When you encounter the Windows 10/11 User Profile Cannot Be Loaded error, you are unable to access your files and desktops, which often leads to delays in important tasks. Fortunately, we have included a number of workable solutions in this article to fix this Windows problem and restore normal functionality to your PC.
Why Can’t User Profile Be Loaded in Windows 10
Many typical causes why User Profile Service sign-in efforts fail include:
- broken system files
- User data file (NTUSER.DAT) is corrupt.
- Invalid Permission Setting Configuration
- wrong registry settings.
- The User Profile Service is not starting.
Method 1: Boot PC in Safe Mode
Many dangerous software applications can’t run on a computer that has been launched into safe mode. You may search for and remove illegally applications that could be messing with your user profile more successfully by using this procedure.
- Go to Settings, choose Update & Security, and then choose Recovery in the left pane.
- Next, select Advanced startup and click Restart now.
After restarting, the Windows Recovery Environment (RE) will launch on your computer. - Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options, and then click Startup Settings and See more recovery options in the pop-up box.
- Select Restart from the Startup Settings screen.
- A window displaying boot options will appear. To boot the computer in safe mode, press the F4 or 4 key.
Method 2: Set PC to Normal Startup via MSCONFIG
Errors of this nature can come from disabled Windows services. To resolve this, you can return to the standard setup mode.
- Use Method 1 to boot your computer into Safe Mode.
- To open the Run command box, use the Windows key + R.
- In order to open the System Configuration window, type msconfig into the text area and hit Enter.
- Select Normal startup from the Startup menu on the General tab, then click Apply.
- Select Enable all at the bottom of the window by moving to the Services tab.
- Select Apply, OK, and restart your computer.
Method 3: Restart User Profile Related Services
when issues arise with user profile-related services that make it difficult to log in, access files, or run particular apps. By returning these services to their default or working condition, restarting them may help in fixing these problems.
- To launch the Run command box, use the Windows key + R.
- To launch the Windows Services window, type services.msc and press Enter.
- To restart the User Profile Service, right-click on it and choose Restart from the drop-down option that shows.
Method 4: Reset Profile Folder Permissions
Another reason why the user profile won’t load in Windows 10 or 11 is incorrect profile permission setup. Users often make thoughtless changes to these settings.
- Choose Properties while the Default folder is open.
- Select Edit under the Security tab. Verify the following permission settings are active on your computer:
- Owner: SYSTEM
- Everyone: Study and take action
- SYSTEM: Total Command
- Administrators: Complete Command
- Users: Browse and take action
- Select Advanced > Modify Permissions if it isn’t already.
- Click OK after selecting the option to replace all permission entries from child objects with inheritable permission entries from this object.
All nested files and folders will have their permissions reset as a result.
Method 5: Repair Corrupt System Files
Use the built-in tools to scan and fix flawed system files if you come upon them. Problems like as damaged files and incorrect sectors can be resolved by running the DISM and System File Checker (SFC) scans. To address With Windows 10/11, the user profile cannot be loaded. To fix this, refer to our tutorial on fixing system files on Windows 10.
Method 6: Replace the NTUSER.DAT
User profile settings and preferences are saved in the NTUSER.dat file, which can become corrupt and cause the Windows 10 problem “user profile cannot be loaded.” You can now replace the file to repair it.
- Launch PowerShell for Windows as an administrator.
- To rename the current NTUSER.DAT file in the impacted user’s profile directory, run the following command:
- Use the following command to replace the C:\Users\Default directory file with the NTUSER.DAT file:
- Try signing in as the affected user after restarting the computer.
Method 7: Perform System Restore
By restoring your system to its previous setup and removing any possible contributing elements, System Restore helps in fixing the user profile service failed to sign in or login issue. Go to our tutorial on using Windows 10’s System Restore.
Method 8: Create a New User Account
The final step is to create a new user account and transfer all important data from the old one to the new one if none of the solutions listed above work to resolve the problem.
- Launch Command Prompt as administrator after the computer has started up in safe mode.
- Enter net user /add username after typing it in and hit Enter.
Note: Enter your chosen account name in place of “username.”
- Next, take out the lessons: username/add for net localgroup admins
- To create the user profile folder, log in using the new account.
5: Use the previous account to log in safely, then copy and paste all of the contents of the faulty profile folder—aside from the NTUSER files—into the new profile folder.
- Turn on your computer again and sign into the new account.
We hope that our method was helpful in resolving the Windows 10 problem where the user profile is not loading.
