Personalization Hide or Show Account Name and Profile Picture on Start Menu in Windows 11


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This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off hiding your account name and profile picture on the Start menu for your account in Windows 11.

The Start menu is comprised of three sections: Pinned, All apps, and Recent.

Starting with Windows 11 build 26300.8553 (Experimental 25H2) for Insiders, you now have the option to hide your name and profile picture in Start.



Contents

  • Option One: Hide or Show Account Name and Profile Picture on Start Menu in Settings
  • Option Two: Hide or Show Account Name and Profile Picture on Start Menu using REG file


EXAMPLE: Hide or show your account name and profile picture on Start menu

Your account details will still show when you open the account picture menu on the Start menu.


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Option One

Hide or Show Account Name and Profile Picture on Start Menu in Settings


1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Personalization on the left side, and click/tap on Start on the right side. (see screenshot below)


Start_Menu_account_name_and_picture-1.webp

3 Under Other settings, turn On (hide) or Off (show - default) Hide your name and profile picture on Start for what you want. (see screenshot below)

Start_Menu_account_name_and_picture-2.webp

4 You can now close Settings if you like.




Option Two

Hide or Show Account Name and Profile Picture on Start Menu using REG file


1 Do step 2 (hide) or step 3 (show) below for what you want.

2 Hide Account Name and Profile Picture on Start Menu

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

Hide_account_name_and_profile_picture_on_Start_Menu.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Start]
"HideUserInformation"=dword:00000001

3 Show Account Name and Profile Picture on Start Menu

This is the default setting.


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

Show_account_name_and_profile_picture_on_Start_Menu.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Start]
"HideUserInformation"=dword:00000000

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.

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

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

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


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

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