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How Can I Easily Disable or Enable Windows 8/Windows 8.1 Built-In Guest Account?

This Tutorial addresses:
  • Windows 8
  • Authentication
  • Computers
Since no password authentication is required while logging on to a PC remotely when the built-in Guest account is enabled, by default the account is disabled for security reasons. When the built-in Guest account is disabled, any user that wants to access the computer remotely is required to provide the user account and password of any authenticated user account that resides on the target computer. In case the user fails to provide the correct credentials, the request to access the PC remotely is denied by the operating system whatsoever.

Likewise, when the built-in Guest account is enabled, Windows 8/Windows 8.1 uses the credentials of the Guest account, and allows the remote user to access the PC with the restricted and very limited privileges that the Guest account by default has.

Enabling or disabling built-in Guest account is inversely proportional to the Password Protected Sharing feature that is available in all the latest versions of Microsoft operating systems. In other words, when the built-in Guest account is disabled, the Password Protected Sharing enforces the remote user to provide the credentials of any authenticated user account on the remote PC. On the other hand, when the built-in Guest account is enabled, the Password Protected Sharing automatically is turned off, hence allowing the remote users to log on to the PC without providing any password.

Considering the above behavior, the simplest way to enable or disable the built-in Guest account is to disable or enable the Password Protected Sharing respectively on the target Windows 8/Windows 8.1 computer.

Since enabling the built-in Guest account disables the Password Protected Sharing on the target computer, it is not a very good idea to do so for obvious security reasons. However if you still want to enable the account for testing purposes or for any other reason, you must follow the instructions as described below:

  1. Log on to Windows 8/ Windows 8.1 from any account.
  2. On the Start screen, click the Desktop tile.
  3. From the notifications area at the bottom-right corner, right-click the Networks icon.
  4. From the displayed list, click Open Network and Sharing Center.

  5. On the Network and Sharing Center window, in the left pane click Change advanced sharing settings.

  6. On the Advanced sharing settings window, at the bottom, click the down button under the All Networks section.

  7. From the expanded All Networks options, under Password protected sharing, click to select the Turn off password protected sharing button to disabled the built-in Guest account.
  8. To re-enable the built-in Guest account, click to select Turn on password protected sharing.

  9. Click Save Changes to save the modified settings.


  • 10. Close all the opened boxes and windows when done.
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