There are two different things people mean by “disable the Windows 11 password”, and they have very different consequences:
- Sign in automatically at startup — the account keeps its password, Windows just enters it for you. Reversible, and the sensible option.
- Remove the password from the account entirely — the account has no password at all. Only appropriate for a local account on a machine nobody else can physically reach.
This guide covers both, and is honest about what each one costs you.
Checked August 2026 on Windows 11 25H2. The netplwiz method also works on Windows 10 22H2.
Read this before you start. If your drive is encrypted with BitLocker — the default on many machines sold with Windows 11 — the password is what protects your data. Removing it does not disable encryption, but it does mean anyone who opens the laptop is inside. Also: if the account is a Microsoft account, removing its password affects your email and OneDrive too, not just this PC. Automatic sign-in avoids both problems.
Option 1: Sign in automatically — recommended
The account keeps its password. Windows supplies it at boot.
Make the option visible
On modern Windows 11 the relevant checkbox is hidden by default when Windows Hello is enabled. Turn Hello off first:
- Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options.
- Turn off For improved security, only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts on this device.
Then set it up
- Press Win + R, type
netplwiz, press Enter. - Select your account in the list.
- Clear Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer.
- Select Apply.
- Enter the account password twice when prompted, then OK.
Restart to confirm. If the checkbox is missing entirely, the Hello setting above is still on.
If netplwiz will not show the checkbox
Some builds require a registry value. From an elevated PowerShell:
Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device' -Name DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion -Value 0Then run netplwiz again. Take a restore point first, as with any registry change.
Option 2: Also skip the password after sleep
Automatic sign-in covers startup only. Windows may still ask when the machine wakes:
- Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options.
- Under If you’ve been away, when should Windows require you to sign in again?, choose Never.
Option 3: Remove the password entirely
Only for a local account. If you are on a Microsoft account, you must convert to local first — and that has its own consequences: OneDrive sync, Microsoft Store purchases and settings sync are all tied to the Microsoft account.
- Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options.
- Select Password → Change.
- Enter the current password.
- Leave the new password fields blank and select Next.
The account now has no password.
An account with no password cannot be used for Remote Desktop or network shares — Windows blocks blank-password accounts from network sign-in by default. If either stops working after this, that is why.
Option 4: Use a PIN instead
Worth considering before removing anything. A PIN feels like a downgrade and is not:
- The PIN is local to this device. Stolen, it is useless anywhere else — unlike your Microsoft account password.
- It is protected by the TPM, which rate-limits guessing in hardware.
- Four digits is far quicker to type than a real password.
Set one at Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options → PIN (Windows Hello). If the machine has a fingerprint reader or an infrared camera, those are quicker still and no less secure.
When automatic sign-in is a reasonable choice
Reasonable: a desktop at home that nobody else has access to; a machine dedicated to one task, such as a media PC or a display in a fixed location.
Not reasonable: a laptop that leaves the house. A stolen laptop that boots straight to your desktop hands over your email, your saved browser passwords and every file. Use a PIN — the friction is two seconds.
Reversing it
Run netplwiz again and re-tick Users must enter a user name and password. To restore a removed password, use Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options → Password → Add.
Turn the Windows Hello setting back on afterwards if you disabled it.
Frequently asked questions
Does automatic sign-in remove my password?
No. The account keeps it — Windows stores it and enters it for you at boot. You still need it for elevation prompts, and it still protects the account on the network.
Where is the password stored for automatic sign-in?
In the Windows Credential Manager, encrypted, not in plain text. It is still a credential on the machine, which is the reason the feature is inappropriate for a portable device.
The checkbox in netplwiz is missing.
Turn off only allow Windows Hello sign-in under Sign-in options, or set the DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion value above to 0.
Can I do this with a Microsoft account?
Automatic sign-in, yes. Removing the password entirely, no — that would be removing your Microsoft account password, which is used for Outlook, OneDrive and everything else on that account.
Will this disable BitLocker?
No, and this is worth understanding. The drive stays encrypted; the machine simply unlocks and signs in automatically. The encryption still protects the drive if it is removed and read elsewhere, but not against someone who opens the lid.
Is a PIN less secure than a password?
No, and usually more so in practice. A PIN only works on that one device and is protected by the TPM, whereas a password that is reused elsewhere is a much larger exposure.
