How to Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10


You need a user account to use Windows, and if you share a single PC with other people, each person should have their own account. Each person can customize their account with their own settings and preferences, like a desktop background or screen saver. User accounts also help control which files and apps each person can use and what changes they can make to the PC.

In Windows 10, you can allow family members to sign in to the PC by adding them as a child or adult account linked with your Microsoft family (aka: Family Safety). Family member accounts will use their Microsoft account, and can be either a standard user or administrator.

In Windows 10, you can also allow people (other users) who are not part of your family to sign in to the PC with their own accounts by adding them as a local account (aka: offline account) or Microsoft account. This won't add them to your family. Other users can be either a standard user or administrator.

A user profile is a collection of settings that make the computer look and work the way you want it to for a user account. It contains the account's settings for desktop backgrounds, screen savers, pointer preferences, sound settings, and other features. User profiles ensure that your personal preferences are used whenever you sign in to Windows. A user profile is different from a user account, which you use to sign in to Windows. Each user account has at least one user profile associated with it.

When you add a new user account, the user profile of the account is not created until the first time the user signs in to Windows with their user account.

This tutorial will show you different ways on how to add a local account or Microsoft account as a user on the PC in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to add a user.

   Note

Local account versus Microsoft 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.

• 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.

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.
• Starting with Windows 10 build 14371, 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.

Contents

• Option One: To Add a Local Account in Settings
• Option Two: To Add a Microsoft Account in Settings
• Option Three: To Add a Local Account in netplwiz
• Option Four: To Add a Microsoft Account in netplwiz
• Option Five: To Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Local Users and Groups
• Option Six: To Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Command Prompt

OPTION ONE

To Add a Local Account in Settings

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

2 Click/tap on Family & other users on the left side, and click/tap on + Add someone else to this PC under Other users on the right side. (see screenshot below)

3 Click/tap on the I don't have this person's sign-in information link at the bottom. (see screenshot below)

4 Click/tap on the Add a user without a Microsoft account link at the bottom. (see screenshot below)

5 Type in a user name you want for this local account. (see screenshot below)

6 Type in a password you want for this local account. (see screenshot below)

If you have a build older than Windows 10 build 17063, then you will also need to enter a password hint.

If you do not want to have a password for this local account, then leave these password fields blank instead, and go to step 8 below.

7 Select your security questions in the drop menu, and enter your answers for them. (see screenshot below)

Security questions for local accounts has been added starting with Windows 10 build 17063.

8 When finished, click/tap on Next.

9 The local account has now been added. This account's profile folder will not be created until the first time it is signed in to. (see screenshot below)

The user will be prompted to change their privacy settings the first time the user signs in to this account.

10 This new local account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

11 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.

OPTION TWO

To Add a Microsoft Account in Settings

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

2 Click/tap on Family & other users on the left side, and click/tap on + Add someone else to this PC under Other users on the right side. (see screenshot below)

3 Type in the email address or phone number alias of the Microsoft account you want to add, click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

4 Click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)

5 The Microsoft account has now been added. This account's profile folder will not be created until the first time it is signed in to.(see screenshot below)

The user will be prompted to change their privacy settings the first time the user signs in to this account.

When the user signs in to their newly added Microsoft account on the PC, they will also need to verify their identity if they want to add the PC as a trusted device associated with their Microsoft account.

6 This new Microsoft account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

7 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.

OPTION THREE

To Add a Local Account in netplwiz

1 Press the Win + R keys to open Run, type netplwiz into Run, and click/tap on OK to open it.

2 Check the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box, and click/tap on the Add button. (see screenshot below)

3 Click/tap on the Sign in without a Microsoft account link. (see screenshot below)

4 Click/tap on the Local account button. (see screenshot below)

5 Type in a user name, password, and password hint you want for the local account, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

You can leave the password fields empty if you do not want a password for the local account. It is recommended to password protect the local account to help keep it more secure.

6 Click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)

7 The new local account will now be added. This account's profile folder will not be created until the first time it is signed in to. (see screenshot below)

The user will be prompted to change their privacy settings the first time the user signs in to this account.

This local account user will be able to add or update their security questions used to reset their password at sign-in if needed.

8 This local account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

9 If you like, you can set Windows to automatically sign in to a user account at startup.

10 When finished, you can close Netplwiz.

OPTION FOUR

To Add a Microsoft Account in netplwiz

1 Press the Win + R keys to open Run, type netplwiz into Run, and click/tap on OK to open it.

2 Check the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box, and click/tap on the Add button. (see screenshot below)

3 Type in the email address or phone number alias of the Microsoft account you want to add, click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

You can click/tap on the Sign up for a new email address link if you do not currently have an email address for an existing Microsoft account.

4 Click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)

5 The Microsoft account will now be added. This account's profile folder will not be created until the first time it is signed in to. (see screenshot below)

The user will be prompted to change their privacy settings the first time the user signs in to this account.

When the user signs in to their newly added Microsoft account on the PC, they will also need to verify their identity if they want to add the PC as a trusted device associated with their Microsoft account.

6 This new Microsoft account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

7 If you like, you can set Windows to automatically sign in to a user account at startup.

9 When finished, you can close Netplwiz.

OPTION FIVE

To Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Local Users and Groups

The Local Users and Groups is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

You will only be able to create a new local account using this option, but you will be able to switch the new local account to a Microsoft account afterwards.

1 Open Local Users and Groups, click/tap on the Users folder in the left pane to open it, and click/tap on More Actions and New User in the right "Actions" pane. (see screenshot below)

2 Type in a user name (Example) you want for the new local account, fill out any other details (ex: password) if you like, check the options that you would like to apply to this user account, and click/tap on Create first, and click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)

3 You will now notice that the new local account has been added. When finished, you can close Local Users and Groups if you like. (see screenshot below)

4 This new local account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

5 If you want a Microsoft account, then you can now switch the new local account to a Microsoft account.

The user will be prompted to change their privacy settings the first time the user signs in to this account.

OPTION SIX

To Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Command Prompt

You will only be able to create a new local account using this option, but you will be able to switch the new local account to a Microsoft account afterwards.

1 Open an elevated command prompt.

2 Do step 3 or step 4 below for how you would like to create the new local account.

3 To Create a Local Account without a Password

A) Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)

net user "UserName" /add

Substitute UserName in the command above with the actual user name you want for the new local account.

For example: net user "Example" /add

4 To Create a Local Account with a Password

A) Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)

net user "UserName" "Password" /add

Substitute UserName in the command above with the actual user name you want for the new local account.

Substitute Password in the command above with the actual password you want for the new local account.

For example: net user "Example" "MyPassword"/add

5 When finished, close the elevated command prompt if you like.

6 This new local account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

7 If you want a Microsoft account, then you can now switch the new local account to a Microsoft account.

The user will be prompted to change their privacy settings the first time the user signs in to this account.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Allow or Block Microsoft Accounts in Windows 10
• How to Add a Guest Account in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove a Child Account for Your Microsoft Family in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove an Adult Account for Your Microsoft Family in Windows 10
• How to Delete a User Account in Windows 10
• How to View Full Details of All User Accounts in Windows 10
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• How to Add or Update Security Questions for Local Account in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts in Windows 10

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