What you need to know
- A Microsoft support document now outlines the steps for switching from a Microsoft account to a local account in Windows 11.
- The support page temporarily did not contain a manual or information about switching account types.
- Microsoft is pushing Microsoft accounts on Windows 11 and recommending them over local accounts.
- The process for switching from a Microsoft account to a local account has not changed. Only the support document with the guide has changed in the last month.
Microsoft recently brought back its guide on how to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account on Windows 11. Last month, the tech giant updated a support page with steps on how to switch to a local account, but that guide was subsequently removed. Microsoft has since reinstated the guide and added some helpful advice for those who want to use a local account on Windows 11.
Microsoft’s official position is that a Microsoft account is recommended over a local account on Windows 11.Important: Microsoft recommends using a Microsoft account, not a local account, when signing in to Windows,” the support document reads. “Using a Microsoft account in Windows provides seamless integration of Microsoft services, enhanced security, and syncing across multiple devices, unlike a local account.”
But in an attempt to convince people to use a Microsoft account, the company accidentally listed a number of reasons why a local account might be preferable:
- A local account is created on the device and does not require an internet connection to log in. It is independent of other services and is not connected to the cloud. Your settings, files and applications are limited to that one device
- A Microsoft account, on the other hand, is tied to an email address and password that you use with Outlook.com, Hotmail, Office, OneDrive, Skype, Xbox, and Windows. When you sign in to your PC with a Microsoft account, you’re connected to a Microsoft cloud service, and your settings and files can be synced across devices. You can also use it to access other Microsoft services
The above points have been temporarily removed from the support page, as has the guide on how to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account. It’s unclear why Microsoft went back and forth on including information about switching to a local account on Windows 11. There’s a chance that the support document was simply updated in a phased manner, leaving out some content for a short time.
There are benefits to using a Microsoft account on Windows 11, such as syncing settings and files across devices. Backing up your system is also easier with a Microsoft account set up. If you’re in the Microsoft ecosystem, you’ll have an overall better computing experience by using a Microsoft account on Windows 11.
While these benefits are real, they don’t apply to everyone. Some people prefer to keep their PC strictly local. They don’t want to sync content between devices or back up their settings. Others don’t want to integrate their workflow with the Microsoft ecosystem. For those users, a local account may be the preferred option.
Microsoft has changed the local account support page on Windows 11 a few times, but the process for switching to a local account has remained the same all this time:
- Open the Windows 11 Settings App.
- Select Bills (by clicking on your profile picture).
- Select Your data.
- Select “Sign in with a local account instead” (under Account Settings).
After you follow these steps, your PC will guide you through the process. All you need to do is follow the on-screen instructions.
It looks like Microsoft has blocked the bypass that allowed you to create a local account during Windows 11 installation by typing in a blocked email address. Now you’re just redirected back to typing in a different account 🙁 pic.twitter.com/mKnHToLLQVJune 3, 2024
Microsoft has been pushing people to use Microsoft accounts on Windows 11 more and more in recent years. It is possible to use a local account on Windows 11, but in most cases you need to first set up a PC with a Microsoft account and then switch to a local account. Our guide on how to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account includes workarounds that eliminate the need to ever create a Microsoft account, but these have become rarer.
There was a bypass method that used a blocked email address to set up a PC without a Microsoft account. Microsoft has since blocked that bypass. Another method that involves using the command prompt appears to still work.