How to Access Switch Users on Windows Vista Home

Windows Vista user accounts are useful if you share a computer with others. Users can access the computer as a standard user, administrator or guest, and each user can have his or her own settings, files and desktop themes. You can quickly switch users from the Vista "Start" menu and you don't even have to close your work or log off.

Instructions

1. Save any open files before you switch users.

2. Click the "Start" button.

3. Click the arrow just to the right of the button that looks like a lock.

4. Choose "Switch User" option and click on the new user's name.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to completely log off before you switch users, just close open files and programs and click "Log Off" instead of "Switch User."

• If you leave unsaved files open under your user account and the next user shuts the computer down, you will lose anything that was not saved.

References

• Windows Support: What is a user account?
• Windows Support: Switch users without logging off