Want to remove Microsoft account from Administrator

I'm setting up a new Windows 11 Pro system for a friend.
Ver 21H2
OS build 22000.675

I enabled the built-in Administrator ID, but somehow my Microsoft account got associated with the ID. I want to make it a local account instead, especially since the machine will be owned by someone else. I disabled the ID and then enabled it again. The Microsoft account stuck.

I have checked three other machines that I have set-up with Windows 11 Pro. I activated the built-in Administrator ID for each, and all three are local accounts.

So, how do I change the problem Administrator ID from a Microsoft account to a local local account? On-line searches for solutions seem to result in different settings screens than what I am seeing.

In this video, i will show you how to add a local account as a user on the PC in Windows 11.

erewhon said:

I enabled the built-in Administrator ID, but somehow my Microsoft account got associated with the ID. I want to make it a local account instead

Click to expand...

erewhon said:

I have checked three other machines that I have set-up with Windows 11 Pro. I activated the built-in Administrator ID for each, and all three are local accounts.

Click to expand...

erewhon said:

how do I change the problem Administrator ID from a Microsoft account to a local local account?

Click to expand...

In Windows 10, several people reported that they could not change the Built-in Admin back to a local account and had to reinstall Windows to get the MSAccount off the Built-in Admin.

Windows does not envisage routine use of the Built-in Admin and MS does not even document its limitations [which have been known to change over time].
It exists for one reason & one reason only - to become available for login at the Safe mode login screen if Windows detects that there are not functioning Admin accounts on the computer.

You are not achieving any benefits by using the Built-in Admin accounts.

Denis

erewhon said:

I'm setting up a new Windows 11 Pro system for a friend.
Ver 21H2
OS build 22000.675

I enabled the built-in Administrator ID, but somehow my Microsoft account got associated with the ID. I want to make it a local account instead, especially since the machine will be owned by someone else. I disabled the ID and then enabled it again. The Microsoft account stuck.

I have checked three other machines that I have set-up with Windows 11 Pro. I activated the built-in Administrator ID for each, and all three are local accounts.

So, how do I change the problem Administrator ID from a Microsoft account to a local local account? On-line searches for solutions seem to result in different settings screens than what I am seeing.

Click to expand...

Are you talking about the hidden admin account.

If so, why did you enable the account? It is not for general use and it is too easy to break Windows.

I would certainly not do it on a friend's pc.

I would just reinstall from scratch on new pc, and click link to create offline account.

erewhon said:

So, how do I change the problem Administrator ID from a Microsoft account to a local local account?

Click to expand...

Because it is supposed to be impossible to switch the built in Administrator account to a Microsoft account, there is no mechanism to undo this. A clean install is the only fix.

But have you really switched Administrator to a MS account? Or have you just associated your MS account with Administrator, while keeping it as a local account? If the latter, then you should be able to remove your MS account in Accounts > Email & accounts.




Although Microsoft do their best prevent you switching the built in Administrator account to a Microsoft account, there is one specific loophole they missed. It was there in Windows 10, and it appears you have found that it's still there in Windows 11. See post #10 here:

Kari said:

I have now replicated your situation and can confirm the loophole in Windows 10 you have accidentally found...

...The loophole you found, activating the built-in admin in previous version and then upgrading to Windows 10 using it seems to override all default security restrictions on the said built-in admin account, making it possible to connect it to a Microsoft account. However, as this is meant never to happen, once you have converted the built-in admin account to a Microsoft account, it is no longer possible to convert it back to a local account. It is absolutely impossible, that is why the Your account page does not even show the Sign in with a local account instead option

Click to expand...

erewhon said:

I enabled the built-in Administrator ID, but somehow my Microsoft account got associated with the ID. I want to make it a local account instead, especially since the machine will be owned by someone else. I disabled the ID and then enabled it again. The Microsoft account stuck.

Click to expand...

First, please believe this: there's absolutely, profoundly nothing you can do. Your only option to remove Microsoft account from built-in admin, is to clean install Windows.

It's of course up to you, if you decide to wait here in case some other member will come with "download this tool, change this registry setting, blah blah blah..." magic trick, but I am telling you, nothing will work. Once the built-in admin account has been switched to a Microsoft account, it cannot be reverted. Never.

In my opinion, the greatest f**k up, the biggest mistake Windows coding teams have made is exactly this. Until Windows 10 version 1703, it was not possible to use any Store apps, not even Edge, with built-in admin account:



It was also impossible to switch the built-in admin account to a Microsoft account. This was as it should still be; the built-in admin account is not intended to be used as a normal user account.

Windows 10 version 1709 changed this. Suddenly, it was not only possible to use Store apps with built-in admin account, but also possible to switch it to MS account. From my point of view, this was really bad screw up by the various Windows teams. For instance, as it is now possible for Windows store apps to update when customizing the deployment image in Audit Mode, Sysprep often fails because of the app provisioning. Removing provisioning requires extra steps, more work, which I hate.

In addition, what about Windows security? If user loses control of the MS account used by the built-in admin account, or simply deletes that MS account, Windows will become a useless brick. Because switching the built-in admin user account back to a local account is impossible, user has lost the use of it.

When user wants to switch a normal user account from an MS account back to a local account, it's easily done in settings:



But if the built-in admin account has been switched, accidentally or on purpose, to an MS account, it cannot be undone. Option to switch back to a local account is simply missing:



I repeat: there's nothing you can do.

FreeBooter said:

In this video, i will show you how to add a local account as a user on the PC in Windows 11.

Click to expand...

That has absolutely nothing to do with OP's issue!

Kari

Problem solved!

First, some thanks.

FreeBooter - nice video, but, not quite what I was looking for!

Try3 and cereberus - I now understand that I have been using the built-in "Administrator" account for the wrong reasons. Thanks!

cereberus, Bree, and Kari - I was able to reinstall Win 11 with a minimum of problems. The freshly installed "Administrator" is no longer infected by a Microsoft account and is now disabled. I created an "admin" account with administrator privileges to serve as backup for the main account.

Having a second account with administrator privileges saved me once when the main account password got corrupted. I have hazy recollections of other times it has saved me.

The subject machine was a Lenovo ThinkCentre that I got for a needy friend. It came with Win 10, but was Win 11 capable, so I updated to win 11. Fortunately, I make it a practice to back up a system whenever I do something major to it. So, I just restored the Win 10 backup onto the machine to get rid of the wonky "Administrator". Then, I installed Win 11 again, but was not stupid the second time around. I'm now running around to the other machines I maintain to make sure that there is an "admin" account and that "Administrator" is disabled. Only one "Administrator" seems to have been infected - on the now fixed Lenovo.

erewhon said:

Try3 and cereberus - I now understand that I have been using the built-in "Administrator" account for the wrong reasons. Thanks!

cereberus, Bree, and Kari - I was able to reinstall Win 11 with a minimum of problems.

Click to expand...

Great news.

I can't recall any situation where I needed to use the built in Administrator account, an ordinary administrator account should be sufficient for all your needs. I always create at least one more local administrator account on all my machines. It's a sensible precaution, should you ever get locked out of your main account,

erewhon said:

Problem solved!

First, some thanks.

FreeBooter - nice video, but, not quite what I was looking for!

Try3 and cereberus - I now understand that I have been using the built-in "Administrator" account for the wrong reasons. Thanks!

cereberus, Bree, and Kari - I was able to reinstall Win 11 with a minimum of problems. The freshly installed "Administrator" is no longer infected by a Microsoft account and is now disabled. I created an "admin" account with administrator privileges to serve as backup for the main account.

Having a second account with administrator privileges saved me once when the main account password got corrupted. I have hazy recollections of other times it has saved me.

The subject machine was a Lenovo ThinkCentre that I got for a needy friend. It came with Win 10, but was Win 11 capable, so I updated to win 11. Fortunately, I make it a practice to back up a system whenever I do something major to it. So, I just restored the Win 10 backup onto the machine to get rid of the wonky "Administrator". Then, I installed Win 11 again, but was not stupid the second time around. I'm now running around to the other machines I maintain to make sure that there is an "admin" account and that "Administrator" is disabled. Only one "Administrator" seems to have been infected - on the now fixed Lenovo.

Click to expand...

If you want to use the administrator to set up a computer for someone else, when you get to the first OOBE screen after the computer reboots during a clean install where it asks you for region/language (I think), press Shift+Ctrl+F3. The computer will reboot into audit mode which uses the default administrator account. You can then set things up, activate windows, do updates, install drivers, install programs/apps. When you are all done you select the sysprep option to shutdown to OOBE, leave generalize unchecked. The built-in administrator account will deactivate itself, and the next startup will be back to the OOBE region selection screen just like nobody had logged onto the computer before - but everything you did in audit mode will still be there. Google Windows Audit Mode for more info.

Hi,
I've only gone as far to add a real password to the built in admin account
Which I have not bothered to do with 11 since I don't use it much at all.