![]() ![]() Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) Ironically, before you can join a PC to a domain and sign in with your Active Directory account, you have to first create a local account. Creating that type of account requires that a domain administrator create an Active Directory account, after which you can sign in using those credentials in the format domain\username (or if the domain is associated with a fully qualified domain name). If your company has an enterprise network with a Windows server running as a domain controller, you can join a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC to the domain. If you follow that procedure, Windows uses the exact local username you specify as the folder name and retains that name when you switch if you start with a Microsoft account, your user profile folder name is the first five characters of the portion of your email address to the left of the sign. Likewise, if you're fussy about the name of your default user profile folder, consider signing in with a local account first, and then attach your Microsoft account. After you confirm that your system is properly activated and the activation status is recorded with that Microsoft account, switch back to a local account and go on about your business. You can switch at will between a local account and a Microsoft account, using options in Settings > Accounts > Your Info.Įven if you prefer a local account, consider signing in first with a Microsoft account. If you choose either option, don't blame me if you forget your password.Īlso: Windows 11 security: How to protect your home and small business PCs 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. ![]() 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. You can sync data and settings for preinstalled Windows apps (Mail and Calendar, for example) and easily restore apps you download from the Store.You can sign in automatically to any Microsoft consumer service using your saved Microsoft Account credentials.(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.Signing in with a Microsoft account stores a record of your successful activation, allowing you to easily restore your activation (no product key required) if you ever have to reinstall Windows.If you turn on BitLocker encryption (Pro and Enterprise editions only), your recovery key is stored in OneDrive, allowing you to retrieve your data if you find yourself locked out. 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. ![]()
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