Windows 10: Next Month, Windows 10's Start Menu will highlight the advantages of Microsoft Accounts to...

In early 2023, Microsoft started to test Start Menu promotions in its Windows 11 operating system. These have since then landed in release versions of Windows 11 and will launch on Windows 10 systems next month.

The badges are displayed when users select the profile icon in the Start Menu. They provide "quick access to important account-related notifications" according to Microsoft.



Logged in Windows users see notifications asking them to back up their files or "protect their memories". Users logged in with a local account may see an error badge instead, which is a devious attempt to gain the attention of local account users, as Microsoft is trying to get them to switch to a Microsoft account instead.

Local users see messages such as "sign in to your Microsoft account", "use Microsoft 365 for free", or "keep your account safer" when they click or tap on the profile icon.



Soon, Windows 10 customers will get these badges as well on their systems. Microsoft launched the change in the latest Release Preview build for Windows 10. These changes are usually introduced on the fourth Tuesday of the month as an optional update and then on the second Tuesday of the following month for all devices running Windows 10.

Here is Microsoft's full message announcing the introduction of the badges: "This update expands the roll out of notification badging for Microsoft accounts on the Start menu. A Microsoft account is what connects Windows to your Microsoft apps. The account backs up all your data and helps you to manage your subscriptions. You can also add extra security steps to keep you from being locked out of your account. This feature gives you quick access to important account-related notifications."

It is safe to ignore the badge.



Windows 11 includes options to turn these off in the following way:

1. Open Settings, for instance via Start > Settings, or by using the keyboard shortcut Windows-I.
2. Go to Personalization > Start.
3. Toggle "Show account related notifications in Start".

It is likely that Microsoft is going to introduce a similar setting on Windows 10 devices.

Now You: good option to notify users or desperate attempt at pushing Microsoft accounts and paid upgrades?

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Windows 10 Tweaks

As you may already know, Windows 10 (as well as Windows 8) allow you to log in with a valid Microsoft account, instead of creating a local account that only works on your machine. However, you may prefer to keep a local account for privacy reasons. If you do, though, some Windows 10 features—like Cortana—may not work. Despite the default behavior, the Windows 10 Store is not one of them. You can still log in to your Microsoft account for just the Store without switching to a full Microsoft account. The process, however, is not terribly obvious. To do so, follow these steps:

• Launch the Store from your Start menu.
• Click the user icon next to the search box.
• Click “Sign-in” from the menu that appears.
• Choose “Microsoft account” and log in like normal.
• When the “Make it yours” box appears do not enter your password. Instead, click “Sign in to just this app instead.”

from Lifehacker

 

Windows 10 Start menu issue

Maybe this can help re Pin to start mate.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...ndows-10/2d5507fb-939b-4d53-98a8-78e1ab93adde

 

Windows 10

I didnt have to create a account. When that part of the install pops up just click create new account and on the new screen at the bottom it says sign in without a MS account. This allows you to create a local user.