Windows Vista · How-To

Enable a more Classic log on style in Windows Vista

Kristan Kenney · · Restored archive post · Edited by Muhd Radhi Wahab
Restored from the windows-now.com archive. This guide was originally published by Kristan Kenney on 7 December 2006. It is reproduced faithfully for its historical and reference value, with the original author and date credited. If you are the author and would like this amended or removed, contact us.

If you are used to the old style logon screen from Windows 2000 and Windows XP (where you typed in your user name and password), you may be a little shell-shocked to find that you cannot disable the Welcome Screen in Windows Vista, which also means you cannot revert to the older style of logon screen, and the only way to achieve this functionality was to be joined to a domain... until now.

This guide applies to:

  • Windows Vista Business
  • Windows Vista Enterprise
  • Windows Vista Ultimate

The tool we will be working with today is called the Windows Local Security Policy Editor, or "secpol".

To launch the Local Security Policy Editor:

  1. Click on Start, and then click on Control Panel.
  2. Click on "System and Maintenance".
  3. Click on "Administrative Tools".
  4. Double click on "Local Security Policy", and if User Account Control prompts you for consent, click on "Continue".

In the Local Security Policy editor you will see two panes, one on the left with tree-view navigation and one on the right which will have the actual definitions and items to edit.

On the left hand side, expand (either by clicking on the arrow or double clicking) the "Local Policies" section, and then click on "Security Options".

On the right hand side, scroll down until you see "Interactive logon: Do not display last user name". Double click on this entry and you will be presented with a dialog box that has two options - "Enabled" and "Disabled", with Disabled being selected as default. Change this setting to "Enabled", and then click on the OK button.

Now locate the entry "Interactive logon: Do not require CTRL+ALT+DEL" and double click on it. Again, you will see two settings, "Enabled" and "Disabled", although neither will be selected by default. Select the "Disabled" option, and then click on the OK button.

Close the Local Security Policy editor and log off. You will now see that you are required to press CTRL-ALT-DEL and after doing this you will be prompted with a more "classic" style log on screen where you can type your user name and password.

Frequently asked

Which tool is used to enable the classic logon style in Windows Vista?

The Windows Local Security Policy Editor, or "secpol". You open it from Control Panel under System and Maintenance, then Administrative Tools, and change two settings under Local Policies, Security Options.

Which editions of Windows Vista does this guide apply to?

It applies to Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise and Windows Vista Ultimate, which include the Local Security Policy editor.