Windows 11 and Windows 10 keep user profile information in several places, including the Windows Registry. Sometimes, a user profile becomes corrupted, Windows keeps loading an old profile, or a profile folder remains after an account has already been removed. In these situations, you may need to remove the profile information from the registry.
However, there is an important distinction to understand. Deleting a user profile from the registry does not delete the Microsoft account or local Windows account itself. It removes the registry information that tells Windows where that user’s profile is stored.
Before changing the registry, make sure you have identified the correct profile. Removing the wrong registry key can cause profile-related problems or make another user’s account behave incorrectly.
Delete a User Profile from Registry in Windows 11 or 10
To delete a user profile from the registry:
- Press Windows + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
- Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.
- Find the SID key associated with the user profile by checking its ProfileImagePath value.
- Back up the correct SID registry key before deleting it.
- Right-click the matching SID key and select Delete.
- Restart Windows and check whether the unwanted profile information has been removed.
Let’s learn in detail!
Step 1: Sign In With an Administrator Account
Before modifying the registry, sign in to Windows using an administrator account. You should not attempt to remove the profile currently being used for your active Windows session.
If the profile you want to remove belongs to another user, sign in with a different administrator account. For example, if you want to remove the profile associated with C:\Users\John, sign in with another administrator account instead of John.
You should also close applications that may be using the profile. This reduces the chance that Windows will have files or registry information locked while you are working.
Step 2: Open Registry Editor
Press Windows + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Type regedit and press Enter.
If Windows displays a User Account Control prompt asking whether you want to allow Registry Editor to make changes, select Yes.
Registry Editor gives you direct access to important Windows configuration information. Because changing or deleting the wrong registry entry can cause problems, avoid modifying keys unless you know exactly what they represent.
Step 3: Open the ProfileList Registry Location
In Registry Editor, navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion > ProfileList
You can expand each folder from the left side of Registry Editor. After opening ProfileList, you should see several subkeys with names that look similar to:
S-1-5-21-xxxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxx-1001
These long strings are Security Identifiers, or SIDs. Windows uses them to identify user accounts and other security principals.
Do not delete a SID simply because it looks unfamiliar. You first need to determine which profile it represents.
Step 4: Identify the Correct User Profile
Click each SID key under ProfileList and look at the values displayed on the right side.
Find the value named ProfileImagePath. Its data normally shows the location of the corresponding user profile.
For example, you might see:
C:\Users\John
If the profile you want to remove is John, this is the SID key you need to investigate.
This step is especially important when several user profiles are registered on the computer. The SID names are difficult to recognize, while the ProfileImagePath gives you a much clearer indication of the associated profile.
Take your time here. Do not delete a SID key until you have confirmed its ProfileImagePath.
Step 5: Back Up the Registry Key
Before deleting the profile entry, create a backup of the specific registry key.
Right-click the identified SID key on the left side of Registry Editor and select Export. Choose a convenient location, enter a recognizable file name, and save the .reg file.
This backup gives you a way to restore the registry entry if you later discover that you selected the wrong profile or Windows behaves unexpectedly.
You can also create a broader registry backup, but exporting the specific SID key is particularly useful for this task because it preserves the profile-related information you are about to remove.
Step 6: Delete the User Profile Registry Key
After confirming the ProfileImagePath and creating your backup, right-click the correct SID key.
Select Delete, then confirm the deletion when Windows asks whether you are sure.
Only delete the SID key associated with the profile you intend to remove. Do not delete the entire ProfileList key, and do not randomly remove other SID entries.
Once the key has been removed, Windows will no longer have that particular profile registration under this ProfileList location.
Step 7: Restart Windows
Close Registry Editor and restart your computer.
Restarting Windows allows the operating system to reload the user profile configuration without the registry entry you removed.
After restarting, check the C:\Users folder and verify whether the old profile folder is still present. Remember that removing the registry entry does not automatically erase the user’s files.
If you still see the old folder, do not immediately delete it. First, make sure you do not need any documents, downloads, desktop files, browser data, or other information stored there.
Delete the Remaining User Profile Folder
If the registry entry has been removed and you have confirmed that the profile’s files are no longer needed, you can remove the remaining profile folder.
Open File Explorer and go to:
C:\Users
Locate the folder associated with the old profile. Right-click it and select Delete.
Windows may ask for administrator permission. Approve the request if you are certain that the folder belongs to the profile you are removing.
Keep in mind that this step is separate from registry cleanup. Deleting the registry key does not necessarily delete the profile’s files, and deleting the folder does not necessarily remove every Windows account associated with that user.
Check Whether the Windows Account Still Exists
If your goal is to completely remove the user from the computer, you also need to check the account itself.
In Windows 11, go to Settings > Accounts > Other users. In Windows 10, go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users.
Find the account and select the available Remove option if you want to remove the Windows account.
This is an important distinction because registry profile removal and account removal are two different operations. You may only need to remove the registry profile if you are troubleshooting a corrupted profile, while a complete account cleanup may require removing the account separately.
FAQs
Does deleting a user profile from the registry delete the Windows account?
No. Removing the profile’s SID registry key mainly removes Windows’ profile registration. The local or Microsoft account can still exist separately and may need to be removed through Windows account settings.
Where are Windows user profiles stored in the registry?
Windows normally stores user profile registration information under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.
How do I know which SID belongs to a user?
Select the SID under ProfileList and check its ProfileImagePath value. The path usually points to the corresponding profile folder, such as C:\Users\John.
Is it safe to delete ProfileList entries?
It can be safe when you have correctly identified an obsolete profile and have a registry backup. However, deleting the wrong entry can create profile problems. Always verify ProfileImagePath before deleting anything.
Will deleting the registry key remove C:\Users\username?
Not necessarily. The registry entry and the physical profile folder are separate. You may need to remove the remaining folder manually after confirming that its contents are no longer needed.
What should I do if Windows creates a temporary profile?
A temporary profile can indicate a problem with the normal user profile or its registry configuration. Check the relevant ProfileList entries carefully, especially the ProfileImagePath values, and consider backing up important user data before making changes.
Can I delete the profile I am currently using?
You should not remove the registry profile associated with your active Windows session. Sign in with a different administrator account before removing another user’s profile.
Bottom Lines
Removing an obsolete user profile from the Windows 11 or Windows 10 registry can help clean up a corrupted or abandoned profile registration. The key location to remember is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.
The most important part is identifying the correct SID by checking ProfileImagePath. Always create a backup before deleting the registry key, and never remove a SID simply because you do not recognize its name.
Also remember that registry cleanup, account removal, and profile-folder deletion are separate tasks.
If you want a completely clean removal, check all three areas carefully and preserve any personal files you may still need.