Replace Default User Account Avatar in Windows 10

Windows 10, by default uses a simple user picture with a grey background and the persona image represented by white curves. The user picture is visible during sign in, as well as in the Start menu as a small rounded thumbnail image. This post explains how to replace the simple user avatar/image with any other image of your choice. After completing the procedure below, new accounts use this image by default.

Replace Default User Acccount Avatar in Windows 10

This procedure is not to be confused with changing the user account picture, which is a different thing. The instructions below is to change the “default” avatar used for new user accounts and existing accounts which don’t have a customized profile picture configured.

  1. Launch File Explorer and browse the following folder. 
    C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures
  2. Change the extension of these files from .PNG to .OLD
    • user.png
    • user-32.png
    • user-40.png
    • user-48.png
    • user-192.png
  3. Once you select the preferred image to be used as the default user avatar, resize them accordingly (see below for dimensions) and name them user.png, user-32.png, user-40.png, user-48.png, and user-192.png respectively. Place the files in the User Account Pictures folder.
    • user.png
    • user-32.png (32×32 pixels)
    • user-40.png (40×40)
    • user-48.png (48×48)
    • user-192.png (192×192)

    I’ve used this user.png image and its resized versions.

    default user account picture avatar in windows 10 user.png

  4. Restart Windows 10. The new avatar will be applied to all user accounts which use the default picture.

default user account picture avatar in windows 10 user.png

default user account picture avatar in windows 10 user.png

Note that the avatar won’t be applied to accounts which have a custom user avatar/image (customized via Settings > Accounts > Create your picture).

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Ramesh Srinivasan is passionate about Microsoft technologies and he has been a consecutive ten-time recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award in the Windows Shell/Desktop Experience category, from 2003 to 2012. He loves to troubleshoot and write about Windows. Ramesh founded Winhelponline.com in 2005.

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5 thoughts on “Replace Default User Account Avatar in Windows 10”

  1. The changes to “defeat” User Account control settings should be no morel complicated than a single click on the question if it has not been turned off before. What is offered here is just too complicated. That click should not only turn it off for all future calls but also mark its name as “OFF” in a list of all such changed applications, with “ON” as the default mark.

    Reply

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