Unlike previous versions, this time around, Microsoft is sharing early on, what is coming in Windows 10 through previews released via the Windows Insider Program, but leaks of the operating system, in particular build 9888 and 9901, have been the source to uncover many of the new features that may or may not ship in the final version of Windows 10.

Case and point is a new login screen that appeared in both Windows 10 build 9888 and build 9901, and if you’re testing either version of the operating system you can easily modify the registry to enable the new feature.

Enable new logon experience

  • Open the Run command as administrator and enter regedit.exe to open the Windows Registry Editor.
  • Navigate through the following path:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows>CurrentVersion>
  • Authentication>LogonUI>TestHooks
  • Double-click the Threshold DWORD (32 Bit) key, change the value from 0 to 1, and click OK.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows>CurrentVersion> Authentication>LogonUI>TestHooks

You are now all set to see the new login screen in Windows 10. To go back to the old login screen, follow the steps above, but this time change the value key from 1 to 0.

The new login screen has no background and features full transparency, however, the time and date still present at the bottom left corner of the screen.

You also will notice a problem with multiple accounts, which apparently isn’t supported with the new login screen.

User ians18, who discovered this hidden feature, at the Neowin forum reports:

So this could be one of the reasons why Microsoft has not yet enabled the new login screen in the official Windows 10 Preview.

After activating the new login key, I attempted to create a second account to see what it would look like. Unfortunately, the second account now does auto login even when I click sign out, so I couldn’t return to my primary account. To fix this I made myself an admin on my secondary account. Then edited the value to return it to the old lock screen and login, which then I was able to log out and login to the primary account to finally delete the secondary.

Update, March 10, 2016: For Windows 10 Redstone, Microsoft is updating the logon screen by merging it with the Lock screen experience. Here’s how the new logon experience look like.