How to remove a Microsoft account from Windows
To remove a Microsoft account from your computer, go to Settings, select Accounts, then choose "Your info" or "Other people" depending on whether you are removing your own account or someone else's. From there, select the account you want to remove and click "Delete". Windows will ask you to confirm, and the account and its associated files will be deleted from the computer.
The exact steps differ slightly between Windows 11 and Windows 10, but the Settings path is the same. If you are removing your own account, you must have another administrator account on the computer first — Windows will not let you delete the only admin account. If you are removing someone else's account, you need administrator rights to do it.
Before you delete an account, understand that removing it will also delete all files stored in that account's user folder on the computer. Windows will warn you about this and give you a chance to back up those files to another location or external drive first.
Key Takeaways
- You can remove a Microsoft account through Settings > Accounts > Your info or Other people, then select Delete.
- Deleting an account also deletes all files in that account's user folder, so back up important documents before you proceed.
- You must have at least one other administrator account on the computer before you can delete your own account.
- If you want to keep the files but remove the account, copy them to another user folder or external storage first.
Step-by-step removal on Windows 11
Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings", then press Enter. Click on "Accounts" in the left sidebar. Select "Other people" to see all accounts on the computer, or "Your info" if you are removing your own account.
Find the account you want to remove and click on it. A menu will appear with options including "Delete". Click "Delete", and Windows will show a confirmation dialog explaining that the account and all its files will be removed. Click "Delete account and data" to confirm. The account will be removed when ready.
Step-by-step removal on Windows 10
Open Settings and go to Accounts. Click "Other people" in the left sidebar to see all accounts on the computer. Select the account you want to remove and click "Delete". Windows will warn you that all files associated with that account will be deleted. Click "Delete account and data" to confirm.
If you are removing your own account on Windows 10, you may need to sign out first and sign in with a different administrator account, then return to Settings to delete your original account. The process is the same, but the interface requires you to be logged in as a different user.
What happens to your files when you delete an account
When you delete a Microsoft account from Windows, all files in that account's user folder are permanently removed from the computer. This includes documents, photos, downloads, desktop files, and anything else stored in that user's directories. Windows does not move these files to the Recycle Bin — they are deleted directly.
Before you delete the account, open File Explorer and navigate to the user folder (usually C:\Users\[AccountName]) to see what files are there. If you need to keep any of them, copy them to another user account's folder or to an external drive. You have time to do this before you delete the account — the deletion only happens when you confirm it in Settings.
Removing a Microsoft account without deleting files
If you want to remove the account but keep its files, copy everything from that user's folder to another location before you delete it. Open File Explorer, go to C:\Users, right-click the folder for the account you want to remove, and select "Copy". Navigate to another user's folder or to an external drive and paste the files there.
Once you have copied the files, return to Settings and delete the account as described above. The files you copied will remain on the computer or external drive, but the account itself will be gone. This is useful if you are removing an old account but want to preserve documents or photos that were stored in it.
Removing a Microsoft account when you cannot sign in
If you cannot sign in to the account you want to remove, you can still delete it from another administrator account. Sign in with a different admin account, go to Settings > Accounts > Other people, find the account you want to remove, and click Delete. You do not need to be signed in to the account itself to remove it.
If the account is password-protected and you do not know the password, you can still delete it this way. The account does not need to be accessible — only that another administrator account exists on the computer and you are signed in to it.
When you need a second administrator account first
Windows requires at least one administrator account to exist on the computer at all times. If you are trying to delete your own account and it is the only administrator account, Windows will not let you proceed. You must create or promote another account to administrator status first.
To create a new administrator account, go to Settings > Accounts > Other people and click "Add account". Follow the prompts to create a new local account or link a Microsoft account. Once the new account exists, go to "Other people" again, select it, and click "Change account type" to make it an administrator. Then you can sign out, sign in to the new admin account, and delete your original account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover files after I delete a Microsoft account?
Files deleted when you remove an account are permanently removed from the computer and cannot be recovered through Windows. If you have a backup of your computer or the files were synced to OneDrive or another cloud service, you may be able to recover them from there. Otherwise, they are gone.
What if I delete my account by mistake?
If you delete an account by mistake, you cannot undo it through Windows. However, if the account was linked to a Microsoft account, you can create a new local account or sign in with the same Microsoft account again. The files that were deleted cannot be restored unless you have a backup.
Do I need to unlink my Microsoft account before I delete it?
No. When you delete the account from Settings, it removes the account from the computer entirely. If you want to use that Microsoft account on another computer, you can sign in with it there. The deletion only affects this computer.
Will deleting an account affect my Microsoft account or email?
Deleting an account from your computer does not delete your Microsoft account or email address. It only removes the account from that specific computer. You can still use the same Microsoft account to sign in on other devices.
Can I delete an account if I forgot the password?
Yes. If you have another administrator account on the computer, you can sign in to it and delete the forgotten-password account from Settings. You do not need the password to the account you are deleting.