When you open the Start menu in Windows 11, your account name and profile picture are displayed in the bottom-left corner by default. Which isn't really an issue if you're just using your computer at home. However, if you are streaming things and don't want to share this information or spend ages blurring it out, this article will show you how to hide your name and profile picture from the Start Menu on Windows 11.

Takeaways:

  1. Is there a way to hide your account name and profile picture on the Windows 11 Start Menu?
  2. Is there a Streaming Mode Option for Windows 11 that hides your name, profile picture and email from the Start Menu and Settings Pages?

How to Hide Your Name and Profile Picture in the Start Menu on Windows 11

Starting with Windows Update KB5120998, Microsoft has finally added an option that lets you hide your account name and profile picture from the Start menu. This means you no longer need to use third-party tools or workarounds to remove this information. There are two ways to hide your account name and profile picture in the Windows 11 Start menu:

  • Using the Settings app
  • Using the Registry Editor

Either option gets you the same result, but the Settings app method is 100x easier, so use that if you have the choice.

Using the Settings App

The easiest way to hide your account information is through Windows 11 Settings. Follow these steps:

  • Press Win + I to open the Settings app.
  • Select Personalisation from the left sidebar.
  • Click Start.
  • Scroll down until you find the Other section.
  • Turn on the Hide your name and profile picture on Start option.

Hide Your Name and Profile Picture in the Start Menu on Windows 11

Once the option is enabled, open the Start menu to check the change. If it worked, and it should, your account name and profile picture will no longer be displayed in the bottom-left corner. Instead of showing your account name, Windows will show My Account when you move the mouse pointer over the account icon.

Using the Registry Editor

If you prefer to use the Windows Registry (I think your mental), you can also enable the feature by changing a Registry value. Before making any changes, it's a good idea to make a backup of the Registry or at least a system restore point.

After creating a backup, here are the steps to follow:

  • Type regedit in the Windows Search box and press Enter.
  • If the User Account Control prompt appears, select Yes.
  • Navigate to the following Registry path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Start

  • Look for the HideUserInformation DWORD (32-bit) Value.
  • Double-click HideUserInformation to open its edit window.
  • Enter 1 in the Value data field.
  • Click OK.

The change will hide your account name and profile picture from the Start menu.

How to Show Your Name and Profile Picture Again

If you later decide to display your account information in the Start menu, you can reverse the Registry change.

  • Open the following Registry path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Start

  • Double-click HideUserInformation and change its Value data from 1 to 0. Click OK to save the change.

Your account name and profile picture can then be displayed in the Start menu again.