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| Manage multi-user and guest Windows devices | options to optimize Windows devices used in shared scenarios, such touchdown spaces in an enterprise, temporary customer use in retail or shared devices in a school. | 10/15/2022 | windows | windows | conceptual | medium | paolomatarazzo | paoloma | aaroncz |
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Manage multi-user and guest Windows devices with Shared PC
Windows allows multiple users to sign in and use the same device. This is useful in scenarios where multiple people need to use the same device, such as touchdown spaces in an enterprise, temporary customer use in retail or shared devices in a school. As more users access the same device, more resources on the devices are used. This can lead to performance issues and a degraded user experience.
To optimize the experience, Windows provides options to manage multi-user and guest Windows devices. Shared PC is a Windows feature that offers settings for shared devices and optimizes Windows clients for such scenarios. These settings are designed to improve the experience for all users on the device, and to reduce administrative overhead caused by the maintenance of multiple user profiles.
In this article, you will learn about the different options available in Shared PC.
Shared PC mode
A Windows device enabled for Shared PC mode is designed to be maintenance-free with high reliability. Devices configured in Shared PC mode have different settings configured in the local group policy, which are designed to improve the experience for all users accessing a shared device.
Account models
Shared PC offers the possibility to enable a Guest option on the sign-in screen. The Guest option doesn't require any user credentials or authentication, and creates a new local account each time it's used with access to the desktop. A Guest button is shown on the logon screen that a user can select.
:::image type="content" source="./images/win11-sharedpc-guest.png" alt-text="Windows 11 sign-in screen with Guest option enabled." border="True":::
Shared PC also offers a Kiosk mode, which automatically executes a specific application when the kiosk account signs-in. This is useful in scenarios where the device is accessed for a specific purpose, such as test taking in a school.
:::image type="content" source="./images/win11-sharedpc-kiosk.png" alt-text="Windows 11 sign-in screen with Guest and Kiosk options enabled." border="True":::
Account management
When account management is configured, user profiles are automatically deleted to free up disk space and resources. Account management is performed both at sign-off time (to make sure there is enough disk space for the next user) as well as during system maintenance time periods. Shared PC mode can be configured to delete accounts immediately at sign-out, based on disk space threshold, or based on inactivity threshold.
Important
Shared PC is designed to take advantage of maintenance time periods, which run while the device is not in use. Therefore, devices should be put to sleep instead of shut down. This way, a device can wake up to perform maintenance and, ideally, check for updates. While Shared PC does not configure the Windows Update client, it is recommended to configure Windows Update to automatically install updates and reboot during maintenance hours. This will help ensure the device is always up to date without interrupting users when the device is in use.
Power management
Shared devices require special considerations regarding power settings. Shared PC makes it easy to configure power settings for shared devices. The power settings are configured in the local group policy, and are designed to improve the experience for all users accessing a shared device.
Note
Devices without Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) wake alarms, Shared PC will always override real-time clock (RTC) wake alarms to be allowed to wake the PC from sleep (by default, RTC wake alarms are off). This ensures that the widest variety of hardware will take advantage of maintenance periods.
Additional information
- To configure Shared PC mode, see Configure Shared PC mode.
- For a list of settings configured by the different options offered by Shared PC mode, see the Shared PC technical reference.
- For a list of settings exposed by the SharedPC configuration service provider, see SharedPC CSP.
- For a list of settings exposed by Windows Configuration Designer, see SharedPC CSP.