Is there a quicker way to switch user accounts on Windows 7?

5

In our household multiple people use Windows 7 on one machine, each with his own account.

To switch, we do this:

  • press WINDOWS-L
  • click "switch user" (wait 3-4 seconds)
  • click on user icon
  • type in password
  • press enter (wait 2-3 seconds)

Is there a faster way to quickly log into another account?

Edward Tanguay

Posted 2010-07-19T22:39:43.973

Reputation: 11 955

Answers

4

See this post, it is for Vista but should work for W7. The only other thing that could speed up the process is to remove the passwords from the accounts.

http://blog.dotsmart.net/2008/01/17/shortcut-to-switch-user-in-windows-vista/

Moab

Posted 2010-07-19T22:39:43.973

Reputation: 54 203

1

Yes, there is a quicker way Press Ctrl + Alt + Del, then click switch user, etc.

If time is important to you you will save around 3 sec!

avi

Posted 2010-07-19T22:39:43.973

Reputation: 19

This saves nothing at all. The results are identical to pressing Windows-L instead of Ctrl-Alt-Del, except that you get a different screen to click "switch user" on. Most importantly, even with Ctrl-Alt-Del, there's still a delay of a couplefew seconds after clicking "switch user". (OK, I lied, it saves about a quarter of a second, since I can touch-type Ctrl-Alt-Del, whereas I use the Windows key so rarely that I have to look at the keyboard to find it.) – David Richerby – 2015-10-02T09:23:29.090

0

There is no faster way, there has to be some way to tell the computer you want to switch users (WINDOWS-L). Then you need to choose which user you want. Then you need to authenticate (unless you remove the password).

There's absolutely no quicker way to do this other than just using a single account. What steps could be removed, you will still have to select the account and type in a password. You will still have to activate some change user window.

Maybe if you just each want your own desktop you could get a windowing program (makes multiple desktops which each hold their own windows. Here's one http://virtuawin.sourceforge.net/

Daisetsu

Posted 2010-07-19T22:39:43.973

Reputation: 5 195

I thought maybe a hover-over selection of the user you want, password, then a quick flip to the account seen as I have 4 GB of RAM that it could probably cache the other user accounts in. Currently if someone just wants to check their e-mails quickly, it takes 20 long seconds with lots of clicking and logging in etc., it just seems you would be able to flip over to the other account and flip back somehow if you have enough memory. – Edward Tanguay – 2010-07-19T23:25:03.897

You just described the exact way MAC OS X handles fast user switching. Mac has better UI for some things and that's part of why it costs more. – Daisetsu – 2010-07-19T23:36:50.920

1

Just found a very quick solution. It allows you to switch users with a Hotkey or shortcut. http://www.waybeyonduk.com/DUST/ Unfortunately though it's not freeware ($15) after a 30 day trial. It may be worth it though.

– Daisetsu – 2010-07-19T23:49:22.027