3 Ways to Create Guest Account in Windows 10

We recommend you to create a guest account in Windows 10 PC or laptop for multiple reasons. You must have been in one of those situations where a friend or a colleague asks for your laptop, but you have a lot going on and so frustratingly enough, you have to exit and cancel everything on your laptop for them to use it.

Related: How to use guest account in Google Chrome?

But this isn’t just about exiting and ending everything, you were doing. Anyone whose work life surrounds a laptop can understand how hard it is to give up your device even for a minute. It’s almost like giving away your room to a stranger. Also, access to your administrative account means your privacy can be very easily compromised. So, for the sake of privacy and maintaining a separate space, Windows users can create a guest account on Windows. 

Create Guest Account in Windows

For almost everything to be done in Windows there are at least two ways. First, you can do it through the Command Prompt. And second you can go to the control panel and search for a few settings. We will go through both methods along with activating the default guest account. 

Note: Command Prompt is from where it all started. i.e. There were no graphical user interfaces in the beginning. Command Prompt was used to control the whole system. Command Prompt is used to directly communicate between kernel and operating system.

Pro Tip: With a simple command, you can get various things done in a just second. But the con is that you have to use the exact command, which are very hard to remember.

1. Through the Command Prompt

Use the below step-by-step procedure to create a guest account using Command Prompt. 

• Click the search button which looks like a magnifier.

• Type “Command Prompt” or simply “cmd”.
• Left click on Command Prompt icon and run as administrator.

Alternatively, press Window key + R to open the “Run” prompt. Simply typing “cmd” and hit enter to open the Command Prompt in administrative mode.

• Click “yes” if “User account permission” popup and asks for permission.
• Type the command “Net user TemporaryUser /add /active: yes” (make sure it’s exact, also Command Prompt is not case sensitive, you can also copy and paste using CTRL+C and CTRL+V respectively).

• If “Command Completed Successfully” appears. You are good to go otherwise there must be some error. You can go again with the steps described above.
• If you want to set a password for the visitor account, you can type the command “Net user TemporaryUser *”.
• Set and retype the password and you finally have your guest account.

2. Using Default Guest Account

Windows has a default guest account. If you want to activate the default guest account you have to perform the same steps 1-4 that have been described above and type “Net user guest /active: yes” on the Command Prompt. The guest account will be activated.

Note:” Windows by default has a guest account with the username as “Guest”. Therefore, you cannot use “Guest” as a username for a new guest account.

3. Through Windows Settings

Step-by-Step procedure to create a guest account 

• Click “Start” button and just above the power button, there is “Setting” button. Alternatively, press “Win + I” keys to open Windows Settings app. Click on the “Accounts” button to go to user account settings.

• On the left sidebar click on the “Family and other people” menu just below the “Accounts” heading.

• Scroll down on the right pane and click “Add someone else to this PC” under the heading “Other people”.
• A new window will pop up with the name “Microsoft Account”. This window shows the question “How will this person sign in”.
• You have to add the new account’s Microsoft Id and password to create a new account. But because we are supposed to make a visitor id only. Not a specific account for a specific person so, we go with the option “I don’t have this person’s sign in information”.

• Within few moments a window will load with the heading “Let’s create your account”. Once again you don’t have the user’s Microsoft account so, you simply have to click the option “Add a user without a Microsoft account”.

• In the field “Who is going to use this PC” you can type “Visitor” or “TemporaryUser” or “Userguest” or whatever name you want.

Pro Tip: It’s better to leave it without setting any password because you won’t be using this account very often so there’s a chance you might forget the password. And what if you are away and someone asks for your laptop? You have to verbally tell them your password. Which is difficult.

And there you have it. A new local account on your device which any one can use without getting into your personal account. You simply need to switch the user account to guest account and give your computer to your friend or colleague for using as a guest.

Guest Account Vs. Normal User Account

The main account that is set when you install your Windows for the first time is usually the “Administrator Account”. Using administrator account, you can set many types of accounts like standard, child, work or school account. Guest accounts are for temporary users. They have very limited access to computer resources. For Example, the guest account user cannot go through other accounts, browse hard disks, install a software or change settings of PC.

All they can do is surf the internet and shut down.

Wrapping Up

Guest accounts can be of great help. In situations where people ask you for your laptop, for an email check or a quick fix in the document. It’s better to log out of your administrative account, login to guest account and be worry free about them going through your personal settings and data.