For some reason, Windows 10 makes it a bit of a hunt to get rid of old account pictures. If you're ready to switch back to the default "gray person" icon or just want to clean up your login screen, here is how I handled it. It’s much faster than digging through every setting yourself!
How to Delete Old Account Pictures
If you want to remove account pictures you no longer use, here's a simple way:
- Open File Explorer. You can do this by pressing the Windows key + E on your keyboard.
- In the address bar at the top, paste the following path:
C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\AccountPictures
Important: Make sure to replace <YourUsername> with your actual Windows username. If you're not sure what your username is, you can also just click through the folders to find "AccountPictures" inside your user folder.
- Once you're in that folder, you'll see your old account pictures. You can simply delete the ones you don't want anymore.
How to Go Back to the Default Windows 10 Account Picture
Want to use one of Windows' built-in default pictures instead of your own? Follow these steps:
- Click the Start button (the Windows icon) in the bottom-left corner of your screen, or press the Windows key on your keyboard. This will open the Start Menu.
- Right-click on your current account picture, which is usually in the top-left corner of the Start menu.
- From the options that appear, select "Change account settings." This will open the "Accounts" section in your Windows Settings.
- Under "Create your picture," look for the "Browse for one" button and click it. A new window will pop up for you to choose a picture.
- In the address bar of this new window, copy and paste the following path, then press Enter: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures
- You will now see the default Windows account pictures. Choose the one you want and then click "Choose picture."
And you're all set! Your account picture should be updated immediately.
Source(s):
Gavin, B. (2018, October 18). How to Remove Old User Account Pictures in Windows 10 [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.howtogeek.com/369601/how-to-remove-old-user-account-pictures-in-windows-10/
