Microsoft Removes Guide on Switching to Local Account in Windows 11

Earlier this month, Microsoft shared a guide on how to switch from a local account to a Microsoft account on Windows 11. That piece garnered attention around the web because it also listed how to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account. Some even went as far as to say Microsoft accidentally listed the benefits of not using a Microsoft account on Windows 11. Perhaps someone in Redmond saw this feedback, because the support page no longer outlines the steps to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account.

Of course, I was not the only journalist to cover the updated support page when it first appeared. As far as I can tell, Neowin was the first outlet to spot the page and write about it. I then covered the news, as did several other outlets. Microsoft’s page about switching the type of account you use remains live, but it no longer lists the steps to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account. The Wayback Machine archived the page before the change.

Timeline of Events

So, did Microsoft remove its guide on how to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account because of pressure from the media? That is impossible to say. But let me outline a timeline of events:

• June 12, 2024: Microsoft updated a support document outlining how to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account.
• June 13, 2024: Multiple media outlets covered the guide that appeared on Microsoft’s website.
• June 17, 2024: Microsoft had removed its guide on how to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account.

Regardless of the reason for the guide’s removal, the process of switching to a local account on Windows 11 has not changed:

1. Open the Windows 11 Settings app.
2. Select Accounts (by clicking your profile picture).
3. Select Your info.
4. Select “Sign in with a local account instead” (under Account settings).

Windows 11 will then guide you through the process of switching to a local account on your PC.

Update: 24 Jun 2024