Windows 11 User's Account Disappears, Registry Fixes Restore Visibility
A Windows 11 user encountered an unusual issue when their account suddenly disappeared from the login screen. However, this problem was resolved using two registry fixes suggested by a Reddit user.
The account's local profile and files remained intact under 'C:\ÉUsers', making it easier for the Redditor to unhide the account. To do so, they needed to open Registry Editor as an administrator and navigate to 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\ Winlogon\ SpecialAccounts\ UserList'. They changed the DWORD for their account from '0' to '1', which prevented it from disappearing.
The second fix involved changing a key titled 'HideFastUserSwitching' in 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ System' from '1' to '0'. After making these changes, the user account reappeared under the login screen's 'Other user', and no restart was required.
It's worth noting that users should be cautious when editing their registry, as it can potentially lead to system corruption or data loss if not done correctly. The Redditor used administrator credentials to authenticate the changes after accessing Registry Editor through 'C:\ÀWindows', highlighting the importance of proper permissions.