How to Disable the Password on Windows 10 (4 Safe Ways)

Typing a password every time you turn on or wake your own Windows 10 PC can feel like a chore, especially on a desktop at home that nobody else uses. Windows 10 lets you skip the password in a few ways: sign in automatically at startup, stop asking for a password after sleep, remove the password from a local account, or switch to a quicker PIN or fingerprint. This guide covers each option and the security trade-offs, so you can pick the right one.

Quick Answer

To sign in automatically, press Windows + R, type netplwiz, and press Enter. Select your account, uncheck Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer, click OK, and enter your current password twice to confirm. Windows will sign you in automatically at startup. If the checkbox is missing, first turn off Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts.

Think About Security First

Without a password, anyone who can touch your PC can open your files, email, saved passwords in your browser, and banking sites. Skipping the password is best limited to a desktop in a private home. On a laptop you carry around, use a PIN or Windows Hello (fingerprint or face) instead; they’re nearly as fast and much safer. Automatic sign-in also doesn’t remove your password; your account keeps it for remote access and security prompts.

Option 1: Sign In Automatically at Startup (netplwiz)

1. If you use a Microsoft account, open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options and turn off Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts (older builds call it “For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in”). This makes the checkbox in the next step visible.
2. Press Windows + R, type netplwiz, and press Enter.
3. Select your account in the list.
4. Uncheck Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer.
5. Click Apply. In the Automatically sign in box, enter your account password (for a Microsoft account, use its password, not your PIN) twice and click OK.
6. Restart to test. Windows should go straight to the desktop.

If you still see a sign-in screen, the password you entered may have been wrong. Repeat the steps carefully.

Option 2: Don’t Ask for a Password After Sleep

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Under Require sign-in, choose Never from the dropdown.

Now the PC resumes from sleep without the lock screen. Also check Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Screen saver settings and uncheck On resume, display logon screen if a screen saver is set.

Option 3: Remove the Password From a Local Account

This works only for a local account (not a Microsoft account, which always has a password).

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Click Password, then Change.
3. Enter your current password and click Next.
4. Leave the New password, Confirm password, and Password hint boxes empty, click Next, then Finish.

The account now has no password, and Windows signs in with one click (or automatically if it’s the only account). To switch a Microsoft account to a local account first, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info > Sign in with a local account instead. Keep your Microsoft account password somewhere safe, since you’ll still need it for Microsoft services.

Option 4: Use a PIN or Windows Hello Instead

If the goal is speed rather than no security at all:

• PIN: Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Windows Hello PIN > Add. A PIN works only on that device, so it’s safer than a password that someone could use online.
• Fingerprint or face: Available if your PC has a fingerprint reader or a Windows Hello camera.
• Dynamic lock: Pair your phone by Bluetooth and turn on Allow Windows to automatically lock your device when you’re away, so the PC locks when you walk away.

How to Turn the Password Back On

• Automatic sign-in: Open netplwiz and check the box again.
• Sleep: Set Require sign-in back to When PC wakes up from sleep.
• Local account password: Go to Sign-in options > Password > Add (or Change).

Troubleshooting

• Checkbox missing in netplwiz: Turn off the Windows Hello requirement (Option 1, step 1), restart, and try again.
• Work or school PC: Password policies set by your organization may block these changes. Ask your IT team.
• Forgot your password: For a Microsoft account, reset it at account.live.com/password/reset. For a local account, use your security questions on the sign-in screen, or see our password reset guides.

Summary

1. Automatic startup sign-in: netplwiz and uncheck the password requirement.
2. No password after sleep: Require sign-in > Never.
3. No password at all: leave the new password blank on a local account.
4. Safer and still fast: use a PIN or Windows Hello.