Remove your current Microsoft account and add a new one

To change the Microsoft email account on your Windows computer, you need to remove the current account from your system settings, then sign in with the new email address. Windows ties your user profile to a Microsoft account, so the process involves going into Settings, finding the account section, and disconnecting the old email before connecting a new one.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you want to keep your files and settings (by linking a local account first) or start fresh. Most people find it simpler to add the new Microsoft account as a second user profile first, then delete the old one once everything is working.

Key Takeaways

  • You can add a new Microsoft account as a separate user profile without losing files from your current account.
  • To fully replace your account, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and select "Sign in with a Microsoft account instead" if you are currently using a local account, or disconnect the old account under Email & accounts.
  • If you want to keep your current user profile but change only the email address, you may be able to update it directly in account settings rather than removing and re-adding.
  • Removing a Microsoft account from Windows does not delete your Microsoft account itself — it only disconnects it from that computer.
  • You will need to know the password for the new Microsoft account before you begin.

Check whether you are using a Microsoft account or a local account

Before you make any changes, find out what type of account you currently have. Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then select the Settings app. Go to Accounts on the left side, then select Your info at the top.

If you see your email address and a picture under your name, you are signed in with a Microsoft account. If you see "Local account" instead, you are using a local account that is not tied to an email. This matters because the steps to change your account depend on which type you have.

Add a new Microsoft account as a second user profile

The safest way to switch accounts is to create a new user profile first. This way you can test the new account and make sure everything works before you remove the old one. Go to Settings > Accounts > Other people (or "Other users" depending on your Windows version). Select "Add account."

Windows will ask you to sign in with a Microsoft account. Enter the email address and password for the new Microsoft account you want to use. Follow the prompts to complete the setup. Windows will create a new user profile with that email address, and you can log out of your current account and log into the new one to verify it is working.

Once you have confirmed the new account works and you have copied over any files you need, you can delete the old account. Go back to Settings > Accounts > Other people, select the old account, and choose "Delete." Windows will ask whether you want to keep or delete the files associated with that account.

Change the email address on your current user profile

If you want to keep your current user profile but update the email address attached to it, you may be able to do this directly. Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info. Look for a link that says "Manage your Microsoft account" or "Sign in with a Microsoft account instead." Click it.

This will open your Microsoft account page in a web browser. Sign in if prompted. Look for the section labeled "Email & accounts" or "Your info." You should see an option to add an alias (an alternate email address) or change your primary email. Adding an alias lets you use a different email without losing access to your current one. Changing the primary email replaces your main account email entirely.

Be aware that if you change your primary email, you will need to use the new email to sign into Windows on this computer going forward. If you are not sure which option you need, adding an alias first is the safer choice — you can always make one of them primary later.

Disconnect the old Microsoft account from your computer

If you have decided to fully remove the old account from this computer, go to Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts. Under "Accounts used by other apps," you will see a list of email accounts connected to Windows. Find the old Microsoft account and select it, then choose "Remove."

Windows will ask you to confirm. Select "Yes." This removes the account from your computer but does not delete the Microsoft account itself — you can still use that email address to sign into other devices or services. The account data stays with Microsoft; only the connection to this computer is severed.

Sign out and sign in with your new account

Once you have added the new account and removed the old one, sign out of Windows. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, select "Sign out," and wait for the sign-in screen to appear. You should see the new account listed. Click it and enter the password for the new Microsoft account.

Windows will sign you in and may take a few minutes to set up your profile for the first time. You may see a message about syncing settings — this is normal. Once you are signed in, check that your files are where you expect them. If you created a new user profile, your files will be in a different location, so you may need to copy them over from the old profile before you delete it.

Troubleshooting common issues

If you see an error message saying "We can't sign you in with this account," the password you entered may be incorrect, or the account may not exist. Double-check the email address and password on the Microsoft account website before trying again. If you have forgotten the password, go to account.microsoft.com, select "Can't access your account," and follow the recovery steps.

If Windows will not let you remove the old account, it may be because that account is the only administrator on the computer. In that case, you need to make the new account an administrator first. Go to Settings > Accounts > Other people, select the new account, and choose "Change account type." Set it to "Administrator," then try removing the old account again.

If you see a message that says "You can't delete the account you're currently signed into," sign out of that account first and sign into a different account (or a local administrator account if you have one). Then go back to Settings and delete the old account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my Microsoft account delete my files?

No, if you keep the same user profile and only update the email address, your files stay in place. If you create a new user profile with a different account, the files from your old profile remain on the computer in a separate folder, but you will need to copy them over manually. Deleting a user profile gives you the option to keep or delete its files.

Can I use two Microsoft accounts on the same computer?

Yes. You can have multiple user profiles, each with its own Microsoft account. Each person who uses the computer can have their own profile and sign in with their own email. Files and settings are kept separate for each profile.

What happens to my OneDrive files if I change my Microsoft account?

OneDrive is tied to your Microsoft account email. If you switch to a new account, you will see the OneDrive folder for the new account. Files from your old account's OneDrive will still exist in your Microsoft account online, but you will need to sign into that old account to access them on this computer, or read them first before you remove the old account.

Do I need to reinstall Windows to change my account?

No. You can change your Microsoft account through Settings without reinstalling Windows. Reinstalling is not necessary and will erase everything on your computer, so avoid it unless you have a specific reason.

What if I forgot the password to my new Microsoft account?

Go to account.microsoft.com on another device or computer, select "Can't access your account," and follow the steps to reset your password using a recovery email or phone number. Once you have reset it, use the new password to sign into Windows.