Sign-in and lock last interactive user automatically after a restart: registry value DisableAutomaticRestartSignOnComputerHKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

Policy ID: AutomaticRestartSignOn
Scope: Computer Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows 10 Version 1903
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Windows Components › Windows Logon Options

Registry

DisableAutomaticRestartSignOn

REG_DWORDComputer

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System Current key

Enabled value: 0
Disabled value: 1

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]

; Options (use only one)
; Enabled
"DisableAutomaticRestartSignOn"=dword:00000000
; Disabled
"DisableAutomaticRestartSignOn"=dword:00000001

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Enabled
reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System" /v "DisableAutomaticRestartSignOn" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
:: Disabled
reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System" /v "DisableAutomaticRestartSignOn" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Enabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'DisableAutomaticRestartSignOn' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null
# Disabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'DisableAutomaticRestartSignOn' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null