SharePoint Server 2013: "Sign in as Different User" Menu Option is Missing

Introduction

You might have noticed that in SharePoint 2013 the Sign in as Different User menu option is missing. It is a very handy option for developers like us that allows us to login with another account to test the custom solution functionality with a different permission account.

Microsoft has removed this option from SharePoint 2013. I am not sure why they removed it. It was never a perfect option to work on, however. I have many issues when using this option, some of them are listed below:

1. Caching Problem.
   
   
2. Unknowingly some documents might be opened in an external application and are saved with an unexpected account.
   
   
3. Cookies are not properly cleared.

However, still there are some ways by which we can enable this option in our SharePoint Site.

Temporary Workaround

1. Login to Internet Explorer with a different user account. Use the (Shift + Right Click) option to “Log in as different User”.
   
   
2. Access the Close Connection.aspx page URL; http://{YourSharePointSiteURL}/_layouts/CloseConnection.aspx?Loginasdifferentuser=true

Permanent Fix

However we have a permanent fix for this; that is to enable the “Sign in as different user” option which is not recommended.

1. Go to \15\TEMPLATE\CONTROLTEMPLATES. Here we have a file named welcome.ascx.
   
   
   
   
2. Add the following element before the existing element with the id “ID_RequestAccess”:
   

   <SharePoint:MenuItemTemplate runat="server" ID="ID_LoginAsDifferentUser"
      Text="<%$Resources:wss,personalactions_loginasdifferentuser%>"
      Description="<%$Resources:wss,personalactions_loginasdifferentuserdescription%>"
      MenuGroupId="100"
      Sequence="100"
      UseShortId="true"
   />

   
   
   
3. Refresh the SharePoint Site page and you will see the option is enabled now.
   
   

Note: I would suggest that if you want to do it, do it in your Test or Dev SharePoint environment.

Happy SharePointing!