Customizing temporary user profiles in Windows 11

Question

We need to ensure that no data is retained on our school computers after a student signs out. Currently, we're using temporary accounts. (By creating a user and then deleting the home directory). However, we've encountered some issues. Some essential software like Calendar, Calculator, Notepad, Terminal, etc., don't open in the temporary profiles.

Additionally, I'd like to know how to enforce settings, such as browser preferences, themes and taskbar for the temporary account. Is a temporary account the optimal solution for achieving our goal, or are there better alternatives?

Thank you!

Answer 1

Hi Mas023,

Thanks for your post. Generally speaking, Windows allows multiple users to sign in and use the same device, which is useful in scenarios like touchdown spaces in an enterprise, temporary customer use in retail or shared devices in a school. As more users access the same device, more resources on the devices are used. This can lead to performance issues and a degraded user experience.

To optimize multi-user and guest devices, Windows provides options through a feature called Shared PC. These settings are designed to improve the experience for all users on the device, and to reduce the administrative overhead caused by the maintenance of multiple user profiles.

This article describes the different options available in Shared PC.

Manage multi-user and guest Windows devices - Configure Windows | Microsoft Learn