Accounts Switch to Local Account from Microsoft Account in Windows 11

Brink · Mar 14, 2024

wiganken said:
Now I am confused again. I want my 'Ken' profile to use the new local account, not Microsoft?

I thought I had understood what happens but I give up (again).

Over to you @Try3. Maybe you will understand but it is too much for me.

I think the confusion is with account vs profile.

The same profile folder will be used for the new local account that is switch to from the Microsoft account.

Try3 · Mar 14, 2024

wiganken said:
I want my 'Ken' profile to use the new local account

It will.
That's what Brink is saying.
The username will be different but the profile will stay as your existing one.
And once you've rebooted, you can change the new username back to Ken.

Denis

wiganken · Mar 14, 2024

I'll try again: -
When signed into MS account, my profile 'Ken' uses MS account directly as follows: Profile 'Ken' connects directly to my MS account

When using a Local account: Profile 'Ken' connects to 'KenLocal' Local account.

Have I understood correctly?

Brink · Mar 14, 2024

wiganken said:
I'll try again: -
When signed into MS account, my profile 'Ken' uses MS account directly as follows: Profile 'Ken' connects directly to my MS account

When using a Local account the Local account gets inserted in-between the two: Profile 'Ken' connects to 'KenLocal' Local account which then connects to my MS account

Have I understood correctly?

Not quite.

When you switch to a local account to sign in to Windows with, it still uses the same account and profile folder, but it's no longer a Microsoft account.

The only way a local account also uses your Microsoft account is if you sign in to an app with the Microsoft account. The account you use to sign in to Windows with will still be a local account. Only apps will then have your Microsoft account available to sign in with.

Hope this helps to clear things up.

Try3 · Mar 14, 2024

Not really.
When signed into MS account, my profile 'Ken' uses MS account directly as follows: Profile 'Ken' connects directly to my MS account
But, after the conversion,
When signed into Local account, my profile 'Ken' uses Local account directly as follows: Profile 'Ken' connects directly to my Local account [even whilst its username is set as, say, KenLocal]

In addition to which, you can use your MSAccount for e.g. going to the Store. Mine is in my Outlook 2007 as one of the accounts to check for email. And, because I don't use Edge for anything else, my MSAccount email webpage is set as my Edge homepage & I set it as always stayed logged in.

Denis

wiganken · Mar 14, 2024

Okay. Thanks. I don't understand so I'll call it a day and leave well alone. I've been using computers since 1990 and I thought I was quite computer literate. It all used to be so simple until MS accounts came along. I'm 78 now and things are getting too complex and interwoven these days.

Hopefully these posts will help others though.

Brink · Mar 14, 2024

wiganken said:
Okay. Thanks. I don't understand so I'll call it a day and leave well alone. I've been using computers since 1990 and I thought I was quite computer literate. It all used to be so simple until MS accounts came along. I'm 78 now and things are getting too complex and interwoven these days.

Hopefully these posts will help others though.

That's ok.

Basically, all you're doing is changing your account to sign in to Windows as a local account instead of Microsoft account.

wiganken · Mar 14, 2024

Brink said:
Basically, all you're doing is changing your account to sign in to Windows as a local account instead of Microsoft account.

I understand that part. What I want is assurance about No. 2 in my post #17: -

I wanted to be sure that switching from Local account to MS Account and then signing out again will automatically switch back to the newly created Local account in a seamless automatic manner.

I now understand how to create the Local account. What bothers me now is how easy it is to switch between the two accounts afterwards.

Try3 · Mar 14, 2024

wiganken said:
What bothers me now is how easy it is to switch between the two accounts afterwards

You do not switch between the two afterwards.
Your MSAccount still exists online so you can still go to it if you want.
But your new local user account will remain your local user account .

Denis

Brink · Mar 14, 2024

wiganken said:
I understand that part. What I want is assurance about No. 2 in my post #17: -

I wanted to be sure that switching from Local account to MS Account and then signing out again will automatically switch back to the newly created Local account in a seamless automatic manner.

I now understand how to create the Local account. What bothers me now is how easy it is to switch between the two accounts afterwards.

This is only for the account on your computer to sign in to Windows with.

Once you switch to a local account, it will remain a local account each time you sign in to Windows.

Switching to a local account on the PC replaces the Microsoft account to sign in to Windows with, but still uses the same profile folder.

You don't switch between the two accounts (local and Microsoft accounts). It's either or to use to sign in to Windows with.

You can still sign in to apps with your Microsoft account for your local account if that's what you meant.

wiganken · Mar 14, 2024

Ah, I think I finally understand. Thanks for your perseverance.

I'll consider doing it now but don't hold your breath.

Brink · Mar 14, 2024

wiganken said:
Ah, I think I finally understand. Thanks for your perseverance.

I'll consider doing it now but don't hold your breath.

You're most welcome. Please just let us know if you have any other questions about it. :shawn:

wiganken · Mar 15, 2024

@Brink
Just one more clarification please?: -
I thought I would check if being signed-in to my Microsoft account depended upon my PC being connected to the internet before Windows could load so I deliberately disconnected my PC from the internet. I removed the Ethernet cable and then switched my PC on. Windows was still able to load and I could enter my profile although no internet connection.
I had thought my Microsoft account was stored in the cloud on MS servers somewhere and needed internet connection to load Windows but the above tells me that both MS account and Local accounts must both be stored on my PC. Is this correct?

Try3 · Mar 15, 2024

wiganken said:
needed internet connection to load Windows

No, not every time.
It talks back to the online part of the MSAccount when you do eventually go online but it is not essential for logging in to your computer's MSAccount-linked user account.
- I have a vague memory that you need to go online at every 30 days to avoid an MSAccount-linked user account starting to moan about it.
- There is no equivalent for a Local user account.

wiganken said:
Is this correct?

Yes.

Denis

Bree · Mar 15, 2024

Brink said:
You can leave the password fields empty if you do not want a password for the local account....

There's one tiny 'gotcha' when you have a PIN for your MS account and choose to set a blank password for the Local account. The PIN remains in place. This has caught me out several times, I often test switching between Local and MS accounts and back again, using a blank password for the local account. Most of the time you'll never be asked for the PIN, but it's still there and you may be asked for it after you restart the PC.

However, as you're not supposed to be able to have a PIN with a blank password, then the option to remove it is missing in Sign-in Options. I have to temporarily set a password in order to be able to remove the PIN, then I can set it back to a blank password.

Brink · Mar 15, 2024

Bree said:
There's one tiny 'gotcha' when you have a PIN for your MS account and choose to set a blank password for the Local account. The PIN remains in place. This has caught me out several times, I often test switching between Local and MS accounts and back again, using a blank password for the local account. Most of the time you'll never be asked for the PIN, but it's still there and you may be asked for it after you restart the PC.

However, as you're not supposed to be able to have a PIN with a blank password, then the option to remove it is missing in Sign-in Options. I have to temporarily set a password in order to be able to remove the PIN, then I can set it back to a blank password.

Hmm. Passwordless sign-in for Microsoft accounts below shouldn't affect a local account like that.

Enable or Disable Passwordless Sign-in for Microsoft Accounts in Windows 11 Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off only allow Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts for passwordless sign-in on your Windows 11 device. You can keep your device even more secure by removing passwords when signing in to Windows 11 with Microsoft accounts on your device. All...

www.elevenforum.com

wiganken · Mar 16, 2024

Try3 said:
No, not every time.
It talks back to the online part of the MSAccount when you do eventually go online but it is not essential for logging in to your computer's MSAccount-linked user account.
- I have a vague memory that you need to go online at every 30 days to avoid an MSAccount-linked user account starting to moan about it.

That explains it. The MS account is in the clouds on MS servers (but connection not needed all the time) and the Local account is on the PCs main drive. Understood now. Thanks.

wiganken · Mar 17, 2024

@Brink @Try3 - Windows 23H2 Build 22631.3296 - FYI: -
I think this tutorial needs changing due to what happened on my PC today: -

I followed steps 1 and 2 but on step 3 I did not see "Sign in with a local account instead". I saw "Stop signing in to all Microsoft apps automatically". I clicked on that link and it immediately created a local account and switched to it. It was that simple. Steps 1, 2 and 3 then no further steps were required. It really is a simple 'switch' operation now. How simple. Brilliant.
To switch back it looks like all I need to do is click on 'Sign in with a Microsoft account instead'. I may have to enter my Microsoft account email address and password again to switch back but I have not tested that.

I should add that this worked the same way on both my HP 'Windows Professional' machine and my DELL 'Windows Home' machine.

I also discovered that I was still able to access the Microsoft Store and click on 'Get updates' for my apps. No updates were found but I only updated them yesterday so I'll try again in a few days to check status on this.

wiganken · Mar 17, 2024

Further FYI: - The only thing I found after I switched to local account is that my MS Office Professional Plus 2019 remains signed-in. I expected the "Stop signing in to all Microsoft apps automatically" switch to apply to Office as well but it seems that I will have to sign-out of Office manually. I don't use OneDrive.