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To hide your name and profile picture in the Windows 11 Start menu, open Settings > Personalize > Start and turn on Hide your name and profile picture on Start. Microsoft has documented this option in Windows 11 preview update notes, but its rollout is gradual, so it may not yet appear on every device.
Hide your name and profile picture in Start
- Open Settings. Press Windows key + I to open it directly, or select Settings from the Start menu. Microsoft’s Settings guide describes how to access and navigate Settings.
- Select Personalize, then Start.
- Turn on Hide your name and profile picture on Start.
Microsoft gives this exact path in its August 27, 2026 Windows 11 preview update notes. The option controls whether your name and picture appear in Start; you do not need to edit your account profile to use it.
What to do if the setting is missing
The Start identity option is being rolled out gradually. If you do not see it under Settings > Personalize > Start, the feature may not have reached your device yet. Check again when a relevant Windows update is offered; Microsoft does not promise a specific date by which the toggle will appear on every PC.
Microsoft listed the option in the August 27, 2026 preview notes for KB5120998 (OS builds 26200.9278 and 26100.9278), and again in the September 22, 2026 preview notes for KB5124006 (OS build 28000.3086). These are preview-release records, not confirmation that every device on a particular Windows version already has the setting. The September preview notes also mention other Start menu controls, including settings for Pinned, Recommended, and All; those are separate from hiding your identity.
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Hiding your Start identity is not the same as changing your account
The toggle hides the name and picture shown in Start. It does not change the underlying account name or replace or delete the account picture. If you want to change those profile details instead, use the separate account controls:
- Change your picture: Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info. See Microsoft’s instructions for changing your account picture.
- Change your account name: Follow Microsoft’s account-name guidance.
For other Start menu layout options, consult Microsoft’s Start menu customization guide.
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