When setting up your user account in Windows 10, it is recommended to use a Microsoft account. However, if you prefer to use a local account afterwards, you can. Here we show you how to switch from a Microsoft account back to a local account.
When you install Windows 10 for the first time, the setup program strongly pushes you towards a Microsoft account as a user account. The local account option is also offered, but it's easy to overlook.
Why use a Microsoft account?
There are a number of good reasons to sign in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account. That way you can use cloud services such as OneDrive and Office 365. You can then also synchronize settings between different PCs, which is very useful if you have multiple PCs or laptops that run on Windows 10.
But if you don't use these services, and you prefer to use a local account, that's also possible. You must then cancel the link with your Microsoft account.
Back to a local account
If your user account is already linked to your Microsoft account, you can easily switch back to a local account.
To do this, you need to go to Settings > Accounts go and on Your info click. You will then see a link with the text Sign in with a local account instead. Click here.
You will then need to enter your Microsoft account password to confirm that you are authorized to apply this change. Then click Next one.
In the next window you will need to choose a new username and password for your local account. click on Next one to sign out of your Microsoft account. Then log in again with the username and password of your new local account.
Check
To check if your account is really a local account, go back to Settings > Accounts > Your info. Under the name of your user account you should Local account see standing.
Effects
All your desktop apps will continue to work as usual. Your Windows Store apps require you to sign in again to use them. You will have to log in separately to the various cloud services from Microsoft, because they are no longer linked to your user account.
