Fix Last Logged-In User Field Empty on a Shared Windows 11 PC

Quick fix: A shared Windows 11 PC with the “Do not display last user name” policy enabled clears the field for privacy. Open secpol.msc → Local Policies → Security Options → Interactive logon: Do not display last user name and set to Disabled to restore the field.

On a shared workstation, the sign-in screen used to remember the last user. After a recent policy push or a fresh install, the field is empty — everyone has to type their username every time. For shared kiosk PCs this is intentional, but for shared family/team PCs where remembering the last user is convenient, it’s an annoyance.

What the policy controls

The “Do not display last user name” security policy clears the username field on the sign-in screen. It also stops listing other local accounts as tiles — users must type their name in full. This protects against shoulder-surfing on shared workstations but is overkill in low-threat environments.

Method 1: Disable via Local Security Policy (Pro/Enterprise)

1. Press Win + R, type secpol.msc, press Enter.
2. Navigate to Local Policies → Security Options.
3. Find Interactive logon: Do not display last user name.
4. Double-click and set to Disabled.
5. Also check Interactive logon: Don’t display username at sign-in and set to Disabled.
6. Run gpupdate /force.
7. Sign out. The last user name now appears on the sign-in screen.

Method 2: Registry equivalent for Home edition

1. Open regedit.
2. Navigate to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System.
3. Set DontDisplayLastUserName = 0 (DWORD).
4. Set dontdisplaylastusername = 0 if also present (some builds use this casing).
5. Reboot or sign out.

Method 3: Show all local users as tiles instead

1. In the same registry path, set EnumerateLocalUsers = 1.
2. This shows all local user tiles on the sign-in screen (Windows 11 default behavior on personal PCs).
3. Combined with disabled DontDisplayLastUserName, you get both the last user pre-selected and all alternatives visible.

How to verify the fix worked

• Sign out. The sign-in screen shows the previous user’s name pre-filled, or shows all local user tiles.
• Other users still need their password to sign in.
• Run secedit /export /cfg secpol-export.txt and search for DontDisplayLastUserName — value is 0.

If none of these work

If the field stays empty after policy changes, an Active Directory GPO may be overriding local settings — check gpresult /h gpresult.html to identify the source. For Microsoft account sign-ins, the field shows the email address used last; if it’s empty, the account hasn’t signed in recently (locked profile, removed, etc.). For Azure AD-joined devices, behavior varies by tenant configuration.

Bottom line: The empty field is a security-by-default policy. Disable via secpol.msc (or registry for Home) to restore the last-user display. Combine with EnumerateLocalUsers for the full personal-PC experience on a shared workstation.