Local accounts in Windows 8.1
Is there a way to create a local account in the Windows 8.1 Preview instead of using a Microsoft account?
July 3rd, 2013 3:04pm

disable the Internet during setup. Now the Setup can't connect to the LiveID/MS Account server and you should get a fallback to use a local account.
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July 3rd, 2013 3:15pm

As Andre mentioned, you must disconnect from an Internet capable connection in order to create a local account.  I know, this makes no sense whatsoever.

However, once you have created your local account, you can immediately reconnect to the network.

July 3rd, 2013 5:34pm

Thank you. I will remember that if I install Windows 8.1 again. I went ahead and signed in, created a local account, rebooted, logged in under the local account and removed the MS account.

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July 3rd, 2013 5:37pm

You can also go ahead and create a Microsoft account and then convert it to a local account after you sign in, that's what I did. 

It'll keep asking you to convert it back to a Microsoft account when you open new metro apps, but at the bottom you can click to sign into each app individually.

July 4th, 2013 12:15am

just keep typing in incorrect details for the MS account, and the local account option will show up. You can see it in my youtube video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2_O0nJ3Rqw

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July 4th, 2013 12:32am

just keep typing in incorrect details for the MS account, and the local account option will show up. You can see it in my youtube video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2_O0nJ3Rqw

July 4th, 2013 7:28am

Windows 8 is designed to use your live account to manage the apps and services like skydrive and maps etc

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July 11th, 2013 1:24pm

You guys really need to change this tactic because the bulk of your users do not want to be forced to submit their email info and use that as their login.

Email logins are prone to getting hacked by phishing attacks and I can only imagine the agony this can create when someone hacks your email and logs into another Win8 PC to gain access to all of the user's apps and services.

This should be an optional setting right off the bat.

August 7th, 2013 8:38am

Disconnect your ethernet or internet or just keep typing invalid info.
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September 5th, 2013 2:37am

In he option "I don't have a MS account" there is an option to logon via local account. It is very hidden.
September 5th, 2013 7:52am

In [t]he option "I don't have a MS account" there is an option to logon via local account. It is very hidden

This is true.  I missed it the first time I installed Pro Preview, but looked even harder when installing Enterprise Preview and found it.

It seems those who think it's a good idea to ship your username and password to Microsoft haven't thought too hard about it.  I guess that's the way of the future.

   

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September 6th, 2013 2:41am

You can also go ahead and create a Microsoft account and then convert it to a local account after you sign in, that's what I did. 

It'll keep asking you to convert it back to a Microsoft account when you open new metro apps, but at the bottom you can click to sign into each app individ

September 21st, 2013 6:09pm

There is an easy way to switch to a local account in Windows 8.1 Pro RTM.  Go to the Charms Bar and select Settings.  At the bottom right select Change PC Settings.  Then on the left hand side select Accounts.  Below your Live account select Disconnect.  This will open a box to create a local account. 
  • Proposed as answer by The Gander Friday, October 18, 2013 3:36 PM
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September 24th, 2013 7:32am

during setup you can click the option "sign up for a MS account" and here there is an option to logon with local account.
September 24th, 2013 7:45am

How?
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October 8th, 2013 6:44pm

Read each screen carefully.  Don't just try to blaze through glassy-eyed without reading all the fine print and links provided.

I'm not being critical - it's easy to miss things you don't know to look for.  But now you know to look for them.

How about this:  Take the time to capture each and every screen you see during setup and post them here.  We'll point out the links you should take.  Then you can capture those screens and we can point out the additional things you should do.

  

October 8th, 2013 7:04pm

Hint.  Look closely at this page...

 

 

See also:  http://www.tweakguides.com/Windows81_3.html

 

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October 8th, 2013 7:12pm

> You can also go ahead and create a Microsoft account and
> then convert it to a local account after you sign in, that's what I did.

Good luck with getting that information purged from Microsoft systems. In the US, there is no right to privacy and no right to be forgotten.

October 18th, 2013 11:49am

> There is no way to "convert" a Microsoft account to
> a Local account on Windows 8.1. You can do this on
> on Windows 8, which has the "Switch to a Local
> Account" option, but Winodws 8.1 does not have
> it, and that is by design. Microsoft wants you to
> sign in to its account every time you log into Windows.

Man I hope the FTC opens an investigation on Microsoft business practices. If this were examined in detail, I bet this would violate antitrust due to the illegal tying of services. (And you can't opt-out of the ad programs that are piled onto these "features" - you can only "personalize" the ads).



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October 18th, 2013 12:23pm

> There is an easy way to switch to a local account
> in Windows 8.1 Pro RTM.  Go to the Charms Bar
> and select Settings.

Its already game over. Anonymity has been lost for those who care about those sort of things.

October 18th, 2013 12:27pm

Enter Charm (Windows Key+C) then click the "Change PC settings" at the bottom.  

Click "Accounts" then you should have an option that tells you to "sign out" and switch to a local account.

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October 18th, 2013 4:06pm

You really have to shake your head when you look at the way Microsoft is using dimmed text and small fonts to try to get everyone to overlook that it's possible to set up a LOCAL ACCOUNT and avoid their predatory cloud integration.

 

  

 

I guess most everyone entrusts Microsoft to have a permanent "foot in the door" anyway (e.g., via Windows Update), so shipping their administrative account info to them doesn't really seem such a stretch.  And of course, pure consumers who just use their computing hardware as playthings don't really care much about privacy anyway.  Near as I can tell, they don't care about much of anything.

Trust mother Microsoft.  We'll be good to you.

I admit I really didn't see the modern era of "dumbed down computing" arriving quite so rapidly.  I blame Apple Computer for starting the trend that handily averts a "Star Trek future" in which everyone is highly educated on technology.  Now we have a nation (world?) of people who are constantly distracted - on purpose. 

And now Microsoft is feverishly trying to follow Apple.

"Dumb and dumber".  Sigh.

   

October 18th, 2013 6:50pm

Guys stop being idiots, When you say go to this and that without giving instructions on how to do it. Simply do not assume that everyone know how to use windows 8.1. Some answers are even funny because of some the guys don't seem to know  F$#@# difference between Windows 8 & 8.1
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October 19th, 2013 7:05am

You really have to shake your head when you look at the way Microsoft is using dimmed text and small fonts to try to get everyone to overlook that it's possible to set up a LOCAL ACCOUNT and avoid their predatory cloud integration.

 

  

 

I guess most everyone entrusts Microsoft to have a permanent "foot in the door" anyway (e.g., via Windows Update), so shipping their administrative account info to them doesn't really seem such a stretch.  And of course, pure consumers who just use their computing hardware as playthings don't really care much about privacy anyway.  Near as I can tell, they don't care about much of anything.

Trust mother Microsoft.  We'll be good to you.

I admit I really didn't see the modern era of "dumbed down computing" arriving quite so rapidly.  I blame Apple Computer for starting the trend that handily averts a "Star Trek future" in which everyone is highly educated on technology.  Now we have a nation (world?) of people who are constantly distracted - on purpose. 

And now Microsoft is feverishly trying to follow Apple.

"Dumb and dumber".  Sigh.

   

October 19th, 2013 1:14pm

Excuse me for a getting a little off-topic, but it seems there are some knowledgable folks here and I have a problem with a local account. On my Win 8 laptop I had 2 local accounts. As I went through the upgrade, when it asked me to log in with a Live account, I did because I didn't see the local option. I let the Live account get all setup, then logged out. Now at the login screen I could see the new Live account, and one of the pre-existing local accounts. However, the other local account is not there. The User directories still exist. Any ideas as to how to get that other local account visible again?
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October 19th, 2013 6:22pm

Excuse me for a getting a little off-topic, but it seems there are some knowledgable folks here and I have a problem with a local account. On my Win 8 laptop I had 2 local accounts. As I went through the upgrade, when it asked me to log in with a Live account, I did because I didn't see the local option. I let the Live account get all setup, then logged out. Now at the login screen I could see the new Live account, and one of the pre-existing local accounts. However, the other local account is not there. The User directories still exist. Any ideas as to how to get that other local account visible again?

credential manager
October 19th, 2013 10:43pm

Unfortunately Win8.1 won't let me change to local  - it responds 'that name is already in use'.   I was stupid enough to put in my Microsoft account details during the upgrade (because I didn't see other options) - now I can't switch my account back to using local sign in.   This is really annoying.....
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October 24th, 2013 7:23pm

Please follow the below steps.

1. Go to PC settings.
2. Accounts -> Your account
3. Under your account id(Ex:prem@microsoft.com) there is a link called "Disconnect".
4. Clicking on that will take you to "Switch to a local account" form.

Hope this helps.

Thanks,

Premroop

  • Proposed as answer by Premroopz Wednesday, November 06, 2013 3:22 AM
October 24th, 2013 9:15pm

That is correct.  Took me some time to find as Win8.1 has changed this compared to Win8.

"Disconnect" is now the new option. 

Unfortunately Microsoft with Win8 and 8.1 is forcing users into a frustrating journey because they hide functionality that most people would prefer.   Number two on the frustration list (and where 8.1 offers no or minimal improvement) is how previously simple things (Win7) now take multiple clicks, menu choices and/or typing.   Shutdown is still drag mouse > Settings > Power > Shutdown

Finally: Windows in-place upgrade from 8.0 to 8.1 is not transparent to some older 3.rd party applications that run local licensing servers.  In other words the license copy protection features sees the upgraded 8.1 machine as different to the same machine with Win 8.0, and thus requires new activation.

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October 25th, 2013 3:07pm

Perhaps they want us to prefer something else, because they perceive that's what it's going to take to fleece us at a whole new level.  It seems that Microsoft has decided to get out of the operating system development business and into the business of building product delivery platforms.

Making products that people already want because of the merits of those products is just so last century.

No one can grasp a cloud.

 

October 27th, 2013 4:54am

Can also get to the Accounts via the "Change account picture" option ... Start, select your login id, Change picture is on the login / logout menu. 
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November 3rd, 2013 11:31pm

There is an easy way to switch to a local account in Windows 8.1 Pro RTM.  Go to the Charms Bar and select Settings.  At the bottom right select Change PC Settings.  Then on the left hand side select Accounts.  Below your Live account select Disconnect.  This will open a box to create a local account. 

THANKS, this works was wondering the point of the disconnect option, makes sense now.

Again thanks alot!

November 7th, 2013 5:43am

Thank you!
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December 11th, 2013 6:41am

Thanks for this, I've been trying to find out how to change to local account for days!
January 19th, 2014 2:49pm

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