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How can I delete the local user profile on a Windows 7 machine that is connected to a Windows Server 2008 domain?

DelProf doesn't seem to exist on Windows 7.

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  • Rename the folder in users first – user160316 Sep 20 '12 at 7:31
133

You can do it with the User Profiles dialog in System Properties:

  • Log in as different user (with admin privileges) than you want to delete
  • Open Properties for Computer
  • Advanced system settings (on the left side)
  • Settings for User Profiles (in the middle)
  • Select the profile you want to delete and click the delete button

Deleting local user profiles

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  • 2
    Does the command delete only preferences or it also deletes documents? – Paulo Avelar Sep 21 '15 at 16:46
  • @PauloAvelar I second this – audiFanatic Apr 13 '16 at 13:43
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    I am following the steps above, but for the specific profile that I am trying to delete - the delete button is disable. What could be the reason for this? I have logged into an account different from the one that I want to delete. – Moiz Tankiwala Oct 13 '18 at 4:53
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To clear user local profile via registry:

  1. Click Start → Run → Regedit

  2. Navigate to the following registry key :HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

  3. Under ProfileList navigate to binary key’s like this: S-1-5-21-3656904587-1668747452-4095529-500

  4. On the right side under ProfileImagePath you'll see the profile path.

  5. Chose the one with the desired user and delete the long registry key like: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

You will then need to either rename (preferable), or delete the user profile on disk under C:\Users\%username%

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    This official Microsoft KB156826 confirms what you're saying, but goes further saying you can remove ProfileList key in regedit to delete ALL profiles if you desire which is a little surprising to me! – gregg Aug 20 '19 at 20:47
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I have developed an unofficial successor to Microsoft's Delprof called Delprof2. It is syntax compatible to the original but more powerful.

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  • Great piece of software! – Zac B May 30 '12 at 14:57
  • Fantastic! Have been looking for a delprof replacement. – pelms Jul 5 '12 at 9:18
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    Hi Helge, I tested your tool but there is a problem about "not old enough" user thing. The antivirus scan make 1 year old users seems that is active. Is something I'm missing or we can't do anything about it? – emirjonb Jul 30 '15 at 8:17
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GPO: Computer Configuration \ Policies \ Administrative Templates \ System \ User Profiles This seems the perfect answer for deleting old domain usersenter image description here

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