Switch Your Microsoft Account in Settings

To change the Microsoft account on your PC, open Settings and go to Accounts, then select Your info. At the top of the window, you'll see "Sign in with a Microsoft account instead" if you're currently using a local account, or you can click Sign in with a Microsoft account to switch accounts. Windows will walk you through signing out of your current account and signing in with a different one.

If you're already signed in with a Microsoft account and want to switch to a different Microsoft account, the process is slightly different. Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users, then click Add account. You can then sign in with the new Microsoft account you want to use. Once that account is set up on your PC, you can switch to it by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen and selecting the other account.

After you've added the new account and switched to it, you may want to remove the old account from your PC entirely. Go back to Settings > Accounts > Other users, select the old account, and click Delete. Windows will ask whether you want to keep or delete the files associated with that account — choose based on whether you need to save any documents or settings from the old profile.

Key Takeaways

  • You can add a new Microsoft account to your PC through Settings > Accounts > Other users, then switch to it from your profile menu.
  • If you want to make the new account your primary account, sign in with it first, then remove the old account from Other users.
  • When you delete an old account, Windows asks whether to keep or delete its files — choose to keep them if you need documents from that profile.
  • You must have administrator rights on your PC to add or remove accounts; if you don't, ask the person who set up your PC.
  • Switching accounts does not affect your files or programs — they stay on your PC and remain accessible from the account that created them.

Add a New Microsoft Account Without Removing the Old One

If you want to keep both accounts on your PC — for example, if you share the computer with someone else — you can add the new account and leave the old one in place. Open Settings > Accounts > Other users and click Add account. Enter the email address and password for the Microsoft account you want to add, then follow the prompts to complete the setup.

Once the new account is added, you can switch between accounts by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen and selecting the account you want to use. Each account has its own desktop, files, and settings, so switching accounts is like having separate user profiles on the same PC. Files you create or read while signed in to one account won't appear on the other account's desktop unless you save them to a shared folder like Documents or Downloads.

Make a New Account Your Primary Account

If you've added a new Microsoft account and want to make it the one that appears when you start your PC, you need to set it as the default sign-in account. Open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. Under "Who's signing in?", you'll see a dropdown menu showing the current default account. Click it and select the new account you want to use as your primary account.

After you change the default, the next time you restart your PC, the new account will be the one shown on the sign-in screen. You can still access the old account by clicking "Other user" on the sign-in screen if you haven't deleted it, or by switching accounts after you've signed in.

What Happens to Your Files When You Switch Accounts

Each Microsoft account on your PC has its own user profile, which means its own desktop, Documents folder, Downloads folder, and settings. Files you created or downloaded while signed in to your old account stay in that account's folders and don't automatically move to the new account. If you need to access those files from the new account, you'll need to copy them to a shared location or move them manually.

Programs you installed on your PC remain installed and available to all accounts, but some programs may need to be set up again in the new account if they store settings per user. For example, web browsers will show different bookmarks and saved passwords depending which account you're signed in to, because each account has its own browser profile.

Remove an Old Account Completely

Once you've switched to a new Microsoft account and confirmed everything is working, you can delete the old account if you no longer need it. Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users, click the old account, and select Delete. Windows will show a warning and ask whether you want to keep or delete the files in that account's user folder.

If you choose Delete account and data, Windows removes the account and all files in its user folder — Documents, Downloads, Desktop, and everything else stored in that profile. If you choose Keep files, Windows removes the account but moves the files from that user folder to a folder on your desktop so you can sort through them. This is the safer option if you're not sure whether you need anything from the old account.

Troubleshooting Account Switch Problems

If you see an error message when trying to add a new Microsoft account, make sure you're using the correct email address and password. If you've forgotten your Microsoft account password, you can reset it at account.microsoft.com before trying to sign in on your PC. You'll need access to the email address or phone number associated with the account to complete the reset.

If you're unable to add a new account or delete an old one, you may not have administrator rights on your PC. Administrator rights are needed to make changes to user accounts. If you're not the person who set up the PC, ask them to add or remove accounts for you. If you are the administrator and still can't make changes, restart your PC and try again — sometimes a restart clears temporary issues that block account management.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have more than one Microsoft account on my PC?

Yes. You can add multiple Microsoft accounts to your PC through Settings > Accounts > Other users. Each account has its own profile, files, and settings. You can switch between them by clicking your profile picture and selecting the account you want to use.

What happens to my files if I delete my old account?

When you delete an account, Windows asks whether to keep or delete the files in that account's user folder. If you choose "Keep files", the files are moved to a folder on your desktop. If you choose "Delete account and data", the files are permanently removed.

Do I need internet to switch Microsoft accounts?

You need internet to sign in with a new Microsoft account for the first time. After that, you can switch between accounts on your PC without internet, though some features may be limited if you're offline.

Can I use a local account instead of a Microsoft account?

Yes. In Settings > Accounts > Your info, you can click "Sign in with a local account instead" to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account that doesn't require an email address or password to sign in.

What if I forgot which email address is my Microsoft account?

Go to account.microsoft.com and click "Sign in". If you can sign in, the email you used is your Microsoft account. If you can't remember the password, click "Can't access your account" to reset it using a recovery email or phone number.