How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10  

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    How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10

    How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10

    How to Check if User is a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10
    Published by Category: User Accounts
    07 Oct 2022
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Check if User is a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10


    You can sign in to Windows 10 with a local account or a Microsoft account.

    This tutorial will show you how to check if a user account in Windows 10 is either a local account or a Microsoft account.

    Note   Note
    Microsoft account vs Local account

     Local account

    A local account is a user name and password that you use to sign in to only a single Windows PC. This is the same type of user account that was used in Vista and Windows 7.

    See also: Local Accounts (Windows 10)
    • You have to create a user name and account for each PC you use.
    • While not recommended, you can remove the password if you like
    • You'll need a Microsoft account to download apps from the Store, but you can set it up later.
    • Your settings won't be synced across the PCs that you use.

     Microsoft account

    A Microsoft account is an email address and password that you can use to sign in to Microsoft services and all Windows 8/10 PCs and devices.

    See also: Microsoft Accounts (Windows 10)

    Some benefits:
    • Free.
    • Password cannot be removed since it is required, but you can change the password.
    • Access, save, share, and sync all of your documents, music, photos, and videos from OneDrive (aka: the cloud) on all PCs and devices that you sign in with the same Microsoft account.
    • Download, install, and restore apps from the Windows Store.
    • Get your online content in Microsoft apps automatically.
    • Sync your personal settings across all PCs and devices that you sign in to with the same Microsoft account.
    • Two-step verification to verify your identity whenever you sign in to your Microsoft account.
    • You can set limits for how and when your child uses their Microsoft account. Monitoring their activity so you teach them online safety skills.
    • Jot down a note in OneNote. Next time you sign in to a device (doesn’t even have to be the same one) you'll be right back to where you left off, no matter where you were, or the device used last time.
    • Your Microsoft account keeps track of your Xbox Music Pass collection and playlists, syncing across your tablet, PC, phone, and your Xbox console.
    • Use your Windows Phone as a controller for your Xbox console when you're signed in with the same Microsoft account.
    • You can link your Microsoft account to the Windows 10 digital license (formerly called digital entitlement) on your device. This can help you reactivate Windows using the Activation troubleshooter if you make a hardware change later, such as replacing the motherboard.


    For a Windows 11 version of this tutorial, see:

    Check Account is Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 11




    Contents

    • Option One: Check if You are Signed in with a Microsoft account or Local account in Settings
    • Option Two: Check if You are Signed in with a Microsoft account or Local account in Control Panel
    • Option Three: Check if any User is a Microsoft account or Local account in Control Panel
    • Option Four: Check if Users are a Microsoft account or Local account in PowerShell






    OPTION ONE

    Check if You are Signed in with a Microsoft account or Local account in Settings


    1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Accounts icon.

    2 Click/tap on Your info on the left side. (see screenshots below)

    If you see an email address under your user name on the right side with Manage by Microsoft account and Sign in with a local account instead links under it, then you are signed in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account.

    If you see an email address under your user name on the right side with Manage by Microsoft account and Stop signing in to all Microsoft apps automatically links under it, then you are signed in to Windows 10 with a local account, but will be automatically signed in to all Microsoft Store apps and websites with your Microsoft account.

    If you see the words Local Account under your user name on the right side with a Sign in with a Microsoft account instead link under it, then you are signed in to Windows 10 with a local account.

    How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10-microsoft_account.jpg How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10-stop_signing_in_to_all_microsoft_apps_automatically.jpg
    How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10-local_account_settings.jpg






    OPTION TWO

    Check if You are Signed in with a Microsoft account or Local account in Control Panel


    1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the User Accounts icon.

    2 Look at your user account box on the right side. (see screenshots below)

    If you see an email address under your user name, then you are signed in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account.

    If you see the words Local Account under your user name, then you are signed in to Windows 10 with a local account.

    How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10-control_panel.png






    OPTION THREE

    Check if any User is a Microsoft account or Local account in Control Panel


    You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.


    1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the User Accounts icon.

    2 Click/tap on the Manage another account link. (see screenshot below)

    How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10-other_control_panel.png

    3 If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.

    4 Look at each user account box. (see screenshot below)

    If you see an email address under the user name, then the user account is a Microsoft account.

    If you see the words Local Account under the user name, then the user account is a local account.

    How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10-other_control_panel-2.png






    OPTION FOUR

    Check if Users are a Microsoft account or Local account in PowerShell


    1 Open PowerShell.

    2 Copy and paste the command below you want to use into PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)

    (Show only enabled accounts in PowerShell)
    Get-LocalUser | Where-Object { $_.Enabled -match "True"} | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource

    OR

    (Show only enabled accounts to .txt file)
    Code:
    Get-LocalUser | Where-Object { $_.Enabled -match "True"} | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource | Out-File -filepath "$Env:userprofile\Desktop\Enabled_Accounts.txt"

    OR

    (Show all accounts in PowerShell)
    Get-LocalUser | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource

    OR

    (Show all accounts to .txt file)
    Code:
    Get-LocalUser | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource | Out-File -filepath "$Env:userprofile\Desktop\All_Accounts.txt"

    3 You will now see the name of user accounts and if they are a Microsoft account or local account.

    How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10-account_type_powershell-1.png How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10-account_type_powershell-2.jpg


    That's it,
    Shawn Brink






  1. Posts : 108
    windows 8.1
       #1

    One disadvantage of using Ms account :

    Kari said:

    It is totally, absolutely not possible to use an MS Account without a password, the password always being the one belonging to the email account connected to that MS Account.

    A sign in with an MS Account always requires a password. It is of course possible to set Windows to sign in automatically without the need to type the password manually every time, but this does not mean that Windows signs in without a password. Password is there and is needed to sign in but as the user has set Windows to sign in automatically, the system enters it without user interaction. When Windows is locked or user for any reason signs out, the subsequent sign ins are manual and user has to enter to password.

    However, if the computer has multiple user accounts, this is not recommended because the automatic sign in can only be used for one user account at any given time. If the User 1 is set to sign in automatically, Windows always enters this user's desktop when the computer is booted or restarted. For User 2 to sign in, you need to either sign out User 1 or use the Switch User feature to let User 2 sign in. In this example scenario User 2 always needs to sign in manually, and User 1 must also enter the password manually when signing back in.

    Kari
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    I'm not sure I would consider a Microsoft account requiring a password for improved security a disadvantage though.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 108
    windows 8.1
       #3

    For improved security, its not a disadvantage. I agree with you.

    I mean that is not practical (at least for me) to enter password everytime i turn on my pc. And automatic sign in, is not a solution with many user accounts.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 12
    Various, including W7, W10, 2008R2, Linux, Android, OS X...
       #4

    Another option to determine if you're using local or microsoft account is via PowerShell. You can use the following command to see all enabled accounts and their Local v MS account status:
    Code:
    Get-LocalUser | Where-Object { $_.Enabled -match "True"} | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource,LastLogon
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thank you Shawn. I added that as Option Four.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 56,804
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       #6

    Brink said:
    Thank you Shawn. I added that as Option Four.
    Thanks. I tried that, and it works, but Last Logon came up blank. Is that due to using a Pin instead of a Password? Just curious..... TC

    How to Tell if Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10-2018-07-14_17h12_01.png
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Hey Dick,

    It only shows the last logon for local accounts for me.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 56,804
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       #8

    Brink said:
    Hey Dick,

    It only shows the last logon for local accounts for me.
    Thanks, Shawn.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 981
    W10 Pro v21H2
       #9

    @Brink,

    Being an only user on my desktop, my way of keeping things simple has been to use a local account and no password for logon. I am still trying to get the hang of the Microsoft Account vs local account business, and noticed the following:

    Attachment 215992

    Mind you, I always fully shutdown my computer (no fast startup), each day I startup and am automatically logged in without entering a password straight to my desktop. Looking at other ways of identifying login status as local vs Microsoft Account, I also find the following:

    Attachment 215988

    Attachment 215989

    All these snips were taken at the same time, during the same working session - no restarts, etc.

    Am I logged in with a Microsoft or a local account??
    Last edited by Brink; 02 Dec 2018 at 23:57. Reason: blanked email address in image
      My Computers


 

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