Change Primary Alias for Microsoft Account  

    Change Primary Alias for Microsoft Account

    Change Primary Alias for Microsoft Account

    How to Change the Primary Alias for your Microsoft Account
    Published by
    13 Jan 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Change the Primary Alias for your Microsoft Account


    Your Microsoft account lets you manage Microsoft services and subscriptions, like Xbox Live, Outlook.com, OneDrive, Skype, and Windows 10, from a single account.

    You can add up to 10 email addresses or phone numbers to your Microsoft account. Email addresses and phone numbers that are associated with your Microsoft account are called aliases and they use the same contacts, online storage, subscriptions, and account settings. Each alias lets you sign in to all your Windows 10 devices and services that use the Microsoft account.

    Your aliases share a single password, and you can send and receive email with each. Your primary alias will be the username you use to sign in to your account, the username that appears on your Windows 10 devices, and how you show up to recipients in email.

    You can make changes to the email addresses or phone numbers (aliases) that are associated with your Microsoft account. Here are some reasons you might want to make changes:

    • You want to add or remove an email address or phone number.
    • You want to use a different email address or phone number to sign in.
    • You want a different username to appear on your Windows 10 devices.
    • You want an email address you can give to other companies or other people that can't be used to sign in to your account or access your info.
    • You received the “Which account do you want to use” message at sign-in.

    See also: Change the email address or phone number for your Microsoft account | Microsoft account support

    This tutorial will show you how to make an added email address alias the primary alias for your Microsoft account.

    You can change your primary alias up to twice a week.

    If your primary alias ends in @Outlook.com, @msn.com or @Live.com, and you change it, you won't be able to make it primary again.




    Here's How:

    1 Sign in to the Microsoft account website.

    2 Under Account aliases, click/tap on the Make primary link to the right of an added email alias you want to be your primary alias. (see screenshot below)

    The alias at the top of the list with (primary alias) at the end and without a Make primary link is your current primary alias.

    Change Primary Alias for Microsoft Account-microsoft_account_alias_make_primary-1.png

    3 Uncheck the Send me promotional offers from Microsoft box if you like, and click/tap on Yes to confirm. (see screenshot below)

    Change Primary Alias for Microsoft Account-microsoft_account_alias_make_primary.png


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 30,077
    Windows 11 Pro x64 Version 23H2
       #1

    This tutorial allows you to change to an alias that is within the same Microsoft account.

    If an individual has two unique MS accounts and want to change from one to the other, do we have a tutorial to cover that topic. What I've seen on the web is you should change from a Microsoft Account to a local account. Then you would change back to a MS account only you would use the second account.

    I assume to move the onedrive contents you would set Onedrive to keep all all documents on device, then sign out of Onedrive. Once you change the Microsoft account you would then sign back into onedrive. This seems a little clumsy. Also not sure how this might impact documents already in Onedrive for the second account.
      My Computer


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

    Caledon Ken said:
    This tutorial allows you to change to an alias that is within the same Microsoft account.

    If an individual has two unique MS accounts and want to change from one to the other, do we have a tutorial to cover that topic. What I've seen on the web is you should change from a Microsoft Account to a local account. Then you would change back to a MS account only you would use the second account.

    I assume to move the onedrive contents you would set Onedrive to keep all all documents on device, then sign out of Onedrive. Once you change the Microsoft account you would then sign back into onedrive. This seems a little clumsy. Also not sure how this might impact documents already in Onedrive for the second account.
    Hello Ken,

    You could do that, but you should also be able to sign out of an app, and then sign in with the other Microsoft account.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 30,077
    Windows 11 Pro x64 Version 23H2
       #3

    Sorry Shawn. When you say sign out of app I assume you mean OneDrive.

    Is the procedure I outlined the correct procedure to change the computer sign in account?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Caledon Ken said:
    Sorry Shawn. When you say sign out of app I assume you mean OneDrive.

    Is the procedure I outlined the correct procedure to change the computer sign in account?
    It is. Switching to a local account, then switch back to the Microsoft account you want to use instead.

    Switch to Local Account in Windows 10

    Switch to Microsoft Account in Windows 10
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 30,077
    Windows 11 Pro x64 Version 23H2
       #5

    Thanks
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Caledon Ken said:
    Thanks
      My Computers


 

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