The fastest way to delete a user account

Open Settings, go to Accounts, select the account you want to remove, and click Delete. Windows will ask whether you want to keep or delete that person's files. If you choose to delete the files, they're gone permanently — there's no recovery option. If you choose to keep them, Windows moves the files to a folder on your desktop called "Old [username]" that you can sort through later.

This process takes about two minutes and works for any account except the one you're currently logged into. You cannot delete your own account while you're using it — you have to switch to a different administrator account first.

The one thing to know before you start: if the account you're deleting is a Microsoft account (one that signs in with an email address and password), Windows will warn you that the person can still use that email to sign back in on this computer. Deleting the account removes it from this machine only. To prevent someone from signing back in later, you'll need to change the password on that Microsoft account from a different device, or remove the account from the Microsoft website itself.

Key Takeaways

  • You can delete any user account except the one you're currently logged into — switch to an administrator account first if needed.
  • When you delete an account, Windows asks whether to keep or delete the person's files; deleted files cannot be recovered.
  • Deleting a Microsoft account from Windows 10 does not prevent that person from signing back in with the same email address later.
  • If you want to permanently block someone from using a Microsoft account on this computer, change the account password from another device or through the Microsoft website.

Step-by-step: deleting a local account

A local account is one that exists only on this computer — it has a username and password but no email address attached. These are simpler to delete because there's no Microsoft account to worry about.

First, make sure you're logged into an administrator account. Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I. Click Accounts on the left side. Click Other people. Find the account you want to delete and click it. Click Remove. Windows will ask whether you want to keep or delete the files associated with that account. Choose one and click Delete account and data (or Delete account only, depending on your choice). The account is now gone.

If you don't see the account listed under Other people, it may be a child account or a Microsoft account. Child accounts appear under Family, and Microsoft accounts appear at the top of the Accounts page under Your info.

Step-by-step: deleting a Microsoft account

A Microsoft account uses an email address to sign in and is linked to OneDrive, Outlook, and other Microsoft services. Deleting it from Windows 10 is the same process as a local account, but the consequences are different.

Open Settings (Windows key + I). Click Accounts. Click Other people. Find the Microsoft account and click it. Click Remove. Choose whether to keep or delete files. Click Delete account and data (or Delete account only). The account is removed from Windows 10.

However, that person can still sign back into this computer using the same email address and password — deleting the account from Windows doesn't change their Microsoft account password or disable it. If you want to prevent them from signing back in, you need to change the password on the Microsoft account itself. Go to account.microsoft.com from any browser, sign in with that email address, and change the password. You can also remove this device from their account settings on the Microsoft website.

Deleting a child account

Child accounts are managed through Family settings and have restrictions set by a parent or guardian. To delete one, open Settings and click Accounts. Click Family & other people. Find the child account and click it. Click Remove. Choose whether to keep or delete files. Click Delete.

Removing a child account also removes any parental controls associated with it. The child can still sign back in with their Microsoft account unless you change the password on that account from the Microsoft website.

What happens to files when you delete an account

When you delete an account, Windows gives you two choices: keep the files or delete them. If you choose to keep the files, they move to a folder on your desktop called "Old [username]" — for example, "Old Sarah" or "Old Guest". You can then go through those files, move what you want to keep, and delete the rest.

If you choose to delete the files, they are permanently removed. Windows does not send them to the Recycle Bin — they cannot be recovered through normal means. If you're not certain you want to lose everything, choose to keep the files first. You can always delete the folder later once you've checked what's inside.

Files stored in OneDrive or other cloud services are not affected by deleting the account. If the person was signed into OneDrive, those files remain in their OneDrive account and can be accessed by signing in from another device.

When you need administrator permission

You can only delete an account if you're logged into an administrator account. If you're logged into a standard user account, Settings will show the Delete option but it won't work — you'll get a message saying you don't have permission.

If you're the only person on the computer and you're logged into a standard account, you'll need to restart in Safe Mode with Command Prompt and use command-line tools to delete the account. This is rare and usually only happens if someone set up the computer incorrectly. If you're stuck, restart the computer, press F8 repeatedly as it boots, choose Safe Mode with Command Prompt, and search online for "delete user account command line Windows 10" — the exact command depends on whether it's a local or Microsoft account.

Preventing someone from signing back in

Deleting a Windows account does not prevent someone from signing back in if they know the password. When you delete an account, you're removing it from this specific computer only. The next time that person sits down at the keyboard, they can sign in again using the same email address and password (for Microsoft accounts) or create a new account with the same username (for local accounts).

To actually prevent someone from signing back in, you have two options. For Microsoft accounts, change the password on the account itself by going to account.microsoft.com and signing in with that email address. For local accounts, there's no password to change — you can only prevent access by setting up a password on your own administrator account and not sharing it, then deleting the local account. The person could still create a new local account, but they wouldn't have access to the old one's files.

If you want to be thorough with a Microsoft account, you can also remove the device from their account settings on the Microsoft website. This prevents them from using that email address to sign into this specific computer, even if they haven't changed their password.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo deleting an account?

No. Once you delete an account, it's gone from Windows 10. If you chose to delete the files, they cannot be recovered. If you chose to keep the files, they're in the "Old [username]" folder on your desktop. For Microsoft accounts, the person can sign back in with the same email address, but that creates a new account with no connection to the old one.

What if I delete an account but the person still has files on the computer?

If you chose to keep the files when deleting the account, they're in a folder called "Old [username]" on your desktop. You can open that folder, move files you want to keep to another location, and delete the rest. If you chose to delete the files and now realize you needed something, check your backup or recovery software — Windows does not keep deleted account files in the Recycle Bin.

Can someone sign back in after I delete their account?

Yes, if it's a Microsoft account — they can sign in with the same email address and password. If it's a local account, they can create a new local account with the same username. To prevent a Microsoft account from signing back in, change the password on account.microsoft.com or remove the device from their account settings there.

Do I need to delete files when I delete an account?

No. You can choose to keep the files, which moves them to a folder on your desktop. This is safer if you're not sure what the account contains. You can sort through the files later and delete them yourself, or move them somewhere else first.

What's the difference between deleting an account and signing out?

Signing out just logs you out of the account — the account still exists on the computer and the person can sign back in. Deleting an account removes it from Windows 10 entirely. For Microsoft accounts, the person can still sign back in with the same email address, but the account on this computer is gone.