Microsoft Removes Option to Switch from Microsoft Account to Local Account in Windows 11

TapTechNews June 24th news, Microsoft has been vigorously promoting the use of Microsoft accounts to log in to the Windows 11 system. In the latest version of the Windows 11 installer, Microsoft has removed an option that can easily bypass creating an account or using an existing account to log in. If you have installed Windows 11 using a Microsoft account and now want to stop sending data to Microsoft, you can still switch to a local account afterwards. In fact, Microsoft's official support website had previously provided relevant guides, but now they... disappeared.

Microsoft's guide of Switching a Local Account to a Microsoft Account instructs users on how to change the login credentials of their Windows 11 computers to use their Microsoft accounts. Interestingly, this page previously also included instructions on Switching a Microsoft Account to a Local Account. However, by comparing the archived version of this webpage through the WaybackMachine, it can be found that this part of the content still existed on June 12th, but disappeared on June 17th and has not been restored until now.

TapTechNews noticed that switching the login method of a Windows 11 computer from a Microsoft account to a local account is actually very simple. Users only need to open the Settings app, find Accounts > Your Info, and then choose Sign in with a Local Account.

It is worth noting that when Microsoft previously provided a switching guide on the support page, it also mixed with some warning information. Such as Logging in to Windows with a Microsoft account enables seamless integration of Microsoft services, enhanced security, and cross-device synchronization, which is unmatched by local accounts; and When using a local account, it is best to create a password reset disk. If you haven't created it and then forget the password, you will not be able to recover.

Obviously, Microsoft very much hopes that users will register and use their services, which is similar to Google and Apple requiring users to create accounts in order to fully utilize Android devices and Apple devices. Although Windows 11 still currently allows the use of local accounts, these indications show that Microsoft hopes to make this option less accessible, at least for the average consumer.