How to Enable / Disable Fast User Switching on Windows 10

Windows 10 has been able to satisfy its users in all aspects and has also gained success since its launch. Windows the most used and popular OS in the market. It has been very successful and also demanding in today’s technological world. We all know that Windows 10 has many updates and some exceptional features, unlike the previous versions. Windows has many features in it from the very first version, but they were came into notice a bit later. Windows has also been very successful in making such features come on to the surface by updating them. The developers also made the updates in such a way that the users may be comfortable with it. One of such interesting update or I can say that feature in Windows from the first version was Fast User Switching.

This helped the user to switch between two accounts while using the other. In simple words, you can use two accounts without logging out of the other account.

People have been facing some problems while using fast user switching as it consumes more RAM, more space, and more data and may also cause your computer/PC lag. Windows has also given an option to enable or disable the fast user switching mode. Enabling the different mode users can use the PC at the same time without logging out of PC. But disabling the feature, it lets you do the vice versa, i.e., only one user can use it at one time, and if any other user wants to use it the first one should log out. You can also use some password reset tools for Windows 10 if you forget your password amongst all these fast user switchings.

Table of Contents

Methods to Enable / Disable Fast User Switching on Windows 10

Using gedit.msc

Using gedit.msc or call it as group local editor.

Open run command on your PC by pressing Win+R and then type gedit.msc in the search bar and click OK.
Now expand the option “LOCAL COMPUTER POLICY” and in that just open “COMPUTER CONFIGURATION.”

Now in computer configuration, click on “Administrative Templates” and then after it expands click on “system.”
As the system is expanded click on “login”.
And now, you can see various options on your computer screen.
Just select “Hide entry points for fast user switching.”

As soon as you select the option there are three options available on your left-hand side named as:

Not configured.
Enable.
Disable.

Now you need to select Enable to enable fast user switching and then just reboot your system and then select the account you want to use.

You can switch from one account to another now.

But when you select disable then also you need to reboot your system but now you can use only one account, and to use another account you need to login to another account by just restarting your PC.

Using REGEDIT command

Open run command by using Win+R and then write regedit in the search box and click Ok.
Now you can see the registry editor there. Now in the registry editor click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
After the option expands, you need to select SOFTWARE from the list of choices you have.

After that, you can select MICROSOFT from that list and as it expands click on WINDOWS.
Now there are plenty of options from where you need to select CURRENT VERSION.
Now select POLICIES from there and then SYSTEM.
In SYSTEM select hide fast user switching in the options.
If there is no such option, then right-click on the screen and select new.

Now after selecting new, click on DWORD (either 32 bit or 64 bit based on the capacity of your system).
Now after selecting DWORD, you need to create a new string naming HIDE FAST USER SWITCHING.
You also need to assign a base value for that.
The base value that you need to give it 1.

After creating the base, value clicks OK.
Now you can restart your system.

The switch between users and fast user switching is enabled on your PC now.

Conclusion

There might be some problems that you get when you make an error in the registry editor. Your computer functions may stop working. Or it may completely stop if there are some other changes done other than the above mentioned ones. If you are not sure of yourself, then you can download registry hacks and then perform them on your PC. There are two types of hacks available one for enabling fast user switching and other for disabling fast user switching.

The group edit policy is only available for pro and enterprise users and may not be available for other users, or you may face some problems while accessing the group edit policy. So it is advisable to use registry editor as it is comfortable and also easy to use as compared to gpedit.msc.

These were two methods by which you can Enable / Disable Fast User Switching on Windows 10, and you can use it without signing off from one account.