Last Updated on May 2, 2026
You may have noticed that almost everything we do on our computers these days requires an online connection. We are constantly pressured to have an email account associated with every device we own and sign into.
Of course, this makes it easier for massive tech companies to track our habits and bombard us with targeted advertisements. It also allows them to heavily push their own online ecosystem, such as Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage.
Starting with Windows 10, Microsoft began aggressively requiring users to log into their computer using a Microsoft account email and its associated password.
You can use this same account to log into all of your Windows computers and have certain settings seamlessly synchronized between them.
Before Windows 10, however, you would simply log in with a local account which was entirely unique and private to that specific computer.
If your computer is already configured with a Microsoft account and you want to reclaim your privacy by using a local account, you can still easily do so.
In this article, we will be showing you exactly how to change your existing Microsoft account to a local account in Windows 11. This process will also work perfectly for Windows 10, but the settings screens will look slightly different.
Stop: Check Your BitLocker Recovery Key First
Before you hit the button to switch account types, there is a major security catch you need to be aware of. If your computer uses BitLocker or standard Windows Device Encryption, your recovery key is currently safely backed up to your Microsoft cloud account.
When you sever that connection by moving to a local account, you risk getting permanently locked out of your own hard drive. This can easily happen if your motherboard’s TPM ever triggers a random security trip.
Always log into your Microsoft account on the web and print out or save a physical copy of your BitLocker recovery key before making this switch.
How to Convert to a Local Account
1. Open Your Account Settings
To change your existing Microsoft account to a local account in Windows, you will first need to open your Windows Settings app. Navigate to the Accounts section on the left sidebar, and then click on Your info.
2. Choose the Local Account Option
Here you can clearly see the email address currently associated with your Microsoft Account. Scroll down to the Account settings section, and you will see a specific link that says “Sign in with a local account instead.”
3. Confirm the Account Switch
Once you click this link, a blue window will pop up asking you to confirm that you actually want to switch to a local account. You will also be notified that you won’t see your personalized settings synced across all your devices anymore. If you are ready to proceed, you can then click the Next button to continue the conversion process.
Will I Lose My Desktop Files or Photos?
A common fear when changing account types is that Windows will wipe out the user profile entirely. People worry about deleting their desktop shortcuts, documents, and downloaded files.
Fortunately, this conversion is completely seamless and safe for your data. Windows simply modifies the underlying registry keys for your user profile folder to detach the email address.
Your files stay exactly where they are on your hard drive. However, any folders that were actively syncing to the cloud via OneDrive will stop backing up automatically. You will need to manually open the OneDrive app from your system tray and sign back in if you still want those cloud backups running in the background.
4. Create Your New Credentials
The next step involves choosing a username for your new local account. Windows will automatically fill this in for you based on your existing Microsoft account, but you can change this to whatever you desire.
5. Set Your Password and PIN
You will then need to create a new password for this account as well as a helpful password hint. If you currently have your computer setup to use a PIN, you will happily still be able to use this exact same PIN to log into your computer after the switch.
Once everything is configured and your password is set, you will be prompted to sign out of your computer. Make sure you save any open documents or web browser tabs before clicking this button. After you sign out, you can then sign right back in using your newly converted local account credentials.
Verifying Your New Account Status
Now when you go back to your Windows account settings, you will see that your account is officially listed as a local account.
You may also notice that Microsoft will occasionally try and get you to sign in with a Microsoft account once again on this screen. You can safely ignore these prompts.
How to Switch Back to a Microsoft Account
If you ever change your mind and want to switch back to a Microsoft account for your Windows login, you can easily do so.
Simply go back to the Windows settings and navigate to the Accounts section once again. Now you will see a link that says “Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.”
Once you click this link, a familiar window will pop up. You will need to enter the email address and password associated with your Microsoft account.
After verifying your identity, you will be back to using a fully synced Microsoft account rather than a local account.
Bypassing the Microsoft Account During a Fresh Install
If you are installing Windows 11 from scratch, Microsoft hides the local account option entirely. They force you to connect to the internet to proceed with the setup.
To bypass this, when you reach the network connection screen during setup, press Shift + F10 on your keyboard to open the Command Prompt.
Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and press Enter. Your computer will reboot, and you will now have an “I don’t have internet” option to easily create a local account right from the start.
Local vs. Microsoft Account FAQ
Can I still download apps from the Microsoft Store?
Yes. You can run a purely local Windows profile but still sign into individual applications using your Microsoft credentials. Examples include the Microsoft Store, the Xbox App, or the Windows Mail app. When prompted to sign in, just make sure to select “Microsoft apps only” instead of letting it apply the account to your whole PC.
Will switching to a local account deactivate Windows?
No. Modern Windows 10 and 11 digital licenses are tied directly to your motherboard’s unique hardware ID. Moving to a local account will not remove your activation status.
Why does Windows keep nagging me to switch back?
Microsoft heavily pushes its connected ecosystem to drive engagement. Even after switching, you might see occasional pop-ups in the Settings app or Notifications panel. They usually suggest you “Finish setting up your device” by linking a Microsoft account again, but you can safely dismiss these prompts.
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