Windows 10: Add Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10

How to: Add Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10

How to Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10


You need a user account to use Windows, and if you share a single PC with other people, each person should have their own account. Each person can customize their account with their own settings and preferences, like a desktop background or screen saver. User accounts also help control which files and apps each person can use and what changes they can make to the PC.

In Windows 10, you can allow family members to sign in to the PC by adding them as a adult account linked with your Microsoft family (aka: Family Safety). Family member accounts will use their Microsoft account, and can be either a standard user or administrator.

In Windows 10, you can also allow people (other users) who are not part of your family to sign in to the PC with their own accounts by adding them as a local account (aka: offline account) or Microsoft account. This won't add them to your family. Other users can be either a standard user or administrator.

A user profile is a collection of settings that make the computer look and work the way you want it to for a user account. It contains the account's settings for desktop backgrounds, screen savers, pointer preferences, sound settings, and other features. User profiles ensure that your personal preferences are used whenever you sign in to Windows. A user profile is different from a user account, which you use to sign in to Windows. Each user account has at least one user profile associated with it.

When you add a new user account, the user profile of the account is not created until the first time the user signs in to Windows with their user account.

This tutorial will show you different ways on how to add a local account or Microsoft account as a user on the PC in Windows 10.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to add a user.



Note Local account versus Microsoft account

Local account
A local account is a user name and password that you use to sign in to only a single Windows PC. This is the same type of user account that was used in Vista and Windows 7.

• You have to create a user name and account for each PC you use.
• While not recommended, you can remove the password if you like.
• You'll need a Microsoft account to download apps from the Store, but you can set it up later.
• Your settings won't be synced across the PCs that you use.

Microsoft account
A Microsoft account is an email address and password that you can use to sign in to Microsoft services and all Windows 8/10 PCs and devices.

Some benefits:

• Free.
• Password cannot be removed since it is required, but you can change the password.
• Access, save, share, and sync all of your documents, music, photos, and videos from OneDrive (aka: the cloud) on all PCs and devices that you sign in with the same Microsoft account.
• Download, install, and restore apps from the Windows Store.
• Get your online content in Microsoft apps automatically.
• Sync your personal settings across all PCs and devices that you sign in to with the same Microsoft account.
• Two-step verification to verify your identity whenever you sign in to your Microsoft account.
• You can set limits for how and when your child uses their Microsoft account. Monitoring their activity so you teach them online safety skills.
• Jot down a note in OneNote. Next time you sign in to a device (doesn’t even have to be the same one) you'll be right back to where you left off, no matter where you were, or the device used last time.
• Your Microsoft account keeps track of your Xbox Music Pass collection and playlists, syncing across your tablet, PC, phone, and your Xbox console.
• Use your Windows Phone as a controller for your Xbox console when you're signed in with the same Microsoft account.
• Starting with Activation troubleshooter if you make a hardware change later, such as replacing the motherboard.

CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Add a Local Account in Settings
• Option Two: To Add a Microsoft Account in Settings
• Option Three: To Add a Local Account in netplwiz
• Option Four: To Add a Microsoft Account in netplwiz
• Option Five: To Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Local Users and Groups
• Option Six: To Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Command Prompt

OPTION ONE [/i] To Add a Local Account in Settings
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Accounts icon.

2. Click/tap on Family & other people on the left side, and click/tap on + Add someone else to this PC under Other people on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3. Click/tap on the I don't have this person's sign-in information link at the bottom. (see screenshot below)



4. Click/tap on the Add a user without a Microsoft account link at the bottom. (see screenshot below)



5. Type in a user name you want for this local account. (see screenshot below)



6. Type in a password you want for this local account. (see screenshot below)


Note If you have a build older than Windows 10 build 17063, then you will also need to enter a password hint.

If you do not want to have a password for this local account, then leave these password fields blank instead, and go to step 8 below.



7. Select your security questions in the drop menu, and enter your answers for them. (see screenshot below)


Note Security questions for local accounts has been added starting with Windows 10 build 17063.



8. When finished, click/tap on Next.

9. The local account has now been added. This account's profile folder will not be created until the first time it is signed in to. (see screenshot below)



10. When finished, you can close Settings if you like.

11. This new local account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.





OPTION TWO [/i] To Add a Microsoft Account in Settings
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Accounts icon.

2. Click/tap on Family & other people on the left side, and click/tap on + Add someone else to this PC under Other people on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3. Do step 4 or step 5 below depending on if the user has a Microsoft account or needs to sign up for a Microsoft account.


4. To Use an Existing Microsoft Account
A) Type in the email address of the Microsoft account you want to add, click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)



B) Click/tap on Finish, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)



5. To Sign up for a New Microsoft Account to Add
A) Click/tap on the I don't have this person's sign-in information link at the bottom. (see screenshot below)
Attachment 133958
B) Select to use your favorite email or get a new email address, enter the required information, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshots below)



C) Enter the required security info, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)



D) Check or uncheck the preferences you want, click/tap on Next, and go to step 6 below. (see screenshot below)



6. The Microsoft account has now been added. This account's profile folder will not be created until the first time it is signed in to.(see screenshot below)



7. When finished, you can close Settings if you like.

8. This new Microsoft account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

9. When the user signs in to their newly added Microsoft account on the PC, they will need to verify their identity if they want to add the PC as a trusted device associated with their Microsoft account.





OPTION THREE [/i] To Add a Local Account in netplwiz
1. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type netplwiz into Run, and click/tap on OK to open it.

2. Check the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box, and click/tap on the Add button. (see screenshot below)



3. Click/tap on the Sign in without a Microsoft account link. (see screenshot below)



4. Click/tap on the Local account button. (see screenshot below)



5. Type in a user name, password, and password hint you want for the local account, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)


Note You can leave the password fields empty if you do not want a password for the local account. It is recommended to password protect the local account to help keep it more secure.




6. Click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)



7. The new local account will now be added. This account's profile folder will not be created until the first time it is signed in to. (see screenshot below)



8. This local account will be a change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

9. If you like, you can set Windows to automatically sign in to a user account at startup.

10. When finished, you can close Netplwiz.





OPTION FOUR [/i] To Add a Microsoft Account in netplwiz
1. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type netplwiz into Run, and click/tap on OK to open it.

2. Check the Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer box, and click/tap on the Add button. (see screenshot below)



3. Type in the email address of the Microsoft account you want to add, click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)


Note You can click/tap on the Sign up for a new email address link if you do not currently have an email address for an existing Microsoft account.



4. Click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)



5. The Microsoft account will now be added. This account's profile folder will not be created until the first time it is signed in to. (see screenshot below)



6. This new Microsoft account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

7. When the user signs in to their newly added Microsoft account on the PC, they will need to verify their identity if they want to add the PC as a trusted device associated with their Microsoft account.

8. If you like, you can set Windows to automatically sign in to a user account at startup.

9. When finished, you can close Netplwiz.





OPTION FIVE [/i] To Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Local Users and Groups


Note Local Users and Groups is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

You will only be able to create a new local account using this option, but you will be able to switch the new local account to a Microsoft account afterwards.


1. Open Local Users and Groups, click/tap on the Users folder in the left pane to open it, and click/tap on More Actions and New User in the right "Actions" pane. (see screenshot below)



2. Type in a user name (Example) you want for the new local account, fill out any other details (ex: password) if you like, check the options that you would like to apply to this user account, and click/tap on Create first, and click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)



3. You will now notice that the new user has been added. When finished, you can close Local Users and Groups if you like. (see screenshot below)



4. This new local account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

5. If you want a Microsoft account, then you can now switch the new local account to a Microsoft account.





OPTION SIX [/i] To Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Command Prompt


Note You will only be able to create a new local account using this option, but you will be able to switch the new local account to a Microsoft account afterwards.


1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. Do step 3 or step 4 below for how you would like to create the new local account.


3. To Create a Local Account without a Password
A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below, press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)

*Arrow net user "UserName" /add



Note Substitute UserName in the command above with the actual user name you want for the new local account.

For example: net user "Example" /add






4. To Create a Local Account with a Password
A) In the elevated command prompt, type the command below, press Enter, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)

*Arrow net user "UserName" "Password" /add



Note Substitute UserName in the command above with the actual user name you want for the new local account.

Substitute Password in the command above with the actual password you want for the new local account.

For example: net user "Example" "MyPassword"/add





5. When finished, close the elevated command prompt if you like.

6. This new local account will be a standard user type of account by default. If you like, you can change the account type of this user to be a guest or administrator instead.

7. If you want a Microsoft account, then you can now switch the new local account to a Microsoft account.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Allow or Block Microsoft Accounts in Windows 10
• How to Add a Guest Account in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove a Child Account for Your Microsoft Family in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove an Adult Account for Your Microsoft Family in Windows 10
• How to Delete a User Account in Windows 10
• How to View Full Details of All User Accounts in Windows 10
• How to Check if User is a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10
• How to Switch to a Local Account from a Microsoft Account in Windows 10
• How to Switch to a Microsoft Account from a Local Account in Windows 10
• How to Change Your Account Picture in Windows 10
• How to Change Default Account Picture in Windows 10
• How to Change Account Type of Users in Windows 10
• How to Allow or Block Family Member from using a PC in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Aliases for your Microsoft Account
• How to Change the Primary Alias for your Microsoft Account
• How to Enable or Disable User Accounts in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Users from Groups in Windows 10
• How to Change User Name of Account in Windows 10
• How to Add or Update Security Questions for Local Account in Windows 10
• How to Enable or Disable Use of Security Questions for Local Accounts in Windows 10

:)

 

Windows 10 Local Account

And we get a tutorial that shows us how to create a dang account instead of how to get our . Like we are stupid! Ugh!

 

Windows 10 Local Account

I am logged into my Microsoft account and I want to log into the current I have used for years. When I followed instructions, it wants me to create a new instead of just adding the current one. How do I add the current one that
has all of my settings already established on my computer?

Thanks.

Staci

 

These instructions are good, but the problem is for some reason one of the child accounts I set up the verification invitation was never received so it still shows as pending. Is there a way to resend the verification email?

 

Hello Greenlock, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

Double check the child's junk or spam email box to see if the email may be in it by mistake.

You can remove your child then add him again.
1. Go to https://account.microsoft.com/family#/
You should see your child listed on this page with a message saying that the invitation has been sent.

2. Click the Remove link.
If not able to remove the child for some reason, then the invitation will automatically expire in 14 days, and you can add the child account again to also send another invitation.

 

If we're on a local account & want to add another local account, how do we proceed..?

 

You could follow Option 3

 

It's a long tutorial *Smile

 

I'm having a problem getting another user to WORK on this computer.

I have made my daughter an account she is an adult. The account is there and it did send her an email and she did click it and it said pending for about 10 minutes while she accepted it. Now it no longer says pending but now says can't log in. She can log into my wife's computer as we tried the exact way we did on this computer and works just fine on that computer that's also a windows 10. But still can not get it to work on this one. Even deleted the account and tried Windows + R and typed in "netplwiz". It did the same thing, created it but still says can't log in.

Please need help. Thanks

 

Hello Khedrak, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

If you like as a test, delete the account, and see how it performs when using OPTION FOUR to add a Microsoft account for her instead.

 

Hi, I'm new to Windows ten having been coerced into "upgrading" by Microsoft!

I only seem to have one account, as "Built in Administrator" but can't add another account or sign in using Microsoft account. When I click either the "Sign in with a Microsoft account instead" (in your email and accounts) or "Add someone else to this PC" (in Family and other users), a window seems to open and disappear again instantly.

I have even tried to add a user in the cmd prompt (following instruction in one of the tutorials on here) but get an error of "< was unexpected at this time".

I can't even open a pdf at the moment and my laptop is basically useless for what I need it for.

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

Hello Stubby, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

You won't be able to switch the built-in Administrator account to a Microsoft account.

When you tried to add a user using OPTION SIX, did you do so in an elevated command prompt (right click on CMD, and click on "Run as administrator")?

If all else fails, you might see if doing a repair install may sort this for you.

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade

 

No I hadn't, but I have now and same error. I'll follow your link and see if that helps.

Thanks.

 

I'm reluctant to lose the software that is installed. I there any way that I can try to reset without losing this?

 

You won't lose anything doing a repair install in the tutorial link above, but you will if you reset or refresh Windows instead.