How to Delete a User Account in Windows 10

Removing a user account from Windows 10 sounds straightforward, but there are a few paths to get there — and the right one depends on what type of account you're removing, what happens to the data, and what level of access you have on the machine. Here's a clear breakdown of how it works.

Why You Might Need to Delete a User Account

User accounts in Windows 10 separate settings, files, and preferences for each person using a device. When someone no longer needs access — a former employee, a family member who got their own device, or an old guest profile — leaving that account in place wastes storage, clutters the login screen, and can pose a minor security risk if the account has a weak or no password.

Deleting an account removes it from the system. What happens to that account's files is a separate decision you'll make during the process.

What You Need Before You Start

You must be signed in as an Administrator to delete another user's account. Standard users don't have this permission. Windows 10 distinguishes between two main account types:

• Local accounts — stored only on the device, no Microsoft account required
• Microsoft accounts — linked to an email address and synced with Microsoft services

Both can be deleted from the device, but deleting a Microsoft account from a PC only removes it locally. The Microsoft account itself continues to exist online.

You also cannot delete the account you're currently logged into. You'll need to be signed in as a different administrator.

Method 1: Delete a User via Windows Settings ⚙️

This is the most common and user-friendly method.

1. Open Settings (Windows key + I)
2. Go to Accounts
3. Select Family & other users from the left sidebar
4. Under Other users, click the account you want to remove
5. Click Remove
6. A prompt will ask whether you want to Delete account and data — confirm to proceed

What gets deleted: The user's profile folder (located at C:Users[username]), including their Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, and app settings.

What doesn't get deleted: Files the user saved outside their profile folder — for example, anything stored directly on C: or a secondary drive.

If there's data worth keeping, make sure it's been backed up before you delete the account.

Method 2: Delete a User via Control Panel

The Control Panel method gives slightly more granular control and is familiar to longtime Windows users.

1. Open Control Panel (search for it in the Start menu)
2. Go to User Accounts
3. Click Manage another account
4. Select the account you want to remove
5. Click Delete the account
6. Windows will ask if you want to Keep Files or Delete Files

The Keep Files option saves a copy of the user's Desktop and Documents to a folder on your own Desktop before removing the account. This is useful when you want to preserve data without keeping the account active.

Method 3: Delete a User via Computer Management (Advanced)

For IT administrators or anyone managing multiple accounts, Computer Management offers a more direct view of all local user accounts.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Computer Management
2. Expand Local Users and Groups in the left panel
3. Click Users
4. Right-click the account you want to remove
5. Select Delete
6. Confirm the action

⚠️ This method does not automatically delete the user's profile folder — it only removes the account from the system. The folder at C:Users[username] will remain and must be deleted manually if you want to free up the disk space.

This method is typically used in domain environments or when managing accounts on a workstation where precise control matters.

Comparing the Three Methods

What Happens to a Microsoft Account After Deletion

When you remove a Microsoft account from Windows 10 using any of the methods above, the account is only unlinked from the device. The Microsoft account remains active at account.microsoft.com — nothing cloud-based is deleted. OneDrive files, purchase history, and Microsoft 365 subscriptions tied to that account are unaffected.

If your goal is to fully close a Microsoft account, that's a separate process done through Microsoft's website, not through Windows settings.

A Note on Family Accounts and Child Accounts 👨‍👩‍👧

Accounts set up through Microsoft Family Safety have an additional layer. To fully remove a child account or family member's account, you may need to remove them from the family group at account.microsoft.com before or after deleting the local account. Simply deleting the account in Windows Settings may not remove them from the family group itself.

The Variables That Change Your Approach

How straightforward this process is depends on a few factors:

• Account type — local versus Microsoft account affects what gets cleaned up and where
• Whether data needs to be saved — a former user's files may still be needed
• Device context — a shared home PC, a child's laptop, and a work machine all carry different considerations around permissions and what data should be preserved
• Your access level — no administrator access means you'll need to involve someone who has it

The mechanics of deletion are consistent across Windows 10 versions, but what the right approach looks like in practice — which method to use, whether to keep files, and whether to clean up cloud-linked accounts — comes down entirely to your specific situation.