How to fix the issue of having a duplicate username at the login or sign-in screen in Windows 10?

If your Windows 10 sign-in screen sometimes shows duplicate usernames at the login screen, you’re in the right place. This is an error that brothers most Windows 10 users.

You could see the same account appearing twice on your sign-in screen and wonder what this really means. Fortunately, this issue can be fixed. 

In this article, you’ll learn how to fix the Duplicate username issue at the login or sign-in screen in Windows 10.

What are the Causes of Duplicate Username at Login Screen in Windows 10?

This is a unique and isolated glitch. It doesn’t occur often. Some users have reported the duplicate username at the login screen in Windows 10, especially when they enable the “Automatically sign in” feature.

This error is high risk because it can change your username and/or password on your computer.

Before diving into fixing the duplicate username error, let’s answer the question of “why it occurs” in the first place.

The following are the possible reasons why the duplicate username at the login screen in Windows 10 occurs:

• Auto-login feature: It mostly occurs when users enable the “automatic login” feature in Windows 10. 
• Malware infection in your system: Malware in your system can corrupt files and system functions. This is a leading cause or many Windows errors and is something you cannot rule out.
• Duplicate account: It is a possibility that you actually have a duplicate account and that they’re both displaying on your PC.
• Windows 10 bug: Windows 10 is known to have many bugs and this error could be a result of a bug in the system, especially after a Windows 10 update.

Note: In many cases, the duplicate username issue in Windows 10 is an OS-based issue. It is not a device-related error. 

How to Fix the Duplicate Username Problem in Windows 10

If you encounter the duplicate username problem for Windows 10 users, employ the following solutions to resolve this issue:

1] Conduct a thorough device scan to detect any viruses or malware present.

Malware is residing in your computer can cause many problems, including the duplicate username at the login screen issue. 

You can know whether or not your PC is under malware attack by scanning it. We recommend that you use a quality anti-malware solution for this purpose. 

Initially, utilize the integrated Windows Defender in Windows 10.

Use the following steps:

1. Use the key combination Windows logo key + I to launch the Windows Settings app.
2. Select the “Update and Security” tile.
3. On the left pane, select “Windows security”.
4. Next, virus and threat protection.
5. In the new windows, click on Quick scan. 

If the quick scan doesn’t give any virus results, you can proceed to a full scan. Once you’re done with the Windows Defender, you can proceed to use another anti-virus solution, possibly with anti-malware capabilities.

2] Disable Auto-Login

The auto-login feature can cause duplicate usernames at login in Windows 10. Disabling the feature can help you solve the problem.

Use the following steps to disable auto-login:

1. Use the Windows logo key + R shortcut to open the “Run” dialog box.
2. In the Run box window, type “netplwiz” and press Enter.
3. In the User Accounts window, go to the “Users” tab. 
4. Now, check Check the box labeled “To access this computer, users need to provide a username and password”.
5. This will turn off auto-login.
6. Click on “Apply”, then click “OK” to allow the changes to take effect.
7. Once done, restart your Windows PC and see if the duplicate user accounts issue is gone.

Note: If you want to re-enable the auto-login feature, uncheck the option (above) and enter the correct account username and password to allow you to do that.

3] Change Sign-In Options from the PC Settings App

If you have auto-sign-in enabled in Windows 10, you might encounter a situation where two identical user names appear on your login screen after an update. This issue arises because the new Windows 10 setup may detect your username twice. To resolve this, you’ll need to disable the auto-sign-in option.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Use the Windows logo key + I shortcut to open the Settings app.
2. Click on the “Accounts” tile.
3. Next, click on the “Sign-In” option on the left pane.
4. Scroll down to Privacy.
5. Under Privacy, use the toggle to disable “Enable automatic completion of device setup using my sign-in details following an update or restart.”
6. Once done, you need to restart your computer and see if the duplicate username still exists on your login screen.

4] Manually Remove Duplicate Username

If all the above solutions fail to solve the duplicate username issue, you may need to remove it manually. Below are the steps to eliminate the duplicate username:

1. Use the Windows logo key + R combination to open the “Run” dialog box.
2. Once the box opens, type “netplwiz” and press Enter.
3. A new “User Accounts” Windows will open.
4. Under the “Users” tab, check if you can see two usernames with the same name.
5. If you see duplicate usernames, select on.
6. Now, click on “Remove”.
7. Wait for the process to complete, then restart your computer, and hopefully, the duplicate username will not appear.