Do you experience the “Someone else is still using this PC” pop-up when restarting or shutting down your Windows computer? Is there a side message that any unsaved data will be lost to other users on the device? Don't let these pop-ups scare you off.
Warnings that point to concurrent logins don't necessarily mean someone is logged into your PC. In most cases, the error is caused by instances of invalid user logins, but sometimes it shows up with no traceable cause. However, the error is easy to resolve and does not require any advanced troubleshooting techniques. The following Microsoft recommended fixes for Windows 11 and Windows 10 can get rid of this error message.
1. Remove other local accounts on PC
It's common to have multiple user accounts on a single device without the primary PC user - you - knowing that the account exists. These sub-local accounts may have been set up during Windows installation or for a specific purpose, such as kiosk mode setup. Therefore, you should first consider getting rid of these unnecessary accounts.
1. Start the Run dialog box with Windows + R and enter netplwiz, which stands for Network Places Wizard. This command is concerned with managing multiple user accounts enabled on your system.
2. Check if there are any extra users in the Users for this computer space. They can be assigned to the Administrators group.
3. Delete additional user accounts. It's easy to identify them because the option to delete your main admin account will be disabled.
4. Press Windows + L to check the lock screen status on your device. Secondary local user accounts will not show up after removing them from the netplwiz User Accounts window.
5. Alternatively, you can select Family options for your Windows device from System settings.
6. If there are multiple user accounts in Family & other users, consider deleting those that are not listed as Organizer.
2. Enable secure login
For added security, Windows offers a secure login option that requires users to press Ctrl + Alt + Delete on the lock screen to access the desktop. While it may feel tedious at first to use this shortcut, know that it's the safest way to sign in to your device - it's safe from any malicious programs trying to copy it. Copy fake login information.
1. Open the Run dialog box Windows + R and enter netplwiz to open the User Accounts panel.
2. Go to the Advanced tab and check the Secure sign-in box. In the future, all logins will have to go through the Ctrl + Alt + Delete process.
3. To unlock your PC, instead of Ctrl + Alt + Delete, you can also press and hold the power button, then press the volume down button.
3. Check failed login attempt using Event Viewer
Windows has a great Event Viewer application that keeps track of every activity on your PC and includes any background processes. Using its auditing capabilities, it is very easy to track all successful and failed login attempts. If you're not sure which credentials were disabled during the login process, you'll find out here. This makes it easy for you to perform any repair actions.
1. From the search bar, search for the Event Viewer application and run it with admin rights.
2. Event Viewer gives a quick view of all errors on Windows. As long as the bug isn't labeled serious, there's nothing to worry about. Check the error section for any errors caused by the logged in user.
3. If no useful log instances show up on the main window, navigate to Windows Logs > Security from the sidebar to view recent security-related events on your device.
4. Focus on the task category Logon. It will have an event ID, such as 4624, associated with any successful and failed login attempts to Windows.
5. If the login event shows audit failure in the details pane, this is your first clue about user authentication problems on the device.
6. Go to the Details tab of the failed login attempt and find the failed login attempt. It is definitely associated with a local user account which you can see under TargetUserName.
7. Consider removing the error-prone local user account from the PC.
8. If the failed login is due to some other reason, such as third-party anti-virus software, some update or incomplete process, you can take remedial steps like discussed in the next few solutions.
4. Check Task Manager for unfinished tasks
Usually, unfinished tasks in Windows can lead to the Someone else is still using this PC error. These jobs are usually queued print jobs and need to be resolved immediately. If there are still some traces of other users' activity on your PC, they should also be removed from the queue. The Task Manager in Windows is the best place to reach these error sources.
1. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Alt + Delete and go to the Users tab.
2. Check if other user's activity is visible on your device and right click to end those actions for that user. If only the Admin user is displayed, nothing needs to be done.
3. Go to the Processes tab to view any unfinished print jobs. End them with a right click, then shut down and restart your device.
5. Install pending updates
If you haven't updated your Windows PC in a while, incomplete updates can cause user login problems, as all Windows updates are tied to your login credentials. system users. The best way to deal with these errors is to manage and complete your Windows updates.
1. Search for Check for Updates in the Windows search bar and look for any incomplete updates.
2. Finish downloading updates and restart your PC.
3. In the future, you won't have problems because your local user account accumulates incomplete updates.
6. Uninstall and reinstall third-party antivirus software
Windows Defender is the default antivirus in all Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices. Although you can use third-party antivirus in addition to Windows Defender, this may not be necessary and sometimes when it's not worth the trouble. The challenge is that when third-party antivirus is active, Windows Defender's Real-time protection feature is disabled by default. You cannot re-enable it without first uninstalling the antivirus.
If you notice user account issues on your Windows PC, you should temporarily uninstall your antivirus from “Add or Remove Programs”. You can reinstall it later if you find it necessary for your computing tasks.
7. Run System Restore to Troubleshoot User Accounts
If you are not sure what is causing the user authentication problem on your device and if Event Viewer's testing is too vague in details, you may consider running System Restore to fix the problem user account.
8. Reset requires login
On Windows devices, you can use a variety of sign-in options, such as a text-based password, PIN (Windows Hello), physical security key, or picture password. When having problems with user authentication, you should Reset your credentials on the device and reboot.
1. Go to Accounts > Sign-in options and change the sign-in process for your device.
2. If you use a password, click Change.
3. You will be taken through a set of instructions to modify the password for the main admin user.
4. Reboot your device with the new password. After successful authentication, any future problems caused by multiple logins will resolve on their own.
Note: It's much easier to use Windows Hello, a 4-digit PIN requires a one-time setup, instead of a password.
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