Switch to Local Account Windows 11: Steps and Trade-offs

Windows 11 pushes you towards a Microsoft account, and on Windows 11 Home, setup requires an internet connection and a Microsoft account before you reach the desktop. Once the PC is set up, though, you can switch to local account Windows 11 sign-in, where your username and password exist only on that device. Your files and apps stay put; what changes is how you sign in and which cloud features follow you. This guide covers the switch itself, what you lose, how to go back, and how to add a separate local user instead.

Microsoft’s own advice is to use a Microsoft account, citing sync across devices and integration with its services. A local account is still a fully supported choice, as long as you prepare for the trade-offs below.

Local account vs Microsoft account

	Local account	Microsoft account
Where it lives	Only on this PC	Online, usable on many devices
Internet needed to sign in	No	Not after the first sign-in on a device
Forgotten password	Security questions, reset disk or another admin	Online reset with a verification code
Settings and files sync	No	Yes, with OneDrive and Windows Backup
Encryption recovery key	Not saved online automatically	Saved to the account when device encryption turns on

Before you switch: two things to sort out

1. Your encryption recovery key. Microsoft explains that when you set up a device with a Microsoft account, device encryption is turned on and a recovery key is attached to that account. That key does not disappear when you switch, but you should have a copy you can reach without fuss. From another device, go to aka.ms/myrecoverykey, sign in and note the key for this PC, or print it. If the recovery screen ever appears, our BitLocker recovery guide explains what to do. Microsoft also notes that with a local account, device encryption is not turned on automatically, so check Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption later if you ever set the PC up again.

2. A way back in if you forget the password. A local password cannot be reset online. Microsoft warns that if you do not create a password reset disk and then forget your password, you will not be able to recover it. After switching, create one (see below) and set security questions if Windows offers them. Our guide to Windows 11 forgot password covers every recovery route.

How to switch to a local account

1. Open Settings > Accounts > Your info.
2. Under Account settings, select Sign in with a local account instead. You only see this link while signed in with a Microsoft account.
3. Windows may ask you to confirm it is you with your PIN or password.
4. Type a username, a password and a password hint. The username must be different from any other account on the PC.
5. Select Next, then Sign out and finish.
6. Sign back in with the new local account.

Your desktop, documents and installed apps are where you left them. A PIN, face or fingerprint you set up with Windows Hello can still be used, although you may be asked to set the PIN up again.

What you lose, and what you keep

You lose:

• Automatic sync. Settings, themes and passwords no longer follow you to other PCs, and Windows Backup tied to your account stops backing this PC up.
• OneDrive at sign-in. OneDrive is no longer connected through Windows. You can sign in to the OneDrive app on its own if you still want your files synced.
• Easy password recovery. No verification code by email or text; see above.
• Automatic key backup. New encryption keys are not stored in a Microsoft account for you.
• Some account-based features, such as finding a lost device through your account, may stop working for this PC.

You keep:

• Microsoft Store. Open the Store and sign in there to download apps and games you bought. When asked, choose to sign in to that app only rather than letting Windows use the account everywhere on the device, or Windows may switch your sign-in back to the Microsoft account.
• Office, Outlook and other apps. Sign in inside each app as normal.
• Activation. A digital license that is already active on the PC normally stays active; linking a Microsoft account mainly helps when you change hardware later.

Create a password reset disk

A reset disk is a USB flash drive that lets you set a new local password from the sign-in screen. Microsoft’s steps:

1. Sign in with the local account (this option is not available for Microsoft accounts).
2. Plug in a USB flash drive.
3. Open Control Panel and type create password reset in its search box.
4. Select Create a password reset disk and follow the wizard.
5. Store the drive somewhere safe. You do not need a new disk when you change the password.

Switching back to a Microsoft account

1. Open Settings > Accounts > Your info.
2. Select Sign in with a Microsoft account instead (the link appears only while you use a local account).
3. Follow the prompts, then sign out and sign back in.

Your files stay in place. Sync, OneDrive and key backup start working again.

Adding a separate local user instead

If you only want an extra account without a Microsoft account, for a guest or a shared family PC, you do not need to convert your own account.

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users.
2. Next to Add other user, select Add account.
3. Select I don’t have this person’s sign-in information, then Add a user without a Microsoft account.
4. Enter a username and password and finish the setup, including the security questions if prompted.

New accounts are standard users. To give one administrator rights, select it under Other users, then Change account type. Microsoft recommends keeping administrators to a minimum. For other ways to reduce what your PC shares with Microsoft without changing accounts, see our Windows 11 privacy settings guide.