Delete windows user profiles. Does not work with Windows 7 or later.
Syntax
DELPROF [options days]
Key
/Q Quiet, no confirmation.
/I Ignore errors and continue deleting.
/P Prompts for confirmation before deleting each profile.
/C:\\computer_name
Delete profiles on a remote computer.
/D:Number_of_days
Only delete profiles that have been inactive for
'X' Number of days (or greater)
/R Delete roaming profile cache only
Several alternative methods for deleting user profiles are listed below:
In the Windows 10 GUI: Right-click My Computer ➞ Properties ➞ Advanced System Settings ➞ User Profiles ➞ account ➞ Delete
In the Windows 11 GUI: Right-click Start ➞ System ➞ Advanced System Settings ➞ Advanced ➞ User Profiles ➞ Settings ➞ select profile ➞ Delete.
List local profiles:
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_UserProfile -Filter "Special=False AND Loaded=False" | Select SID,localpath
Delete a user profile on a remote machine with PowerShell [via adamtheautomator.com]:
PS C:\> Get-CimInstance -ComputerName 'workstation64' -Class Win32_UserProfile | Where-Object { $_.LocalPath.split('\')[-1] -eq 'User64' } | Remove-CimInstance
The LocalPath of the profile will normally end in the username but if a user account is renamed the path will not update and will retain the old name.
Delete a local user profile by first selecting it in gridview:
#requires -RunAsAdministrator
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_UserProfile -Filter "Special=False AND Loaded=False" |
Add-Member -MemberType ScriptProperty -Name UserName -Value {
(New-Object System.Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier($this.Sid)).Translate([System.Security.Principal.NTAccount]).Value
} -PassThru |
Out-GridView -Title "Select User Profile" -OutputMode Single |
ForEach-Object {
# uncomment the line below to actually remove the selected user profile
#$_.Delete()
}
Delprof2
Helge Klein’s Delprof2, Delprof2 is syntax compatible with the original Delprof by Microsoft but does have issues with UWP (Windows Store) apps on Windows 10.
To run Delprof2 on a remote PC (with PowerShell):PS> Invoke-command -computername 'workstation64' -scriptblock {& "C:\utils\delprof2.exe" '/q'}
Manual deletion
Something of a last resort, but each user account profile has a set of files stored under C:\Users and a corresponding registry entry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList.
“The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency” ~ John Keynes
WMI/PowerShell script to delete user profiles - Idera.
Delprof2 - Delete Profiles Utility (Helge Klein).
DELTREE - Delete a folder and all subfolders.
RD - Delete folders or entire folder trees.