How to delete a Windows or macOS user account

Updated: 12/31/2020 by Computer Hope

If many people use a computer, it may have multiple user accounts. Sometimes, you need to clean up the user accounts and delete those that are unused or unwanted. To learn how to delete a user account on a Mac or Windows-based PC, select your operating system from the following list for instructions.

Windows 8 and 10

1. Press the Windows key, type Control Panel, and then press Enter.
2. Under the User Accounts section, click User Accounts.

3. Click the Remove user accounts link.

4. Select the user account you want to delete.
5. On the Change an Account screen, click Delete the account.

5. If you want to keep any files associated with the user account, click Keep Files. If you want to remove all files associated with the user account, click Delete Files.
6. Click Delete Account to confirm user account deletion.

Windows Vista and 7

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Click the User Accounts option.
3. Click User Accounts again, then the Manage User Accounts option.
4. On the Users tab, find the user account you want to delete under the Users for this computer section. Click that user account name.
5. Click the Delete this account option on the left side of the window.
6. If you want to keep any files associated with the user account, click Keep Files. If you want to remove all files associated with the user account, click Delete Files.
7. Click Delete Account to confirm user account deletion.

Windows XP

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Double-click the User Accounts option.
3. Click the user account name you want to delete.
4. Click the Delete the account option.
5. If you want to keep any files associated with the user account, click Keep Files. If you want to remove all files associated with the user account, click Delete Files.

macOS

1. In the menu bar, click the icon to open the Apple menu.
2. In the Apple menu, click System Preferences.

3. Click the Users & Groups shortcut icon.

4. Click the lock symbol in the lower-left corner of the Users & Groups window.

5. When prompted, enter your password and click the Unlock button.
6. On the left side of the window, select the account you want to delete.
7. Below the list of users, click the remove button, which looks like a minus sign.
8. If you want to keep files associated with the user account on the computer, select the Save the home folder in a disk image or Don’t change the home folder option. If you want to remove all files associated with the user account, select the Delete the home folder option.
9. Click Delete User to confirm user account deletion.