Can I still use a local account in Windows 11 in 2026?

Yes. A local (offline) account is a fully supported account type in Windows 11. You can create one from Settings > Accounts > Other users, or convert your existing Microsoft account to a local one from Settings > Accounts > Your info. Windows 11 Home and Pro both support local accounts once Windows is up and running.

What do I lose by using a local account instead of a Microsoft account?

A local account does not sync your settings, passwords, or preferences between PCs, and it does not sign you in to OneDrive, the Microsoft Store, or other Microsoft services automatically. There is no cloud-based password recovery, so if you forget a local password with no reset options set, you can be locked out. You can still sign in to individual apps like Outlook or the Store with a Microsoft account when you choose to.

How do I reset the password on a local account?

When you create a local account, Windows asks you to set three security questions. If you forget the password, select the Reset password link on the sign-in screen and answer those questions. There is no cloud recovery, so make sure the answers are ones you will remember, or keep a password reset disk. An administrator can also reset another local user's password from Settings or Computer Management.

Does switching to a local account delete my files?

No. Converting your Microsoft account to a local account keeps the same user profile folder and all files stored in it. Windows only changes how you sign in. Files you kept only in OneDrive online, rather than synced to the PC, will not be available offline until you sign in to OneDrive again, so check that anything important is stored locally before you switch.

How to Set Up a Local Account in Windows 11

A local account — sometimes called an offline account — is a sign-in that lives only on your PC. It has a username and password stored on that one machine, with no connection to Microsoft's cloud. That is the opposite of a Microsoft account, which uses your email address, signs you in to OneDrive and the Microsoft Store, and syncs settings across every device you own. Neither is "better" — they suit different needs. This guide shows you how to create a local account, how to convert an existing account, and the honest trade-offs so you can decide.

Which Windows 11 edition are you on?

Local accounts work on both Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro once Windows is installed and running. The steps below apply to current Windows 11 builds. Exact button wording can shift slightly between feature updates, so if a label reads a little differently on your PC, look for the option that matches the same intent (for example, "Add a user without a Microsoft account").

Method 1 — Add a new local account from Settings

Use this when you want a separate offline account on the PC — for a family member, a shared machine, a child's login, or a clean second profile — while keeping your own account as it is.

Open Settings. The quickest way is the keyboard shortcut
```
Windows key + I
```
In the left sidebar, select Accounts.
Select Other users. (On some builds this is grouped under Family & other users — the "Other users" section is the one you want.)
Next to Add other user, select Add account.
A Microsoft account window appears and asks for an email or phone number. Do not enter one — instead select I don't have this person's sign-in information.
On the next screen select Add a user without a Microsoft account — the same wording Microsoft uses in its guide to creating a local user or administrator account in Windows.
Type a user name for the account. Optionally add a password and confirm it. If you leave the password blank, the account signs in with no password — fine for a test profile, not recommended for anything you care about.
If you set a password, choose three security questions and answers. These are the only built-in way to recover a forgotten local password, so pick answers you will genuinely remember.
Select Next. The new local account now appears under Other users and is ready to sign in to from the lock screen.

Make it an administrator (optional)

New local accounts are Standard users by default, which is the safer choice. If the account needs to install software or change system settings, select it under Other users, choose Change account type, and set it to Administrator. Keep at least one administrator account on the PC at all times.

Method 2 — Switch your Microsoft account to a local account

Use this when you are already signed in with a Microsoft account and want to disconnect your own login from the cloud. Your files, apps, and desktop stay exactly where they are — only the sign-in method changes.

Open Settings (Windows key + I) and select Accounts.
Select Your info at the top of the Accounts page.
Under Account settings, select Sign in with a local account instead. Microsoft Support notes that this link appears only if you are currently using a Microsoft account.
Windows warns you about what changes when you go local. Read it, then select Next.
Verify it's you: enter your current Windows sign-in (your Microsoft account password, PIN, or Windows Hello) when prompted.
Now create the local account: type a user name, a new password, confirm it, and add a password hint. Set the security questions if you're asked for them.
Select Next, then Sign out and finish. Windows signs you out.
Sign back in with your new local username and password. You're now running an offline account.

Before you switch — save your work and check OneDrive

Switching signs you out, so close and save everything first. Just as important: anything you kept only in OneDrive online — not synced down to this PC — won't be available offline afterward. Open your OneDrive folder and confirm the files you need are stored on the device (or download them) before you disconnect. Also note that BitLocker recovery keys tied to your Microsoft account, and Store apps or games you bought, remain linked to that Microsoft account, not to the new local one.

Choosing a local account at first-time setup

If you're setting up a brand-new PC or one you've just reset, Windows 11's out-of-box experience (OOBE) walks you through sign-in. Recent Windows 11 Home and Pro builds ask you to sign in with a Microsoft account during setup and generally expect an internet connection to finish. If you would prefer a local account from the very start, the supported path is to complete setup, then use Method 2 above to convert to a local account once you reach the desktop. That gives you the same offline result without relying on any unofficial workaround.

Windows 10 note

On Windows 10 the layout is a little different: local accounts live under Settings > Accounts > Family & other users, and the "Sign in with a local account instead" option is likewise found under Settings > Accounts > Your info. The wording and the overall process are the same as Windows 11.

The trade-offs: local vs. Microsoft account

A local account gives you privacy and independence from Microsoft's cloud, but you take on the housekeeping yourself. Weigh these before you commit:

No settings sync. Your themes, saved Wi-Fi, passwords in Edge, language preferences, and other settings won't roam to your other PCs.
No automatic OneDrive or Microsoft Store sign-in. You can still sign in to those apps individually with a Microsoft account when you want them, but the desktop itself stays offline.
No cloud password recovery. A forgotten Microsoft account password can be reset online from any device. A forgotten local password relies solely on your security questions or a password reset disk, which Microsoft states isn't available for Microsoft accounts — lose both and you can be locked out of that account.
No "Find my device" for a local account. Device-location and remote-lock features depend on a Microsoft account being signed in.
Some features expect a Microsoft account. Syncing purchases, Family Safety, and a few app features are smoother with one. You can mix and match — run a local Windows account and still sign in to specific apps when needed.

The upside is real too: a local account keeps your day-to-day Windows use off Microsoft's servers, avoids tying the whole machine to one email address, and is ideal for shared, kiosk, lab, or single-purpose PCs.

More Windows help

Browse all how-to guides for more current Windows walkthroughs, or dig through the windows-now.com archive for restored community posts from the site's original run.

Removing a local account later

Changed your mind, or finished with a shared profile? To remove a local account, sign in with an administrator account, open Settings > Accounts > Other users, select the account, and choose Remove. Windows warns you this deletes that user's data on the PC — including their desktop, documents, and downloads — so back up anything worth keeping first. To go the other direction and reconnect to the cloud, use Your info > Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.