
- #Microsoft online accounts full#
- #Microsoft online accounts for windows 10#
- #Microsoft online accounts windows 10#
Or, if you'd prefer to bypass the whole feature, just mash the keyboard to create random "answers" that no one (including you) could possibly guess. For example, you can answer the three security questions with a three-word passphrase of your own, entered one word at a time. If you're worried that a thief with a search engine can guess those answers, do as I do and. You can't bypass those questions, nor can you choose alternatives other than the six predefined questions.
#Microsoft online accounts windows 10#
On Windows 10, setting up a local account on Windows 10 requires that you fill in answers to three security questions, to help you recover in the event you forget your password. With local accounts, you've historically had no such option if you forget your password. With a Microsoft account, you have multiple options to recover if you forget your password. Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNETĪfter you get past those speed bumps, you can enter your username and password. That option in the lower left corner allows you to set up a local account. Those credentials grant access only to the device on which you created them. You don't need a network connection or an email address instead, you create a username (up to 20 characters) and a password, both of which are stored on the PC where you create them.

Local accountĪ local account is about as old school as Windows gets. But if you do use a Microsoft account for services such as Microsoft 365 and OneDrive, it makes sense to sign in to Windows using the same account. (For more details on how telemetry works, see "Windows 10 telemetry secrets: Where, when, and why Microsoft collects your data.")Īlso: The best Windows laptop models: Comparing Dell, Samsung, Lenovo, and moreĪnd, of course, you can create a Microsoft account and use it exclusively for signing in to Windows while keeping your email, cloud storage, and other services elsewhere. Note that Windows telemetry data is tied to your device and isn't associated with a Microsoft account.
#Microsoft online accounts full#
(For a full list, see "Windows 10 roaming settings reference.") That includes personalization settings like your desktop background, saved passwords (including Wi-Fi profiles), language and regional settings, and more. Windows allows you to sync settings between PCs where you sign in using the same Microsoft account.

#Microsoft online accounts for windows 10#
On PCs designed for Windows 10 or Windows 11, signing in with a Microsoft account automatically enables full-disk encryption for the system drive, even on systems running Home Edition.
