Accounts Enable or Disable Password Sign-in Option for Local Accounts in Windows 11

Brink · Oct 29, 2023

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the password sign-in option and UAC credential provider for all local accounts in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Credential providers are the primary mechanism for user authentication—they currently are the only method for users to prove their identity which is required for sign in and other system authentication scenarios like UAC.

Microsoft provides a variety of credential providers as part of Windows, such as the facial recognition (Windows Hello), fingerprint recognition (Windows Hello), PIN (Windows Hello), security key, password, and picture password sign-in options.

You can disable the ability to use a password to sign in to Windows and provide UAC credentials for all local accounts on the PC. This will remove the Password credential provider from the UAC prompt and Sign-on options on the Sign-in screen. This will not remove or disable "Password" on the Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options page.

Disabling the password sign-in option for all local accounts on the computer is handy way to enable passwordless sign-in for local accounts.

References:

Windows sign-in options and account protection - Microsoft Support

Learn how to access and manage your Windows sign in options. Use a password, Windows Hello, or a security key to unlock your device.

support.microsoft.com

Credential Providers in Windows - Win32 apps

Credential providers are the primary mechanism for user authentication. They currently are the only method for users to prove their identity which is required for logon and other system authentication scenarios.

learn.microsoft.com

You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable the password sign-in option and credential provider.

This does not affect Microsoft accounts on the PC.

Make sure all local accounts on the PC have set up and added another sign-in optioned (ex: PIN) before disabling the password sign-in option.

Local accounts that only have a password sign-in option available will no longer be available on the sign-in screen if you disable the password sign-in option without adding another sign-in option (ex: PIN).

EXAMPLE: Password sign-in option on Sign-in screen and UAC credential provider

Here's How:

1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

2 Enable Password Sign-in Option for Local Accounts

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_password_sign-in_option_for_all_local_accounts.reg

Download

(Contents of REG file for reference)

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\Credential Providers\{60b78e88-ead8-445c-9cfd-0b87f74ea6cd}]
"Disabled"=-

3 Disable Password Sign-in Option for Local Accounts

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_password_sign-in_option_for_all_local_accounts.reg

Download

(Contents of REG file for reference)

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\Credential Providers\{60b78e88-ead8-445c-9cfd-0b87f74ea6cd}]
"Disabled"=dword:00000001

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn Brink