Annoying problem - W10 account

[Raz]

I've got an issue with my son's email account linked to my W10 account (standalone) and can't seem to remove it. This has happened because I logged in to the Xbox app to check his profile and now his Microsoft account is linked. I've checked online and removed my pc from manage devices from his account. It also doesn't give me the option to remove his ms account from W10 settings (accounts - I get 'manage' only).

Am I missing something here? The only app which used his details was the Xbox one, and I uninstalled that to see if it helped.

A setting that may help is 'all apps can sign me in' but going through the manage option doesn't help.

Edit - office and edge have switched to his account too.

Probably an easy solution to this....

Thanks!

 

[pcfarrar]

You'll probably need to create a new local login, transfer your data over and then delete the microsoft account using the new login. I'm pretty sure once you've added a Microsoft Account that is the only way you can get rid of it.

 

[Dano]

You'll probably need to create a new local login, transfer your data over and then delete the microsoft account using the new login. I'm pretty sure once you've added a Microsoft Account that is the only way you can get rid of it.

Yes, I'm pretty sure this is what I had to do when dealing with the same issue.

 

[Raz]

Thanks, it's a bit strange that it can't be unlinked but I'll create another local account and do it that way.

 

[Scort]

Can you not remove the linked account Via Settings, Accounts then Email & Accounts?

 

[pcfarrar]

Can you not remove the linked account Via Settings, Accounts then Email & Accounts?

It doesn't let you once you've converted a local account to a microsoft account logon.

 

[Raz]

Can you not remove the linked account Via Settings, Accounts then Email & Accounts?

It doesn't let you once you've converted a local account to a microsoft account logon.

Would have been so much easier if it were an option, I wonder why MS doesn't make it easy to unlink accounts. A quick check of their support forums shows that it's not easy at all, and most advisors just provide steps to remove accounts which doesn't actually deal with the issue.

 

[Scort]

Would have been so much easier if it were an option, I wonder why MS doesn't make it easy to unlink accounts. A quick check of their support forums shows that it's not easy at all, and most advisors just provide steps to remove accounts which doesn't actually deal with the issue.

Maybe give this a try.

I don't have a device to try linking my MS account to - but I very much doubt that MS would actively prevent you from uncoupling your device from their account system - that just screams an EU court case and fine waiting to happen.https://www.howtogeek.com/230543/ho...local-one-after-the-windows-store-hijacks-it/

 

[Vince]

You'll probably need to create a new local login, transfer your data over and then delete the microsoft account using the new login. I'm pretty sure once you've added a Microsoft Account that is the only way you can get rid of it.

@Raz Try this.... Control panel > credentials manager > remove all his credentials from there.

Surely cached credentials issue should never lead to creating a new user profile?

 

[Scort]

@Raz Try this.... Control panel > credentials manager > remove all his credentials from there.

Surely cached credentials issue should never lead to creating a new user profile?

I'd avoid doing that, you don't want to go flushing out any credentials before the account is un-linked from the Microsoft Account b.s. - belts and bracers and all that!

 

[pcfarrar]

@Raz Try this.... Control panel > credentials manager > remove all his credentials from there.
Surely cached credentials issue should never lead to creating a new user profile?

It's not that simple unfortunately, once you've signed in with a microsoft account it changes the way your user login profile works. There's no going back once it's changed.

If your PC is on a domain then you can remove a Microsoft account but for standalone machines there is no way.

 

[Scort]

It's not that simple unfortunately, once you've signed in with a microsoft account it changes the way your user login profile works. There's no going back once it's changed.

If your PC is on a domain then you can remove a Microsoft account but for standalone machines there is no way.

I have serious doubts about this claim - no offense meant, but if MS are forcing you to stay with their account system, then surely they will be in breach of some-such law that the EU has dreamed up!

I'm at work at the moment, but I might go grab a blank laptop and set it up with my MS account and give removing it a try - I'll keep it as a WORKGROUP device, rather than a Domain machine too...

 

[Scort]

Righto - a box fresh HP laptop, running Windows 10 Pro 1809:

Followed the setup for a MS account, plenty of lovely spying Cortana nonsense and scare-mongering prompts to use cloud etc etc Anyway - logged into this lovely junk-filled o/s and...

Settings > Accounts > Clicked on "Sign in with a local account instead", blue prompt stated that the device was encrypted and that I'd have to sort that first.

Right-clicked the C: drive (only psychical drive and partition) and selected Manage Bitlocker, then selected the option to turn off Bitlocker, and waiting for the drive to decrypt - not prompted for a key; as the blue window stated that was linked to the MS account.

Back into Settings > Accounts > Clicked on "Sign in with a local account instead", input my MS password and then had boxes to fill out a local account (username, password etc) - then clicked "Sign out and finish".

The PIN I setup during the MS account setup was still valid, but I could change the "Sign in options" and use my new password as well.

As this was a quick and dirty test, I hadn't setup any apps or whatnot, but although I am now logged in as a completely local account (automatically added as Administrator), I can see that within account settings it still has a record of my MS account, presumably that is linked to Edge/Mail etc.

Hope this helps

 

[pcfarrar]

That way does work but the "Sign in with a local account instead" option doesn't always appear on everyone's machines as it's been bugged for a long time. It essentially just creates a new local account, I think you run into issues if you want to use the same account name again.

 

[Scort]

That way does work but the "Sign in with a local account instead" option doesn't always appear on everyone's machines as it's been bugged for a long time. It essentially just creates a new local account, I think you run into issues if you want to use the same account name again.

Then first port of call for Raz would be to go grab the 1809 update, the creation tool form MS is the safest bet; as it certainly works on that version, and it worked in the first free version too - 1507 or 15-something iirc. But it is M$ so I fully expect there will be 'features' that would make the option a but wooley - but as with all things windows, there will always be a fix for it - registry tweak or whatnot.

The process appears to move the Microsoft account and its associated content over to a new local user, without the need to manually copy anything over, and set a bunch of things up again - though that is an educated guess; as I have only tested it in a very limited state (like I said, I didn't set anything up).

The device is just in the process of resetting back to box fresh - I'm happy to go through the process again, then try added my MS account on as a second user...

 

[Scort]

This time around, after setting up the machine with an MS account, I copied files from the now linked drop box and also opened the Mail app - all my stuff for that account was present and correct.

I then used the process to un-link the MS account and go local - all my stuff was still there, but I was now a local admin account - hurrah!

Added a new user to the PC, and chose my MS account again - signing out I could see both the local user and my MS email address as accounts. As expected, the newly created MS account was completely blank.

Raz - as I have now correctly re-read your OP (I scan read most things!) I can see you are indeed missing the option to "Sign in with a local account instead" as pcfarrar mentions - if you're not already running 1809 (check by running WINVER and looking at the Version of Windows 10); you might want to Google the MS Media Creation tool - it'll allow you to update to the latest version, which is actually 1903 I believe. That might sort your missing button

 

[Raz]

Thanks all.

Ended up re-installing Windows. Easy way out but after 3 graphics cards and 3 CPUs I had planned on doing a reinstall anyway but couldn't be bothered. Creating another local admin account and copying things over would have been easier, but these days a fresh windows install isn't too much hassle.

Raz - as I have now correctly re-read your OP (I scan read most things!) I can see you are indeed missing the option to "Sign in with a local account instead" as pcfarrar mentions - if you're not already running 1809 (check by running WINVER and looking at the Version of Windows 10); you might want to Google the MS Media Creation tool - it'll allow you to update to the latest version, which is actually 1903 I believe. That might sort your missing button

Thanks. I had the latest version of Windows but had still had the option missing.

The problem is that it was my son's account, which as a child's account, is restricted on certain things - every time I needed to do something it would ask me to allow permission for my son's account. Bit of a headache, and even if there is a solution they've not made it easy.

 

[Scort]

Thanks all.

Ended up re-installing Windows. Easy way out but after 3 graphics cards and 3 CPUs I had planned on doing a reinstall anyway but couldn't be bothered. Creating another local admin account and copying things over would have been easier, but these days a fresh windows install isn't too much hassle.

Thanks. I had the latest version of Windows but had still had the option missing.

The problem is that it was my son's account, which as a child's account, is restricted on certain things - every time I needed to do something it would ask me to allow permission for my son's account. Bit of a headache, and even if there is a solution they've not made it easy.

At least you're up and running now I'll not mention that you could have done a Shift + Reboot to wipe it though

 

[Raz]

I'll not mention that you could have done a Shift + Reboot to wipe it though

Thanks (all) for help