If your computer has multiple user accounts, Windows allows switching user accounts with just a few clicks. Every user account active in the background consumes your computer resources like the RAM and processing power to stay active. This can potentially slow down the current active user session.
When the user is no longer available or actively using the computer, it is better to log them out. That way, you can restore the system resources and in the event of sudden shutdowns, prevent data loss. In this tutorial, we will show you two methods to sign out other users on your computer. Let’s get started.
Note: The below steps are tested to work on Windows 11 & 10.
Note: You need administrator rights to sign out other users from your user session.
Steps to Sign Out Other Users on Windows 11 & 10
Using Task Manager
Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager. You can also press the Ctrl + Shift + Esc shortcut.
In the Task Manager, go to the Users tab.
On the right panel, right-click on the user you want to sign out and select the Sign Off option.
In the confirmation prompt, click the Sign Out User button and you are done. As soon as you do that, Windows closes all open programs, running processes, & files, and signs out the user.
Using Command Prompt
As an alternative, you can also use the Command Prompt method to log out other users on your computer. This method is very helpful for those who are comfortable using command-line tools and who want to create custom automation.
First, search cmd in the Windows search bar.
Right-click on the Command Prompt option and select Run as Administrator.
In the command window, run query session command to list all currently logged in users. Note down the ID of the user you want to log out.
Next, run the logoff userID command while replacing the userID with the actual ID of the user you want to sign out.
As soon as you run the command, Windows closes all open applications, processes, and files and logs out the user. To verify the user is logged out, run the query session command again.
And there you have it! When you have multiple users logged in, it’s that simple to sign them out from your user account. Keep in mind that, if there is any unsaved work in the user accounts you are signing out, it will be lost. So, be careful and only use it last restore. Preferably, always tell the user to log into their user account, save any unsaved work, and then log out. Also, if you no longer use a user account, it is better to remove it.