What's up with guest accounts in Windows 10 and 11? Can I have one?
What's up with guest accounts in Windows 10 and 11? Can I have one?
What's up with guest accounts in Windows 10 and 11? Can I have one?
Re: What's up with guest accounts in Windows 10 and 11? Can I have one?
Edit re Windows 11: I'm changing over to a computer with Windows 11, so I need to answer the same question again for that. I haven't repeated all the in-depth research, but here's what I've found for Windows 11:
- DOS command `net user` and Windows `Computer Management > System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users` still show the guest account. In the latter, it still has the property "Account is disabled".
- `Control Panel > User Accounts` no longer has `Manage Accounts`, so I don't see where to see anything about a guest account in `Control Panel`.
- The MS documentation [*Guidance for accounts on shared PCs*](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/set-up-shared-or-guest-pc#guidance-for-accounts-on-shared-pcs) has been updated to say it applies to Windows 11.
- BUT the page no longer says “We recommend no local admin accounts on the [shared] PC to improve the reliability and security of the PC.”
Because of the last point above, I don't know what to think. The doc has been updated to apply to Windows 11, but the most crucial piece of official advice not to use a guest account has been removed. Argh! So although it would be helpful to have a guest account on this new computer, I'm going to continue to not have one.
If anyone knows any better about what's going on with this in Windows 11, please post a comment or answer about it.
The short answer:
There is a guest account in Windows 10, but it's not suitable for use on a standalone computer.
In other words:
If your computer is not part of a network, then no, you cannot have a guest account.
The long answer:
As of Windows 10 v 1607, the guest account became part of the configuration of “shared PC mode” [[Microsoft](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/set-up-shared-or-guest-pc#configuring-shared-pc-mode-on-windows), [*TechTarget*](https://searchenterprisedesktop.techtarget.com/definition/Microsoft-Windows-10-Shared-PC-Mode), [*Windows Club*](https://www.thewindowsclub.co
*(Réponse tronquée)*
- DOS command `net user` and Windows `Computer Management > System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Users` still show the guest account. In the latter, it still has the property "Account is disabled".
- `Control Panel > User Accounts` no longer has `Manage Accounts`, so I don't see where to see anything about a guest account in `Control Panel`.
- The MS documentation [*Guidance for accounts on shared PCs*](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/set-up-shared-or-guest-pc#guidance-for-accounts-on-shared-pcs) has been updated to say it applies to Windows 11.
- BUT the page no longer says “We recommend no local admin accounts on the [shared] PC to improve the reliability and security of the PC.”
Because of the last point above, I don't know what to think. The doc has been updated to apply to Windows 11, but the most crucial piece of official advice not to use a guest account has been removed. Argh! So although it would be helpful to have a guest account on this new computer, I'm going to continue to not have one.
If anyone knows any better about what's going on with this in Windows 11, please post a comment or answer about it.
The short answer:
There is a guest account in Windows 10, but it's not suitable for use on a standalone computer.
In other words:
If your computer is not part of a network, then no, you cannot have a guest account.
The long answer:
As of Windows 10 v 1607, the guest account became part of the configuration of “shared PC mode” [[Microsoft](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/set-up-shared-or-guest-pc#configuring-shared-pc-mode-on-windows), [*TechTarget*](https://searchenterprisedesktop.techtarget.com/definition/Microsoft-Windows-10-Shared-PC-Mode), [*Windows Club*](https://www.thewindowsclub.co
*(Réponse tronquée)*