My account is not showing up on my home screen for me to log in, only the other user accounts

[Mecia86]

Hello,

Usually when I open my laptop I see my account and I type in my password and log in. Now when I open my laptop I only see other user accounts and mine does not show up. How do I fix this issue and recover that account and get it back on my home screen?

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Mecia86,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

I understand that you can only see a user account that is visible on the HP Chromebook login screen instead of the admin account; it likely indicates that the device is not in developer mode or that the admin account has been removed or disabled. To resolve this, one can attempt a hard reset, powerwash the device, or potentially recover the admin account through Google's account recovery process. 

Hard Reset:

A hard reset can sometimes resolve software glitches. Power off the Chromebook, then press and hold the power button and refresh button (usually next to the power button) for about five seconds. 

Powerwash (Factory Reset):

If a hard reset doesn't help, a powerwash will reset the Chromebook to factory settings, potentially restoring the admin account. To do this:

1. Power off the Chromebook. 
2. Press and hold the Esc + Refresh keys while pressing the Power button. 
3. Release the keys when the recovery screen appears. 
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to perform the recovery. 

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, as it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support

[Mecia86]

Vikram, thanks so much for replying to me.

The owner of the computer which is the admin account is the only one that shows up and my user account no longer shows up is what I was explaining, apologies for the confusion. I am the user account that is missing that needs to be recovered on the laptop.

I'm scared to do any type of reset because won't that erase everything and all data from my laptop? Please help with any information you have.

Thank you 

[VikramTheGreat · Accepted solution]

Hi @Mecia86,

Thanks for explaining your situation. Here’s a breakdown of what you can do without losing your data, and how to try recovering your account:

1. Try Logging In Manually

Even if your account doesn’t show on the login screen:

• Click “Add Person” or “Sign in with a different account”.
• Enter your Google account email and password.
• If successful, your account will reappear and sync your data from the cloud.

Chrome OS stores most user data in the cloud (Google Drive, Chrome sync), so logging in again often restores everything.

2. Use the New “Safety Reset” (No Data Loss)

Chrome OS now includes a Safety Reset feature that:

• Resets system settings (like network, extensions, etc.)
• Does NOT delete user accounts or files

🔧 How to do it:

1. Click the time in the bottom-right corner > Settings (⚙️).
2. Go to Advanced > Reset settings.
3. Choose “Restore settings to their original defaults” or “Safety reset” (if available).
4. Follow the prompts.
    

 I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, as it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support

[Mecia86]

This was super helpful thank you so much. 

Now I have run into another issue that I now have to try and resolve with Google. The email and password I know and remember, but when I tried to "add account" per your instructions it asked me for verification and the phone number associated with the google email account I am trying to retrieve is an old phone number so I can't receive the verification code to log in. It looks like I may have to call it quits on this.

But thank you so much for the assistance. 

Tamecia