How do I remove Ntuser.dat file from Windows 10? and what is Ntuser.dat file.
When you create a new user profile in Windows 10, the operating system needs to store your settings somewhere. You might think that this information is stored in the Windows registry, but this is not entirely true. Although some information is stored in the registry, your user profile settings are usually stored in NTUSER.DAT.
The NTUSER.DAT file is very important – without it, no personal settings made to your account will be saved. If you accidentally delete the NTUSER.DAT file or the file becomes corrupted, you will not be able to log in without fixing the problem. If you’re having trouble with NTUSER.DAT, here’s what you need to know.
What Is the NTUSER.DAT File in Windows 10?
When you make changes to your account in Windows 10, the changes need to be saved somewhere. There is no obvious place for this, because this location is usually hidden from view, but the file you are looking for is in your user profile folder (C: Users).
This is the NTUSER.DAT file, which serves as a permanent library of your custom settings. This file dates back to the earliest days of the Windows NT operating system, first launched in 1993. When you log into a user profile, the changes are saved locally in the Windows registry (in HKEY_CURRENT_USER).
When you log off, restart, or shut down your computer, this information is saved in the NTUSER.DAT file for safekeeping. After you log into your account again, the NTUSER.DAT file (and the information it contains) is loaded back into the registry.
The NTUSER.DAT file ensures that any personalization you make to your account is always available when you log in, and will separate your settings from other user profiles. If it gets corrupted or if you delete the file manually, your custom settings will be lost.
Why You Shouldn’t Delete the NTUSER.DAT File
Most users are unaware of the existence of the NTUSER.DAT file, let alone its importance. If you go to your user profile folder in the C: Users folder, you usually won’t see the file there. This is because important files like NTUSER.DAT are usually hidden to avoid accidental deletion.
Even if you show hidden files on your PC, it is not recommended to delete the NTUSER.DAT file. Removing it will delete all of your custom settings and damage your profile. The next time you log on, Windows will inform you that you cannot log in.
When this happens, Windows creates a temporary user profile (in the C: Users TEMP folder) rather than logging into its account. The NTUSER.DAT file for your own user profile is not re-created, so you cannot save any settings. In some cases, Windows may not allow logon at all.
If you delete the NTUSER.DAT file, you will need to replace it with a genuine alternative by first creating a new account and then copying the NTUSER.DAT file of that user profile to the old account profile folder.
How to Remove NTUSER.DAT in Windows 10
As we just explained, deleting the NTUSER.DAT file is not recommended for most users, as it might block access to your account. However, there is a limited use case where deleting a file can fix certain problems with your user profile.
For example, if the file is already corrupted in some way, deleting NTUSER.DAT and replacing it may fix the problem. For this to work, you need three user accounts: one corrupted account, one account with administrator privileges from which you can make changes, and one account with a fresh NTUSER.DAT file to copy.
- First, log into your second user account with administrator rights (but not the account from which you are copying NTUSER.DAT). Once logged in, open File Explorer and use the address bar or navigation options to open the C: Users folder.
- In the C: Users folder, open the user folder for the account with the NTUSER.DAT file you want to delete. If you do not see the NTUSER.DAT file in the list, you need to allow access to hidden files. To do this, choose View> Hidden Files using the ribbon bar.
how to delete ntuser.dat file in windows 10
- If hidden files are enabled, you should see the NTUSER.DAT file listed. If you only want to temporarily delete the file (so it won’t work), right-click it and choose Rename. Rename the file to something obvious, like NTUSER.DAT.OLD. This will allow you to restore the file later if you run into any problems.
- If you want to completely delete the file, right-click the NTUSER.DAT file and select the Delete option. If necessary, select any options on the screen to confirm file deletion.
- Depending on the size of the file, you may need to empty the trash next time. To do this, double-click the trash can icon on your desktop.
- In the Trash folder, right-click the NTUSER.DAT file and select the Delete option. Alternatively, click the Empty Trash button on the ribbon bar.
After deleting or renaming the NTUSER.DAT file, the user profile settings for this account are no longer present. You will need to re-enter the new NTUSER.DAT file by following these steps, or completely delete the user account in Windows settings.
Recovering a Corrupted User Profile
If you deleted the NTUSER.DAT file, chances are you won’t be able to sign in to your account again. If you can log in, Windows can create a temporary user profile, which means that any settings or changes to your profile are not saved across log out or restart.
If your user profile is damaged, you can copy the NTUSER.DAT file from another user profile to the C: Users folder of the damaged account. It is best to copy NTUSER.DAT from a completely new user account, as it will be as close to the default profile as possible.
- Assuming you have a new user profile ready to be copied, sign in to the administrator account (but not to the account from which you are copying NTUSER.DAT). Using File Explorer, open the C: Users folder for another account with an intact NTUSER.DAT file, then enable viewing of hidden files by choosing View> Hidden Files.
- With hidden files enabled, right-click the NTUSER.DAT file and select Copy. Using the address bar or navigation menu on the left, navigate to the C: Users folder for the user profile with the corrupted or deleted NTUSER.DAT file.
- After navigating to the user profile with the damaged or deleted NTUSER.DAT file, right-click on an empty spot and select Paste. This will insert a copy of the second account’s NTUSER.DAT file into the original account.
After logging out, log into the recovered user account. Windows will read from the new NTUSER.DAT file and let you log in at this point. If successful, you can make changes to the personalization settings (including the background) to restore the original profile as much as possible.
Maintaining Windows 10
Deleting the NTUSER.DAT file is not recommended for most users, but it can help reset a user profile that has been corrupted in some way. A corrupted user profile indicates other problems with your computer, so it might be worth performing some regular maintenance tasks, including checking for corrupted system files.
Regular maintenance is important, so remember to regularly scan for malware and back up your hard drive. If your PC isn’t working, it might be time to consider resetting Windows 10 completely or updating your PC by replacing your faulty hardware with more modern components.
- With the copied NTUSER.DAT file installed, sign out of your existing account by right-clicking the Start menu and choosing Shut Down or Sign Out> Sign Out.
- –
How do I remove Ntuser.dat file from Windows 10? and what is Ntuser.dat file
How do I remove Ntuser.dat file from Windows 10? and what is Ntuser.dat file