How to switch from Microsoft account to local account on Windows 11

• To switch from Microsoft to a local account on Windows 11, open Settings > Accounts > Your Info, click “Sign in a local account instead,” confirm the local credentials, sign out, and sign back in.
• Alternatively, you can create a new local account, transfer your files and setting, and then delete the Microsoft account.

UPDATED 4/2/2025: On Windows 11, a Microsoft account is the default option when setting up a new user, offering better security, seamless integration with Microsoft services, and automatic synchronization of files and settings across devices. However, not everyone prefers this type of account. Many users value privacy and control over their data, preferring to keep their information off cloud-based services.

Microsoft itself acknowledges that a local account may be more suitable for devices that don’t require an internet connection. Unlike a Microsoft account, a local account operates independently, keeping settings, files, and applications confined to a single device without cloud integration.

If you prefer a traditional local account, switching from a Microsoft account is a straightforward process through the Settings app. Alternatively, you can create another local administrator account and transfer your files to the new account instead of disconnecting from the cloud-based account.

In this guide, I will teach you how to switch from a Microsoft account to a traditional local account.

• Change from Microsoft account to local account on Windows 11 by unlinking account
• Change from Microsoft account to local account on Windows 11 by creating new account

Change from Microsoft account to local account on Windows 11 by unlinking account

To convert a Microsoft account into a local account on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

2. Click on Accounts.

3. Click the Your Info tab.

4. Under the “Account settings” section, click the “Sign in a local account instead” option to disconnect the account.

   

5. Click the Next button.

6. Confirm your password.

7. Create a name for the local account.

   

8. Create a password for the account.

9. Confirm the password.

10. Create a password hint.

11. Click the Next button.

12. Click the “Sign out” and finish button.

Once you complete the steps, your Microsoft account will switch to a local account. However, you can always change back to a Microsoft account with these instructions.

Change from Microsoft account to local account on Windows 11 by creating new account

To create a local administrator account on Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

2. Click on Accounts.

3. Click the Other users tab.

4. Click the Add account button under the “Other users” section.

   

5. Click the “I don’t have this person’s sign-in information” option.

   

6. Click the “Add a user without a Microsoft account” option.

   

7. Create a Windows 11 administrator account by confirming a name and password.

   

8. Configure the security questions to recover the account if the password is lost.

9. Click the Next button.

10. Select the newly created account and click the “Change account type” button to change the account from Standard to Administrator.

    

11. Choose the Administrator option using the “Account type” setting. 

    

12. Click the OK button.

13. Open Start, click on your user account, and choose the Sign out option.

14. Select the new local account and sign in.

15. Open File Explorer.

16. Open the C:\Users location from the “This PC” section or by typing the path in the address bar.

    

17. Open the previous profile folder linked to your Microsoft account.

18. Open each of the folders, select their contents, and click the Cut button.

19. Type the %USERPROFILE% variable path in the address and press Enter to open the home folder.

    

20. Open the corresponding folder and click the Paste button to transfer the files.

21. Repeat steps 16 through 20 to copy the contents of all the folders from the old account.

22. Open Settings.

23. Click on Accounts.

24. Click the Other users page.

25. Select the account and click the Remove button.

    

26. Click the “Delete account and data” button.

    

After you complete the steps, you can start using the new local account disconnected from the Microsoft cloud services. However, you will have to configure your browser and system settings since these configurations do not transfer automatically when changing accounts for obvious reasons.

If you can’t decide which method to use, consider unlinking your account as the easiest method, as it helps you retain your current account configuration. When using another account, you will have to transfer your files and reconfigure your settings. Usually, the second method is the better option if you’re dealing with issues in the other account.

Why are you switching account types on Windows 11? Let me know in the comments, and tell me what methods you used.

Update June 17, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process. Although Microsoft has noted the benefits of a local account, the company quickly retracted the text as it prefers users to use the online account, so I had to link to a previous version of the documentation page from the Archive.org website.

Update April 2, 2025: This guide has been updated to add the steps to leave the Microsoft account by creating a new account.