For security purposes, when several people use a computer, or when working at an enterprise, it would be advisable for each user to create a separate account so that everyone has access to their documents, browser settings and desktop. Such a distinction would be very useful.

Even on the same computer, several user accounts form an ordered picture for work, since by selecting the user you need when entering the OS, you will receive completely differentiated and separate privileges, files and other user objects, and when working under your account, you can immediately log out of your account and switch to another account if the user so needs. Today I will talk about how to create a Microsoft account on a PC running Windows 10, how to change it and delete it.

In the Windows 10 operating environment, there are two types of accounts: local and Microsoft. A local account is valid only on the computer on which you created it, and you can enter it without a password. The Microsoft account has advanced rights and capabilities, you can log in from any computer based on Windows 10 under it and get access to the same applications and programs with which you worked (meaning, only Microsoft programs - Skype, OneDrive, Outlook, etc. .).

To sign in to a Microsoft account, you usually need to enter your username or phone number. In this article, I will only touch on the Microsoft account, how to work with it, and how to change and delete it. Read how to create a local account.

Create a Microsoft account

Method 1 - using the Windows 10 settings form

Click the start button "Start" and in the pop-up menu select "Settings".

A prerequisite for creating a Microsoft account is to first log into your account with a Microsoft account, respectively (such a pun came out, do not blame me). If you are logged in with a local account, the system will assume you are also a local user and the tools to create a new Microsoft account will not be available.

So, suppose you did just that, signed in with a Microsoft account and went to the PC settings in the desired section. Here you see two sections: "Your family" and "Other people". In the first section (namely, Your family), you can create a Microsoft account for another member of your family. They will be synchronized with Microsoft and for each of them you can set the parental control function.

The "Other people" section is for third-party accounts that do not belong to your family. They will also be controlled by Microsoft, and may be either local or online.

First, let's use the first case when you want to add an account for another member of your family. Click on the "Add family member" button.

Choose for whom you want to add an account: for a child or for an adult and enter the Email of the new user. When everything is ready, proceed further by clicking "Next".

Confirm your choice by clicking the "Confirm" button in the next window that opens.

After confirmation, an invitation will be sent to the email of the added user, which must also be confirmed. We will do this by logging into the email and agreeing to accept the invitation.

What opportunities will be available to us after being invited as a new child PC user?

• firstly, you will be able to transfer some amounts of money to your child so that they can make purchases in the Xbox and Windows stores without a credit card;
• secondly, you will be able to see what actions the children carried out on the device, what applications they bought and what search queries they made in the search engine;
• another feature that cannot be overestimated is the setting of age restrictions for the evaluated content - television shows, movies, videos, games and applications;
• a similar function is to set limits on the duration of work on an active device for children;
• Finally, the last, but by no means less important feature is finding the child on the map if they use a smartphone based on the “tens”.

So, after the joining of the child is confirmed, the data on his account and the ability to log in will appear in the account settings menu.

Now let's add a user that doesn't belong to your family members. Both a local account and a Microsoft account can be created for it. Click on the "Add a user for this PC" button in the "Other people" section.

To add a Microsoft account, you will need to enter the email address of the user with which you would like to log in to the system. If this person does not have an e-mail, a mailbox will have to be created. Otherwise, all we can count on is a local account with no sync capability.

So, let's assume that we have created an e-mail (on the same Outlook.com). Enter his name on the next opened form.

Well, everything is ready! We have created the user, as evidenced by the following active form.

Now you can log into the system under his account and freely use Win 10 from the same device.
By default, when creating a new account, its powers are limited. To turn a user into an administrator, click on his name on the parameters form - the button "Change account type" will appear. Use it and change the current type to administrator.

You can log in as a new user by selecting an account from the list of active users in the Start menu and clicking on its name.

Another option is to shut down and log in with a new user and password in the login window.

Method 2 - using the control userpasswords2 command

We use the key combination and in the field for entering commands we enter the value "control userpasswords2".

The "User Accounts" form will open, which shows all user accounts available in the system (both local and online or, in other words, Microsoft). Let's use the "Add" button.

As a result, a window will appear for entering the email address of the new user. We saw an absolutely similar form, but made in a different design, earlier, using the first method indicated in this article.

If an account for a new user has already been created, enter the name of the corresponding e-mail box in the proposed field. If there is none at the time of registration, select the button to create a new email account.

The further procedure is not particularly original - we have already seen all this earlier, in the settings of the Windows OS, so we will not have the opportunity to meet anything new here.

How to delete a Microsoft account?

Let's use the same control userpasswords2 command described in the mechanics of creating a user account. Select the account that we want to remove and click the "Delete" button located under the list of controlled accounts.

How do I reset my Microsoft account password?

After logging in with your account, go to the new system settings menu in the "top ten", select the "Accounts" section and enter the "Login Options" subcategory in it. Click on the "Change account password" button in the middle of the form and then follow the wizard's prompts.

A Microsoft account works in all programs and services of the Redmond software giant: from the Xbox Live account used to sign in to the exclusive service of the Xbox game console, and ending with the mobile version of Windows 10 installed on smartphones and mobile gadgets from Microsoft.

Now you can use all your devices that use the same authentication algorithm with the same settings and options by connecting to your Microsoft account from any of your Windows 10 gadgets or accessories. If you just don't need these features, use instead a regular local Microsoft account, without a password and synchronization.

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Signing in to Office lets you create, edit, and share files. After signing in, you are automatically signed in to online services such as Office Online or OneDrive. Account or password recovery

Office for PC

If you haven't opened an Office file or document yet, launch any application like Word or Excel and open an existing file or create a new one.

Select File > Account (or Office Account in Outlook). Click the Sign In button if you are not already signed in.

Office for Mac

Open any Office application such as Word and click Sign in. If you're already editing the file, click File > New From Template... > Input .

Note: If you're using OneNote, select OneNote from the top menu and click the Sign In button.

In the sign in window, enter your Office email address and password. This can be a personal Microsoft account associated with Office, or a work or school account.

office online

Office mobile apps

For iPhone and iPad:

Open the Office application. On the Account screen, select Sign in.

In the sign in window, enter your Office email address and password. This can be a personal Microsoft account associated with Office, or a work or school account.

A Microsoft account is used to sign in to services such as Outlook.com (mail), SkyDrive (cloud file storage), Windows Phone (phone operating system), Xbox LIVE (game console), Windows 8.1 (computer/laptop operating system) \ tablets). If you use your email address and password to sign in to these and other services, you already have a Microsoft account, but you can sign up for a new one at any time.

What are the benefits of using a Microsoft account:

Synchronization of personal settings - themes, language settings, browser favorites, and data from most applications - across all computers running Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1.

The ability to purchase apps from the Windows Store and use them on computers running Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1.

Automatically update contact information and status of friends from Outlook.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and similar services.

Access and share photos, documents, and other files from places like SkyDrive, Facebook, and Flickr.

In order to create an account on the Windows 8.1 desktop, move the mouse cursor to the upper right corner or press the + key combination and select "Settings".

Click " Change computer settings".

In the window that opens, you will understand under which account you logged into the computer: under a local account or a Microsoft account.

Local account:

Microsoft account:

In order to sign in with a Microsoft account or create one, click "Connect to a Microsoft account".

in the Email address field, enter a unique name and select a domain: outlook.com, hotmail.com, or live.ru. You can also use an existing mail, to do this, click "Either use an existing email address" and enter the email box you use.

Enter your first and last name below and click Next.

In the next window, you must enter your date of birth and choose two of the three ways to recover your password. To restore, you can use either a cell phone number, or specify a different email address, or select an answer to a question. In this example, I specified the second email address and the answer to the question.

After that, specify the characters in the field and click " Next".

Choose how you want to receive a code to confirm your account creation. In my case, there is one option - the previously specified email.

An email with a code will be sent to the specified email address for password recovery, you must enter it in the field.

Email address and phone number. You may need this information to make 2-Step Verification more secure when performing actions related to changing key account settings.

What is 2-Step Verification? Why does Microsoft offer additional addresses and phone numbers?

In this case, you will receive a code for the second stage of authentication, even if you find yourself without a phone and / or forget the password to one of the email addresses.

In other words, providing additional data reduces the risk of account suspension. You can add up to 10 email addresses and/or phone numbers to your account.

A zip code is not accepted when creating a Microsoft account. What index to enter?

Before entering the zip code, enter the desired email address and make sure it is free.

Make sure you select your country.

Enter your postal code. If it doesn't work, enter any zip code of your country's capital or largest city. For example:

• 121087 (Moscow)
• 194100 (Peter)
• 01001 (Kyiv)
• 200400 (Minsk)

What are Microsoft's requirements for account password complexity?

The password must contain at least eight characters. You can also set your account settings on the Microsoft website to require you to change your password every 72 days.

What should I do when I can't sign in to my account? What should I do if my account is blocked?

If these steps did not help you regain access to your account, create a temporary account and contact free Microsoft technical support

Trusted PCs

Strictly speaking, the concept of a trusted PC is not new, as it relates more to aspects of managing a Microsoft account than it does to Windows. However, Windows 8 introduced features that only work on trusted PCs.

Why Make Your PC Trusted?

The main purpose of a trusted PC is to simplify a number of actions related to changing and synchronizing confidential data.

On the one hand, only between trusted Windows PCs can you sync credentials. In Windows 8, you had to manually make the PC trusted, and in Windows 10, only the first time you used a specific Microsoft account on this PC. In other words, in Windows 10, after reinstalling the system and logging in with the same Microsoft account, you no longer need to make the PC trusted.

On the other hand, from a trusted PC, you can change a number of account settings without additional authentication, although in some cases it may still be necessary.

Which PCs should be made trusted?

Obviously, this must be your personal PC. Do not trust a public or work computer.

How to make your PC trusted?

On Windows 10, go to Settings - Accounts - Your details. If you don't see the option shown in the picture, your PC is already trusted.

You can also do this on the Microsoft account settings website by signing in from this PC. Instructions.

How to remove a trusted PC?

You can only delete all trusted devices at once. Go to this page (login required).

Working with a Microsoft account on Windows

Windows 8 was the first Microsoft OS where you can create a Microsoft account and switch between it and a regular account without losing your familiar environment.

How is a Microsoft account different from a regular local account in Windows?

A Microsoft account in Windows is the most common local account that you sign in with your Microsoft credentials. She has exactly the same profile (%UserProfile%), she can also be a member of any groups (for example, Users and Administrators), etc. You can always link any local account to a Microsoft account, or unlink it.

After system installation

On Windows 10, go to Settings - Accounts and switch to a Microsoft account.

How do I switch from using a Microsoft account to a regular account?

On Windows 10, go to Settings - Accounts and switch to a regular account.

Can I sign in with a Microsoft account without an internet connection?

Certainly! An internet connection is required only when you create a Microsoft account or switch to a local account.

Credentials are cached locally, just like when running in a domain environment, so an Internet connection is not required at the time of signing in.

Can I sign in to Windows without a password if I'm using a Microsoft account? Sync settings and apps in Windows

In my opinion, synchronization is one of the most useful features of Windows, although it can be fraught with surprises.

Which applications are covered by settings sync?

Only for shops. This also applies to automatic sign-in to Microsoft applications with a company account (Mail, Skype, etc.).

Traditional Microsoft apps are not able to pull their settings from the cloud and automatically recognize that you are working with a Microsoft account (OneDrive is rather an exception).

Can sync be disabled for certain apps?

No, you can disable only groups, see the picture above

How to disable sync completely?

Use the very first radio button in the picture above

Problem Diagnosis

If you're having trouble switching to or using a Microsoft account, follow these troubleshooting steps in sequence:

Make sure you can sign in with your Microsoft account at https://account.live.com/

Run the Microsoft Accounts troubleshooter

From a command prompt run as administrator, run sfc /scannow

If you receive a message about the impossibility to restore the files, zip the \Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log file into an archive.

Remove third-party firewall and antivirus.

If the problem persists, please post a report of your actions, CBS.log, and the result of the Microsoft Accounts troubleshooter in this forum thread.

Archive (outdated information)

The information in this section of the article has become outdated over time and due to numerous changes to Skype.

I decided to dedicate a separate section to Skype, because I am sure that many blog readers use it.

Versions of Skype

There are two versions of the application:

How do Skype and Microsoft accounts work together?

You can:

• link both accounts
• sign in to Skype with either of the two accounts, regardless of whether they are linked

What are the benefits of merging accounts?

You will be able to sign in to Skype with your Microsoft account. A traditional app doesn't need to remember another password, and a modern app doesn't require you to enter any credentials at all.

The shared contact list will be displayed in the traditional and modern Skype applications, allowing you to chat with contacts from Windows Live Messenger. On the other hand, the same picture will be in the People application, which will extend all its capabilities to Skype contacts.

However, Skype cannot completely replace WLM in a number of ways. So, it is impossible to transfer files from Skype to WLM and vice versa, and group chats do not work. Also, it is not possible to link Skype and WLM contacts.

How to link a Microsoft account to a Skype account

Communication can be done in both traditional and modern applications.

Traditional Skype

The feature is available in versions 6 and above. Sign in with your Microsoft account (if you sign in to Skype automatically, sign out to see this option). You will see the window shown below.

Attention! Do not select the "Sign Up" option if you already have a Skype account. Otherwise, your Microsoft account will be immediately linked to your new Skype account.

Modern Skype

Immediately after installation, you will be offered exactly the same choice as in the traditional application. Therefore, read the bold red warning above in the text.

How to unlink a Microsoft account from a Skype account

I hope I answered all the questions that you asked in the comments to the previous post. If you have new questions, feel free to ask them so that I can complete this article. However, this offer does not mean that I undertake to resolve any issues you may have. Problems. With them, you can contact Microsoft free technical support, if necessary, creating a temporary account.

Microsoft account - username and password for logging into Windows, Skype, OneDrive, Office, Hotmail, Outlook, Xbox Live, Bing, MSN, Store (Microsoft Store), Windows Phone, Visual Studio. An account is required for a user to access Microsoft services, apps, subscriptions, and devices.

Through the account, the user gets access to his data and settings from any device, applications and services become more convenient, and personal management.

A user can link all of their profiles across multiple devices to one account for easy management of their Microsoft account. A user can have multiple Microsoft accounts if they created profiles in programs or services at different times using different email addresses and passwords. In this case, the control is performed by the account associated with this device.

Previously, the account changed its name several times. The previous version of the account was called "Windows Live ID".

Using an account, a user can use applications and services, as well as take advantage of all the features of the Windows operating system. With a local account in Windows, the user will not be able to use some of the built-in features of the operating system, for example, will not be available for family safety.

Another benefit of using an account on the Windows operating system is that the product key license is linked to the account information. In the case of reinstalling Windows, after logging in with a Microsoft account (MSA), making an Internet connection, the operating system will be automatically activated on the computer. Therefore, I recommend that you sign in to your computer at least once with a Microsoft account. The system on the PC will be associated with the account, which will help to reactivate the system on this hardware without any problems.

I think that considering the above, it makes sense to create a Microsoft account. A profile can come in handy in different situations.

There are several ways to create a Microsoft account:

• directly from Windows OS settings;
• on the official page of the Microsoft website https://account.microsoft.com/;
• from the window of a program or production service.

The user, having signed in to their profile, manages their Microsoft account from the account:

• edits their user data: you can change the Microsoft account name, email address, phone number associated with the profile;
• changes or resets the account password;
• makes payments and issues invoices related to products;
• manage devices:
• manages product subscriptions;
• changes privacy and security settings;
• manages family security;
• searches for and blocks lost devices;
• obtains reference information for solving problems;
• if necessary, remove the Microsoft account.

When you sign in to a profile, your account settings are synchronized across all devices managed by that Microsoft profile.

Account in Windows 10: how to create an account on Windows

In this instruction, we will consider creating an account using the Windows 10 operating system as an example. You can create an account on Windows 10 from the system settings.

Prerequisite: to create a profile, you must have an Internet connection, because at the time of creating an account, a connection is made to Microsoft servers to save and apply settings.

Follow these steps to create a Microsoft account:

Enter the Start menu, launch the Settings app.

Open "Accounts", in the "Your Information" section, click on the link "Sign in with a Microsoft account instead".

In the Microsoft Account window, if you already have a Microsoft profile, you'll need to enter your email address, phone number, or Skype account. If you don't have an account, click on the "Create one!" link. The profile creation process will take a little time.

In the next window, enter your email address (any mailbox on Gmail, Yandex Mail, Mail.Ru, Yahoo, etc. will do), create a password for your account, and then select a country.

As a login from an account, you can use a new mailbox, instead of an existing email. To do this, click on the "Get a new email address" link. You will be prompted to create an email.

It then asks for your consent to display content that is most relevant to your interests. If this offer does not interest you, uncheck both boxes in this window.

In the window that opens, you are prompted to enter the current password to enter the operating system to verify the authenticity of the user. The next time you sign in, your Microsoft account password will be used. Leave the field blank if you do not currently have a Windows login password on your computer.

The Create a PIN window prompts you to create a sign-in PIN that you can use instead of entering your Microsoft account password. The PIN code is stored on this device and is not transmitted to the Internet.

In the PIN Setup window, enter the characters for the new PIN, and then confirm the PIN. The PIN code must contain at least 4 characters.

After applying the settings, you will be taken to the accounts section in the Settings application. Here you will see that the computer is signed in with a Microsoft account.

Creating a Microsoft account without using the Windows operating system works in a similar way. After creating their profile on the site, the user can sign in to the account on the computer by entering information from their Microsoft account.

To change the settings, or to apply the necessary settings, you can log into your account on the official website using a browser from any device.

Sign in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account

During, the system prompts you to enter data from your Microsoft account. If you wish to use your Microsoft profile on the operating system, enter this information when you install the system. You can do this at any time, from the installed Windows.

After starting the computer or when rebooting, to enter the operating system, you will need to enter an account password or PIN code, the user's choice. The user can independently change the “Parameters” of entering the system by selecting the account password or PIN code for entering in the appropriate field.

If necessary, the user can on another.

If you find it difficult to constantly enter a password every time you start the operating system, follow the link to read the article on how to when logging in.

Article Conclusions

When working on a computer on a Windows operating system, the user can use a Microsoft account. After creating a profile, the user has access to settings for managing personal data, privacy, security on all devices associated with a Microsoft account.

Experienced PC and Internet user