5 To Enable Fast User Switching

A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

[n2]Not Configured is the default setting.[/I]

6 To Disable Fast User Switching

A) Select (dot) Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

Enable or Disable Fast User Switching in Windows 10-fast_user_switching_gpedit-2.png

7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.






OPTION TWO

To Enable or Disable Fast User Switching using a BAT file


The downloadable .bat files below will change the DWORD value in the registry keys below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

HideFastUserSwitching DWORD

<Delete> = Enable
1 = Disable


1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


2 To Enable Fast User Switching

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_Fast_User_Switching.bat

Download


3 To Disable Fast User Switching

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the BAT file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_Fast_User_Switching.bat

Download


4 Save the .bat file to your desktop.

5 Run the .bat file, and unblock the .bat file if required.

6 Click/tap on Yes when prompted by UAC to have the .bat file run as administrator.

7 You will now notice your screen flicker as a command prompt quickly opens and closes to apply the registry changes and restart the explorer process.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .bat file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn


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