How to Remove Microsoft Account From Windows 11/10

Published by Nyau Wai Hoe - Updated on

Windows 11 and Windows 10 are designed to encourage users to sign in with a Microsoft account for the best user experience. However, logging into Windows 11/10 using a Microsoft account is not entirely compulsory. You can use a local account instead for your Windows login.

This tutorial will show you how to remove your unwanted Microsoft account from your Windows 11 or 10 laptop or desktop PC, so that you can sign in with a local account or another Microsoft account.

Also see: How to Login Windows 11 Without Microsoft Account

Before we begin, you need to know that all Windows computers require at least one user account, whether a local account or a Microsoft account, for users to log in. So, before you can remove the existing unwanted Microsoft account from your Windows computer, you will need to create either a local account or a new Microsoft account. This tutorial will be divided into three parts:

Part 1: Create a Local Account on Windows 11/10

To create a local user account with or without a password, follow these steps:

  1. On the start menu, search and open netplwiz.How to open user accounts control panel netplwiz
  2. In the User Accounts control panel window, click on the Add button.How to create a local account on Windows 10/11
  3. When asked “How will this person sign in”, click on the “Sign in without a Microsoft account” link at the bottom of the window.Sign in without a Microsoft account password Windows 11/10
  4. On the next screen, click on Local account.Add a local user account Windows 10/11
  5. When asked to input your new username and password, you have two choices here:
    • If you don’t want any password for your local account, leave the password fields empty and click Next.
    • If you want to set up a password for your local account, fill all the fields and then click Next.Create local user account without password
  6. Click Finish, and your new local account will then be created and shown on the list of user accounts.Remove Microsoft account and switch to local account

Now that you’ve successfully created your new local account, you can proceed to log in to your Windows with this new account and then remove the unwanted Microsoft account from your Windows 11/10 PC.

If you want to change your local account to an administrator account, refer to this guide: How to create a local admin account without password on Windows 11/10.

Part 2: Sign into Windows with Another Microsoft Account

To sign into Windows 11/10 with a different Microsoft account, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the start menu. Search and open netplwiz.Open netplwiz
  2. In the User Accounts window, click on Add.How to create a local account on Windows 10/11
  3. Now, you have two choices here:
    • If you already have an existing Microsoft account (@outlook.com or @hotmail.com), enter your account’s email address and then click Next. Then, click Finish to add the Microsoft account to the list of user accounts.Sign in to Windows 11/10 with a different Microsoft account
    • If you want to sign up for a new Microsoft account instead, click on the “Sign Up for a new email address” link.Sign up for a new Microsoft Account
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish setting up or creating your new Microsoft account.Create a new Microsoft account for Windows 10/11

After you’ve completed the steps above, the newly entered account will then show up on the list of user accounts, which you can use to sign into your Windows afterward.

How to Remove Microsoft Account From Windows 11/10

Part 3: Remove Microsoft Account from Windows 10/11

If you haven’t already created a local account or a Microsoft account ready to be used to sign in to your PC, refer to the previous section to do so. You will need a new user account before you can remove the old Microsoft Account you no longer want. Come back here after you’ve done so.

If you already have a local account created or a different Microsoft account ready to be signed into your Windows 11/10 PC, follow these steps to remove the Microsoft Account you no longer need from Windows:

  1. First, sign in to Windows with your newly created local account or another Microsoft account that you wish to use.
  2. Next, in the start menu, search and open netplwiz.Open netplwiz
  3. In the User Accounts window, select the Microsoft account you wish to remove, then click on the Remove button while it’s highlighted.Remove Microsoft Account From Windows
  4. When a warning window pops up that says “the Microsoft account will no longer be allowed to use this computer”, click Yes to confirm the removal.Windows user accounts remove warning

That’s it! You’ve successfully removed the unwanted Microsoft account from Windows. You can now continue using your local account or your new Microsoft account to log in to your computer.

It’s worth noting that removing a Microsoft account from your Windows PC will not delete the account itself. Your Microsoft account will still exist, and you can still use it to sign in to other Microsoft services such as OneDrive, Office 365, or Xbox Live. It just means that you won’t be able to use it to log in to your Windows 11/10 PC anymore.

In summary, removing an unwanted Microsoft account from your Windows 11/10 PC is straightforward. Just make sure to create a new local account or Microsoft account before removing the unwanted one. Once you’ve done that, you can easily remove the account you no longer need and continue using your Windows PC with your preferred account.


Nyau Wai Hoe
Nyau Wai Hoe is the Founder and Chief Editor of WindowsDigitals.com. With a degree in software engineering and over 12 years of experience in the tech support industry, Nyau has established himself as an expert in the field, with a primary focus on the Microsoft Windows operating system. As a tech enthusiast, he loves exploring new technologies and leveraging them to solve real-life problems.

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