[Windows 10 Fun Tip] Disable Login Screen and Lock Screen and Enable Console Mode

Today in this tutorial we are going to share an awesome Registry tweak which will definitely please a lot of Windows 10 users who want to disable Lock Screen and Login Screen.

When Microsoft released the new Windows 10 version, they disabled the previous registry tweak to disable Lock Screen. That’s why we posted a new tutorial to get rid of the Lock Screen in the new Windows 10 builds:

[Tip] Disable or Remove Windows 10 Lock Screen

Advertisement

If you were not satisfied with that method, here is a new trick for you to disable graphical Login Screen (also known as Logon Screen and Welcome Screen) and Lock Screen in Windows 10. With the help of this new method, you’ll be able to replace both Login Screen and Lock Screen with a new text console UI.

Actually Windows 10 comes with a hidden secret Console Mode which can be used to disable graphical Login Screen and Lock Screen and enable a text console (or you can say a terminal) which allows you to enter your password to sign in or to switch between users.

Following is a screenshot of the hidden secret Console Mode live in action:

Windows_10_Console_Mode_LoginUI.png

This Console Mode might be very helpful if you want to disable Lock Screen in Windows 10. Also enabling Console Mode may also speed up your computer as it removes the graphical Login Screen. This Console Mode will completely remove Lock Screen and Login Screen at system startup.

So if you also want to replace Login Screen and Lock Screen with classic Console UI in Windows 10, check out following steps to enable the secret Console Mode:

1. Press “WIN+R” key combination to launch RUN dialog box then type regedit and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.

Advertisement

2. Now go to following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\TestHooks

3. In right-side pane, create a new DWORD ConsoleMode and set its value to 1

Enable_Console_Mode_Windows_10.png

That’s it. Now try to lock your computer by pressing WIN+L keys together to try to restart or log off, you’ll see the new Console UI instead of the graphical Lock Screen and Login Screen.

PS: If you are not familiar with Registry editing and want a ready-made Registry script to do the task automatically, download following ZIP file, extract it and run the extracted REG file. It’ll ask for confirmation, accept it:

The ZIP file also contains a restore registry script to restore graphical Lock Screen and Login Screen.

After using this Registry tweak, the Lock Screen and Login Screen will be completely removed. You’ll always see the text console whenever you login, restart or shutdown your computer. The text console will show all messages such as welcome, restarting, shutting down, etc.

Thanks to our reader “A.J.” for sharing this trick…

PS: If you are wondering what does the other XamlCredUIAvailable DWORD do present under same Registry key, check out following tutorial:

[Tip] Disable Modern UAC Prompt and Credential UI in Windows 10

Published in: Windows 10

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

NOTE: Older comments have been removed to reduce database overhead.

  1. Very good ! So this “stuborn” lockscreen is finally gone , it was useless,time-eating crap !

  2. hey, can anyone help me? my windows button on my key won’t work, can’t fine the answer to make it work again.. please help 🙂

  3. Thank god its gone… This stupid lockscreen was driving me nuts.
    “Windows 10 1607 comes with great new features a lot of users wanted (pssst and it also took some out)”

    Thanks a lot!

  4. Does this also work at startup, such that the system can boot straight to this login console screen? Or will there still be an initial lock screen for which a key stroke or mouse click is required to advance to the login console screen?

  5. Help. My computer is not responding to “ctrl-alt-del” nor the PIN no. The two pop ups cycle about 2 per second. Rebooting my PC does not help.

  6. Awesome trick. Worked like a charm. Thank u VG. Console loads faster than graphical login screen and no more lock screen. Hurrraaahhhh.

  7. Ugh. This ‘Fun Tip’ still does not accomplish this one simple result: To simply get rid of lock screen, and nothing more.

    What we would like to achieve is to merely eliminate the lock screen, and that’s all, exactly as was doable in Win10 prior to the Anniversary Update. No weird ‘console’ stuff or anything else. Simply skip the lock screen and go directly to the normal Windows login screen, where the user can enter his/her PIN or whatever they had previous set up… exactly as was easily achievable prior to Win10-AU.

    Is this possible?

  8. Very useful tip. Thanks. I was mad about the lock screen in anniversary update. Now its gone. Console looks awesome.

  9. i am having my the exact same problem born as David Ling. The unfortunate result is that now I am completely locked out of my computer. The blinking console log on windows are completely unresponsive to any attempt to type anything, including my password. I wish I had set a restore point before making the registry change described in this article. LIVE AND LEARN…

  10. ^^ I didn’t face any problem in using this trick. I have applied this trick on many computers including my friends computers and all are working great.

  11. David Ling and anyone else having the “flashing console login window” problem: I fixed it by following the instructions given for editing the registry in offline mode. You’ll want to load the SOFTWARE hive and delete the “ConsoleMode” key, then reboot and you’ll be back to the original Windows graphical login screen. Thank goodness for the internet!

  12. Works from cold startup, restart for me

    I get a plain black window with nothing in it and may be because my wireless keyboard Logitech K800. I hit enter then it gives the login prompt. Can also double click the Title bar to fill screen and it shows login. No need to Ctrl Alt Del

  13. Loginscreen still shows up and says: Your PC is offline. Please sign in with the last password used on this device/PC….
    So Windows 10 wants to go online while booting and verify password. How to stop Windows 10 trying to go online while booting?

  14. I was hoping this problem would fix the lock screen stall / freeze when resuming from sleep. But it did not, in fact it was slower. It is junk like this lock screen the reason why I am glad Win7 is my main OS. DirectX 12 is not worth all this nonsense.

  15. How can I shutdown in this mode when it doesn’t have any commands available, it only prompts for my password??

  16. “In right-side pane, create a new DWORD ConsoleMode and set its value to 1”

    It works very well. I like it.

    Thank you.

  17. Will this console mode work in Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016 edition as well? I know it works with Windows Version 1603 and before if I remember right?

  18. Dear VG, Great website and thank you for sharing. I am running the October windows build 1806 and have run your reg tweak for removing the log on but it just will not die ! have tried manually as well but no joy !

    Many thanks for the rest of the good work .

  19. Does not work in Windows 10 October Update 2018 64 Bit. Also I cannot restore Classic Clock and Date UI and Classic UAC prompt you mentioned in another post. I think after anniversary update, Microsoft trying to completely remove Classic UI.

  20. Does no longer work on my build 17763.503, I really want to try it when it is full screen (Alt+Enter)

  21. My Windows 10 version is 1903.
    This is not working for my PC.
    What can I do now?

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NOTE: Your comment may not appear immediately. It'll become visible once we approve it.