This tutorial will show you how to check if a user account is either a local account or a Microsoft account in Windows 11.
Having different accounts on a shared PC lets multiple people use the same device, all while giving everyone their own sign-in info, plus access to their own files, browser favorites, and desktop settings.
You can add a local user account (an offline account) or Microsoft account for a user to sign in to the PC with.
Signing in to PCs with a Microsoft account lets you:
- Download apps from the Microsoft Store.
- Get your online content in Microsoft apps automatically.
- Sync settings online to make PCs look and feel the same - like your browser history, account picture, and color.
- You have to create a user name and account for each PC you use.
- While not recommended, you can remove the account password if you like.
- You'll need to sign in to the Microsoft Store with a Microsoft account to download apps from the Microsoft Store.
- Your settings won't be synced across the PCs that you use.
What's the difference between a Microsoft account and a work or school account? - Microsoft Support
Explore the differences between Microsoft accounts, (sometimes called personal accounts) and Microsoft Entra (work or school accounts).
support.microsoft.com
Contents
- Option One: Check if Current User is Microsoft account or Local account in Settings
- Option Two: Check if Any User is Microsoft account or Local account in Settings
- Option Three: Check if Current User is Microsoft account or Local account in Control Panel
- Option Four: Check if Any User is Microsoft account or Local account in Control Panel
- Option Five: Check if Any User is Microsoft account or Local account in PowerShell
If the account you want to check is currently disabled, it will not show in this option.
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on Accounts on the left side, and click/tap on Your info on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 Check the following: (see screenshots below)
- If you see an email address under your account name and have a Sign in with a local account instead link, then you are signed in to Windows 11 with a Microsoft account.
- If you see an email address under your account name and have a Stop signing in to all Microsoft apps automatically link, then you are signed in to Windows 11 with a local account with a Microsoft account added to Accounts used by other apps.
- If you see Local Account under your account name and have a Sign in with a Microsoft account instead link, then you are signed in to Windows 12 with a local account.
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
If the account you want to check is currently disabled, it will not show in this option.
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on Accounts on the left side, and click/tap on Other Users on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 Check the following: (see screenshots below)
- If you see Local Account under an account name, then the account is a local account.
- If you see an email address under an account name, then the account is a Microsoft account.
If the account you want to check is currently disabled, it will not show in this option.
1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the User Accounts icon.
2 Check the following: (see screenshots below)
- If you see Local Account under the account name, then the account is a local account.
- If you see an email address under the account name, then the account is a Microsoft account.
You must be signed in as an administrator to use this option.
If the account you want to check is currently disabled, it will not show in this option.
1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the User Accounts icon.
2 Click/tap on the Manage another account link. (see screenshot below)
3 Check the following: (see screenshot below)
- If you see Local Account under an account name, then the account is a local account.
- If you see an email address under an account name, then the account is a Microsoft account.
1 Open Windows Terminal, and select Windows PowerShell.
2 Copy and paste the command below you want to use into PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)
(Show only enabled accounts in PowerShell)
Get-LocalUser | Where-Object { $_.Enabled -match "True"} | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource
(Show only enabled accounts in .txt file on desktop)
Get-LocalUser | Where-Object { $_.Enabled -match "True"} | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource | Out-File -filepath "$Env:userprofile\Desktop\Enabled_Accounts.txt"
OR
(Show all accounts in PowerShell)
Get-LocalUser | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource
(Show all accounts in .txt file on desktop)
Get-LocalUser | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource | Out-File -filepath "$Env:userprofile\Desktop\All_Accounts.txt"
3 You will now see accounts under the Name column, and if they are a Microsoft account or local account under the PrincipalSource column.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Related Tutorials
- Add Local User Account in Windows 11
- Add Microsoft Account in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Microsoft Accounts in Windows 11
- Add Microsoft account to Local account for Hybrid account in Windows 11
- Switch to Local Account from Microsoft Account in Windows 11
- Switch to Microsoft Account from Local Account in Windows 11
- Check Account is Administrator or Standard User in Windows 11
- Enable or Disable Show Account Email Address on Sign-in Screen in Windows 11
- Add and Remove Microsoft Account Aliases
- Change Primary Alias for Microsoft Account
- Enable or Disable Aliases to Sign in to Microsoft Account
- Find Security Identifier (SID) of User in Windows 11
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