Registry Editor Delete User Profile Safely in Windows

If you deleted a user profile through Windows 11 or Windows 10 User Account settings, Windows removes all files and data. If that happened by mistake, the main recovery paths are System Restore, a ProfileList BAK-key repair, or Advanced Recovery to enable the built-in administrator account.

What you'll need

• Access to the Start menu search if you want to try System Restore.
• A way to open Registry Editor with regedit if you need the BAK-key repair.
• Access to Advanced Recovery if you lost the admin account.
• A restart after each recovery step.

How user profile keys work

Windows stores user profile information in the Windows Registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. Each profile is associated with a SID, and the ProfileImagePath value points to the user profile folder in C:\Users.

The profile entry and the profile folder are separate. If the profile was removed by mistake because you used User Account settings, the account data on disk may be gone. If the problem is corruption or third-party software, the account may still be there and you may be able to restore the mapping.

How the SID and profile path connect

A SID key identifies the account in the registry, while ProfileImagePath shows the folder path Windows expects to use. If the path is wrong or the key is damaged, the sign-in experience can break.

Which profile entry should you delete?

For recovery, do not manually delete random SID keys as a first step. If the profile was removed by accident or corrupted, first try System Restore or the BAK-key repair path. If you reach the registry repair step, locate the profile key that has BAK at the end of the name.

Match the SID to the account

Open regedit from the Run prompt, then go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. Find the profile key with BAK at the end of the name, and compare the associated path to the expected user profile folder in C:\Users.

Delete the profile key safely

If you are using the BAK-key repair approach, delete the key that does not have BAK, then rename the BAK key so it no longer has BAK in the name. Enter the same profile folder path from C:\Users into ProfileImagePath.

1. Type regedit in the Run prompt and press Enter.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.
3. Locate the profile key with BAK at the end of the name.
4. Delete the key which doesn’t have BAK.
5. Rename the BAK key so it does not have BAK anymore.
6. Locate the user profile folder in C:\Users and enter the same path into ProfileImagePath.
7. Restart the computer.

If the account was removed because of corruption or third-party software, this repair can help if the account is still present in the profile list.

When should you delete the folder too?

If the user profile was deleted through User Account settings, Windows removes all files and data, so there may be no folder left to delete. If a profile folder still exists after recovery work, verify that it belongs to the correct account before changing or removing anything else.

After restoring or repairing the profile, restart the computer and check whether the account appears at the login screen.

Use a temporary admin account for locked files

If you lost the admin account, use Advanced Recovery to enable the secret admin account before you try further profile repair.

Profile cleanup decision table

Common mistakes

Do not start by manually deleting ProfileList SID keys when you are trying to recover a missing profile. Use one of the sourced recovery paths first: System Restore, BAK-key repair, or Advanced Recovery. Also avoid vague troubleshooting steps such as waiting for Windows to rebuild something without checking the actual profile entry.

• Skipping recovery: Try System Restore, BAK repair, or Advanced Recovery first.
• Wrong registry key: Work only inside ProfileList.
• Wrong profile path: Confirm the folder in C:\Users.
• No admin access: Enable the built-in administrator account if needed.

How do I delete a user profile from Registry Editor?

If the profile was removed by mistake, Registry Editor is not the first recovery step. First try System Restore. If that does not help and the profile entry is damaged, use the BAK-key repair in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.

1. Type System Restore in the Start menu search.
2. Click Recovery, then select Open System Restore to get a list of dates.
3. Select one of the dates at which the account existed and choose to restore.
4. Restart the computer and check whether the account appears at the login screen.

Which registry key contains Windows user profiles?

The user profile entries are stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. If you are repairing a missing profile, look for the key with BAK at the end of the name and update the ProfileImagePath value with the correct folder path from C:\Users.

What happens if I delete a user profile registry entry?

If you delete the wrong profile entry, Windows may no longer know where the account profile belongs. For recovery, avoid guessing and use the sourced repair steps instead. If the account was removed through User Account settings, the profile files and data were removed as well.

How do I remove an old user profile that won’t delete?

If the profile is missing because of corruption or third-party software, first try System Restore. If the profile entry remains damaged, use the BAK-key repair. If you lost admin access, use Advanced Recovery to enable the built-in administrator account.

Should I back up the registry before deleting a profile key?

If you are doing the BAK-key repair, make a careful change only after you have confirmed the correct profile path in C:\Users. A restore point is useful for broader recovery, and System Restore is the first recovery path to try when the account was removed accidentally.

What is the difference between deleting the registry entry and deleting the profile folder?

Deleting a registry entry changes how Windows maps the account profile. Deleting the profile folder removes the files stored on disk. If the profile was deleted through User Account settings, Windows removes all files and data, so recovery depends on restoring the account rather than cleaning up the folder.

How do I delete a profile from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE without breaking Windows?

For a missing or removed profile, do not treat manual deletion as the fix. Use System Restore if you deleted the profile accidentally, or use the BAK-key repair if the account is still present but the registry entry is corrupted. If you cannot sign in as an administrator, use Advanced Recovery to enable the secret administrator account.

Why does a user profile come back after I delete it?

If the account was removed because of corruption or third-party software, the account may still be there and can reappear after repair. After restoring the profile or fixing the BAK entry, restart the computer and check the login screen.