How to Delete Domain User Profile from Registry in Windows 11?

To delete a domain user profile from the registry in Windows 11, follow these steps using an administrator account:

1. Sign in as an Administrator: Ensure you are logged in with an account that has administrative privileges.

2. Access System Properties: Type sysdm.cpl in the search bar on the taskbar and press Enter. This will open the System Properties window.

3. Navigate to User Profiles:

   • In the System Properties window, click on the "Advanced" tab.
   • In the "User Profiles" section, click the "Settings" button. This will open the User Profiles window.

4. Delete the User Profile:

   • In the User Profiles window, select the domain user profile you want to delete. Important: Make sure you are deleting the correct profile. Incorrect deletions can lead to data loss. Verify based on the username.
   • Click the "Delete" button.
   • Confirm the deletion when prompted.

5. Registry Cleaning (Optional, for Advanced Users): Although the previous steps should remove the profile, sometimes residual registry entries remain. Use caution when editing the registry as incorrect changes can cause system instability.

   • Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
   • Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
   • Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.
   • Under the ProfileList key, you will see several subkeys, each representing a user profile. These subkeys are named with a Security Identifier (SID). Identify the subkey corresponding to the user profile you just deleted. You can typically identify the correct key by inspecting the ProfileImagePath value within each subkey, which should point to the deleted user's profile folder (e.g., C:\Users\DomainUsername).
   • Back up the key you are about to delete. Right-click the key and select "Export". Save the .reg file to a safe location. This allows you to restore the key if something goes wrong.
   • Right-click the identified subkey and select "Delete".
   • Confirm the deletion.

6. Restart Your Computer: Restarting your computer after deleting the profile from the settings and registry helps ensure all changes are applied correctly.

Warning: Deleting a user profile will remove all associated data, including documents, settings, and other files specific to that user account. Ensure you have backed up any necessary data before proceeding. Also, be extremely cautious when editing the registry; always back up keys before deleting them.