What you need to know
- Microsoft used to have a guide for switching between a Microsoft account and a local account on Windows 11.
- Several media outlets covered the guide, and many criticized Microsoft’s push to let people use Microsoft accounts on Windows 11.
- Microsoft has since removed the guide detailing the steps to switch to a local account.
- It is still possible to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account, but there is no manual for it from Microsoft.
Earlier this month, Microsoft shared a guide on how to switch from a local account to a Microsoft account on Windows 11. That piece caught the attention of the internet because it also mentioned how to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account. I even went so far as to say that Microsoft accidentally listed the benefits of not using a Microsoft account on Windows 11. I may have missed my piece and other reporting somewhat in Redmond, as the support page no longer outlines the steps to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account.
Of course, I wasn’t the only journalist reporting on the updated support page when it first appeared. As far as I know, Neowin was the first outlet to discover the page and write about it. I then reported on the news, as did several other media outlets. Microsoft’s page on switching the type of account you use remains live, but no longer lists the steps to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account. The Wayback Machine archived the page before the change.
In addition to removing the guide on how to switch between the type of account you use on your PC, Microsoft has removed the list of differences between a local account and a Microsoft account. The page previously stated:
- A local account is created on the device. No internet connection is required to log in. It is independent from 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 linked 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
I argued that these sound like advantages, not disadvantages. It is possible to log in to your PC without an Internet connection if you have already set up your computer, but the initial use experience requires an Internet connection. You can then switch to a local account later. Many argue that Microsoft should add a clear and obvious way to use a local account during the out-of-box experience.
There are solutions that allow you to set up a PC without a Microsoft account, but even that has become more difficult.
It appears that Microsoft has blocked the bypass that allowed you to create a local account by typing a blocked email address during Windows 11 installation. Now you’re just redirected back to typing in another account 🙁 pic.twitter.com/mKnHToLLQVJune 3, 2024
Did Microsoft remove the guide on how to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account due to media pressure? That’s impossible to say. But let me outline a timeline of events:
- June 12, 2024: Microsoft has updated a support document that describes how to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account.
- June 13, 2024: Several media outlets covered the guide that appeared on Microsoft’s website.
- June 17, 2024: Microsoft has removed the guide for switching from a Microsoft account to a local account.
Regardless of the reason for removing the guide, the process of switching to a local account on Windows 11 has not changed:
- Open the Windows 11 Settings app.
- Select Bills (by clicking on your profile photo).
- Select Your credentials.
- Select “Sign in with a local account instead” (under Account Settings).
Windows 11 will then guide you through switching to a local account on your PC.