Add Microsoft Account without losing Local Account?


  1. Posts : 46
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Add Microsoft Account without losing Local Account?


    I currently use a Local Account (no password) on a notebook but would also like to add my existing Microsoft Account. Is this possible without losing an option to sign in with the Local Account if necessary?
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  2. Posts : 17,838
    Windows 10
       #2

    AjayK47 said:
    I currently use a Local Account (no password) on a notebook but would also like to add my existing Microsoft Account. Is this possible without losing an option to sign in with the Local Account if necessary?
    Not really, but you can sign in to various apps only with your MS account and keep your 'local' sign-in.
    When asked for your credentials, look for the "Sign in to this App only" tag.
    There are a few exceptions, though.

    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/5...l-account.html
    Last edited by Brink; 26 Oct 2016 at 09:48. Reason: added tutorial link for more info
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  3. Posts : 46
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Edwin said:
    Not really, but you can sign in to various apps only with your MS account and keep your 'local' sign-in.
    When asked for your credentials, look for the "Sign in to this App only" tag.
    There are a few exceptions, though
    So can you not have a local and MS account on the same computer?
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  4. Posts : 18,421
    Windows 11 Pro
       #4

    AjayK47 said:
    So can you not have a local and MS account on the same computer?
    You can have any number of local and Microsoft accounts on the same computer. You can also have any number of administrator and standard user accounts on the same computer and you can mix and match both local accounts and Microsoft Accounts as the administrators or standard users.

    You can have:

    John.Doe@hotmail.com - MS account administrator
    Joe.Smith@hotmail.com - MS account standard user
    John - Local account administrator
    Jane - Local account standard user

    all on the same computer. The biggest mistake people make is when they want to create a new administrator account they forget to take the second step required to change the newly created standard user account to an administrator and then they somehow manage to delete the old (and only) administrator account (which is not supposed to be allowed, but they figure out a way to do it anyways) and then find out they no longer have administrator access to their computer.

    NOTE: when I say any number - I am sure there probably is a power of 2 limit of the number of user accounts, probably like 1024 or something like that.
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  5. Posts : 46
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #5

    NavyLCDR said:
    You can have any number of local and Microsoft accounts on the same computer. You can also have any number of administrator and standard user accounts on the same computer and you can mix and match both local accounts and Microsoft Accounts as the administrators or standard users.

    You can have:

    John.Doe@hotmail.com - MS account administrator
    Joe.Smith@hotmail.com - MS account standard user
    John - Local account administrator
    Jane - Local account standard user

    all on the same computer. The biggest mistake people make is when they want to create a new administrator account they forget to take the second step required to change the newly created standard user account to an administrator and then they somehow manage to delete the old (and only) administrator account (which is not supposed to be allowed, but they figure out a way to do it anyways) and then find out they no longer have administrator access to their computer.

    NOTE: when I say any number - I am sure there probably is a power of 2 limit of the number of user accounts, probably like 1024 or something like that.
    Thank you - So how do I add an MS account to my Notebook without losing the existing Local Account?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 18,421
    Windows 11 Pro
       #6

    AjayK47 said:
    Thank you - So how do I add an MS account to my Notebook without losing the existing Local Account?
    Option 4:
    User Account - Add in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

    Then if you want the new MS account user to be an administrator:
    Account Type - Change in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums
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  7. Posts : 6
    Windows 10
       #7

    You can add a new local account, and then switch to Microsoft account in PC Settings.
    After switching to Microsoft account, the linked local account will be inaccessible at the logon screen.
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  8. Posts : 46
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Many thanks for all your help. Successfully achieved.
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