Unable to change from Local Account to Microsoft Account.

I would like to change one of my user accounts from a local account to a Microsoft. I have tried the standard procedure (Settings > Accounts > Your info, click "Sign in with a Microsoft account instead") but it always throws up a gray box that lasts for a couple of seconds and then disappears. Here is a picture. Can anyone help me figure this out? Many thanks.

Only an administrator can change account types. If your local account is a "Standard" user, you will not see the option to switch. You should be able to make that account an admin account

I would use Control Panel but Press Win + R, type netplwiz is a shortcut

From the looks of that photo/screenshot and the options available there is an option that says "sign in with a Microsoft account instead". That indicates to me that it has switched. I don't know what the crazy tiger striped screen is. Have you restarted to see what account shows up on signin screen?

Not an answer to your question but if switching won't work, have you thought about copying your data to an external drive, creating a new local account with administrative privileges, restarting, logging into new local account, copy your data from external drive into new account, then removing the MS account.

(NOte: it's important to handle your data the way I mentioned in order to avoid permission problems on your files)

glasskuter said:

I don't know what the crazy tiger striped screen is.

Click to expand...

I get those same zebra stripes when I take a picture of my monitor.

glasskuter said:

From the looks of that photo/screenshot and the options available there is an option that says "sign in with a Microsoft account instead". That indicates to me that it has switched. I don't know what the crazy tiger striped screen is. Have you restarted to see what account shows up on signin screen?

Not an answer to your question but if switching won't work, have you thought about copying your data to an external drive, creating a new local account with administrative privileges, restarting, logging into new local account, copy your data from external drive into new account, then removing the MS account.

(NOte: it's important to handle your data the way I mentioned in order to avoid permission problems on your files)

Click to expand...

He wants to switch TO a Microsoft account,

Oh crap, I read the entire thing wrong. Thanks @BruceR. I need some sleep....or better glasses...or better attention...or all 3.

Ok then, if you can't switch,, create a new account in settings>accounts using your MS account email (if you have one) If you don't already have one go HERE and create one to use with the new computer account. (Know that when using a MS account, your personal files in documents, desktop, pictures, and videos folders will all default to Onedrive, not on your system drive. If you don't want that, stay with a local account or turn off syncing in the new account and unlink your PC from Onedrive BEFORE you move your files into the new account.. Also know that with a Microsoft account you get only 5gb of free Onedrive storage so your total amount of files can not excede that. If that be the case you have to subscribe to Microsoft 365 to get more storage.) I would check how much data is in those folders first.

The method of copying all your files would be the same as listed above. You have to use external media. You can NOT directly copy from one user account to another without affecting permissions..

The fact you are unable to use the switch feature may be an indication there is some corruption in your current account that is keeping it from switching.
No way of knowing if that be the case or not. Every time I have switched someone, it been the opposite, from a MS account to a local account.