{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T21:13:23+00:00","modifiedTime":"2017-06-19T19:14:50+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:19:01+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Technology","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33512"},"slug":"technology","categoryId":33512},{"name":"Computers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33513"},"slug":"computers","categoryId":33513},{"name":"Basic Skills","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33514"},"slug":"basic-skills","categoryId":33514}],"title":"How to Switch between User Accounts on Your Computer","strippedTitle":"how to switch between user accounts on your computer","slug":"for-seniors-how-to-switch-between-user-accounts-on-your-computer","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"You can set up several user accounts for your computer, which helps you save and access specific user settings and provide privacy for each user’s files with pa","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"You can set up several user accounts for your computer, which helps you save and access specific user settings and provide privacy for each user’s files with passwords. You don’t have to turn off your computer each time you want to switch between multiple user accounts. All you need to know is your user password.\r\n<p class=\"Tip\">If you forget your password and try to switch users without entering one, Windows shows your password hint. You created this password hint, which is designed to help you remember your password, when you assigned a password.</p>\r\nTo switch between multiple user accounts on your computer, follow these steps:\r\n<ol class=\"level-one\">\r\n\t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Click Start and then click the arrow on the side of the Shut Down button.</p>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/212103.image0.jpg\" alt=\"image0.jpg\" width=\"352\" height=\"400\" />\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">You see several menu commands.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n\t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Choose Switch User.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">A dialog box appears.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n\t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Click the user you want to log in as.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">If the user account is password-protected, a box appears for you to enter the password.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n\t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Type the password and then click the arrow button to log in.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">Windows logs you in with the specified user’s settings.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n</ol>","description":"You can set up several user accounts for your computer, which helps you save and access specific user settings and provide privacy for each user’s files with passwords. You don’t have to turn off your computer each time you want to switch between multiple user accounts. All you need to know is your user password.\r\n<p class=\"Tip\">If you forget your password and try to switch users without entering one, Windows shows your password hint. You created this password hint, which is designed to help you remember your password, when you assigned a password.</p>\r\nTo switch between multiple user accounts on your computer, follow these steps:\r\n<ol class=\"level-one\">\r\n\t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Click Start and then click the arrow on the side of the Shut Down button.</p>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/212103.image0.jpg\" alt=\"image0.jpg\" width=\"352\" height=\"400\" />\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">You see several menu commands.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n\t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Choose Switch User.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">A dialog box appears.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n\t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Click the user you want to log in as.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">If the user account is password-protected, a box appears for you to enter the password.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n\t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Type the password and then click the arrow button to log in.</p>\r\n<p class=\"child-para\">Windows logs you in with the specified user’s settings.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n</ol>","blurb":"","authors":[],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33514,"title":"Basic Skills","slug":"basic-skills","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33514"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":248604,"title":"How to Run a Scan on Your Windows 10 Laptop with Windows Defender","slug":"run-scan-windows-10-laptop-windows-defender","categoryList":["technology","computers","basic-skills"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/248604"}},{"articleId":248601,"title":"Understanding Windows Update Options","slug":"understanding-windows-update-options","categoryList":["technology","computers","basic-skills"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/248601"}},{"articleId":248598,"title":"Understanding Security Threats to Your Windows 10 Laptop","slug":"understanding-security-threats-windows-10-laptop","categoryList":["technology","computers","basic-skills"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/248598"}},{"articleId":248595,"title":"How to Go Online Using Your Laptop’s Cellular Network","slug":"go-online-using-laptops-cellular-network","categoryList":["technology","computers","basic-skills"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/248595"}},{"articleId":248588,"title":"How to Use Microsoft’s Discussion Board","slug":"use-microsofts-discussion-board","categoryList":["technology","computers","basic-skills"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/248588"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":true,"relatedBook":{"bookId":281751,"slug":"laptops-for-dummies-6th-edition","isbn":"9781119041801","categoryList":["technology","computers","basic-skills"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119041805/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119041805/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119041805-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119041805/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119041805/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/laptops-for-dummies-6th-edition-cover-9781119041801-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Laptops For Dummies, 6th Edition","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"\n <p><b><b data-author-id=\"9003\">Dan Gookin</b></b> has been writing about technology for 20 years. He has contributed articles to numerous high-tech magazines and written more than 90 books about personal computing technology, many of them accurate.<br /> He combines his love of writing with his interest in technology to create books that are informative and entertaining, but not boring. Having sold more than 14 million titles translated into more than 30 languages, Dan can attest that his method of crafting computer tomes does seem to work.<br /> Perhaps Dan’s most famous title is the original <i>DOS For Dummies,</i> published in 1991. It became the world’s fastest-selling computer book, at one time moving more copies per week than the <i>New York Times</i> number-one best seller (although, because it’s a reference book, it could not be listed on the <i>NYT</i> best seller list). That book spawned the entire line of <i>For Dummies</i> books, which remains a publishing phenomenon to this day.<br /> Dan’s most recent titles include <i>PCs For Dummies,</i> 9th Edition; <i>Buying a Computer For Dummies,</i> 2005 Edition; <i>Troubleshooting Your PC For Dummies; <b data-author-id=\"9003\">Dan Gookin</b>’s Naked Windows XP;</i> and <i><b data-author-id=\"9003\">Dan Gookin</b>’s Naked Office.</i> He publishes a free weekly computer newsletter, “Weekly Wambooli Salad,” and also maintains the vast and helpful Web site www.wambooli.com.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9003,"name":"Dan Gookin","slug":"dan-gookin","description":" <b>Dan Gookin</b> has been writing about technology for 20 years. He has contributed articles to numerous high-tech magazines and written more than 90 books about personal computing technology, many of them accurate.<br /> He combines his love of writing with his interest in technology to create books that are informative and entertaining, but not boring. Having sold more than 14 million titles translated into more than 30 languages, Dan can attest that his method of crafting computer tomes does seem to work.<br /> Perhaps Dan’s most famous title is the original <i>DOS For Dummies,</i> published in 1991. It became the world’s fastest-selling computer book, at one time moving more copies per week than the <i>New York Times</i> number-one best seller (although, because it’s a reference book, it could not be listed on the <i>NYT</i> best seller list). That book spawned the entire line of <i>For Dummies</i> books, which remains a publishing phenomenon to this day.<br /> Dan’s most recent titles include <i>PCs For Dummies,</i> 9th Edition; <i>Buying a Computer For Dummies,</i> 2005 Edition; <i>Troubleshooting Your PC For Dummies; Dan Gookin’s Naked Windows XP;</i> and <i>Dan Gookin’s Naked Office.</i> He publishes a free weekly computer newsletter, “Weekly Wambooli Salad,” and also maintains the vast and helpful Web site www.wambooli.com.","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9003"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/281751"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{"key":"cat","values":["technology","computers","basic-skills"]},{"key":"isbn","values":[null]}]\" 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How to Switch between User Accounts on Your Computer

Updated: 06-19-2017

Laptops For Dummies, 6th Edition

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You can set up several user accounts for your computer, which helps you save and access specific user settings and provide privacy for each user’s files with passwords. You don’t have to turn off your computer each time you want to switch between multiple user accounts. All you need to know is your user password.

If you forget your password and try to switch users without entering one, Windows shows your password hint. You created this password hint, which is designed to help you remember your password, when you assigned a password.

To switch between multiple user accounts on your computer, follow these steps:

Click Start and then click the arrow on the side of the Shut Down button.

You see several menu commands.
Choose Switch User.

A dialog box appears.
Click the user you want to log in as.

If the user account is password-protected, a box appears for you to enter the password.
Type the password and then click the arrow button to log in.

Windows logs you in with the specified user’s settings.

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