How to Create a Local Account on Windows 10

Updated and reviewed by Adam Smart, EcoKeys Support Engineer — 2 September 2026

You can still create and use a local account in Windows 10 without using a Microsoft account to sign into the PC.

A local account belongs only to that Windows computer. It is not automatically connected to Microsoft cloud services such as OneDrive, Outlook.com or Microsoft account synchronisation.

Quick answer: To add a local user, open Settings → Accounts → Family & other users, choose to add another user, select I don't have this person's sign-in information, then choose Add a user without a Microsoft account. Enter a username, password and security information to create the account.

Windows 10 support ended on 14 October 2025. Windows 10 continues to work, but normal free security updates and Microsoft technical support have ended. Eligible Windows 10 version 22H2 personal PCs can enrol in Microsoft's Consumer Extended Security Updates programme for critical and important security updates through 12 October 2027.

What Is a Local Account in Windows 10?

A local account is a Windows user account created and stored on one computer.

Microsoft describes the main difference this way:

Local account

Exists on one Windows device.
Does not require an internet connection to sign into Windows.
Uses a username and password stored for that PC.
Does not automatically synchronise Windows settings between devices.
Is not automatically connected to Microsoft's online services.

Microsoft account

Uses an email-based Microsoft account.
Can be used across several Windows devices.
Can connect Windows with OneDrive and other Microsoft services.
Can synchronise some settings between devices.
Provides online account-recovery options.

Microsoft recommends using a Microsoft account for the additional integration, synchronisation and recovery features, but Windows 10 still supports local accounts. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Why might you want a local account?

A local account can make sense when:

You want a separate account for another person using the PC.
You do not want that Windows login linked to a Microsoft account.
The computer is used mainly offline.
You are creating a temporary or secondary Windows user.
You need a separate account for troubleshooting.
You want work and personal Windows profiles kept separate.

A local Windows account does not prevent you from using Microsoft services. You can still sign into individual applications such as OneDrive, Microsoft Store or Office separately if required.

How to Create a New Local Account on Windows 10

If you want to create an additional local user without changing the account you currently use, follow these steps.

Step 1: Open Windows Settings

Select the Start button.
Select Settings.
Select Accounts.

Step 2: Open the user-account section

On Windows 10 this normally appears as:

Family & other users

Depending on the exact Windows build or wording shown on your PC, Microsoft may refer to this area simply as Other users.

Step 3: Add another user

Select the option to:

Add someone else to this PC

Microsoft will initially ask for the person's Microsoft account information.

Step 4: Choose the local-account option

Select:

I don't have this person's sign-in information

On the following screen choose:

Add a user without a Microsoft account

This is Microsoft's supported route for creating a local Windows user rather than creating another Microsoft account. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Step 5: Create the account

Enter the requested account details.

This normally includes:

A username.
A password.
Password confirmation.
Security questions or recovery information where requested.

Choose a username that clearly identifies the person or purpose of the account.

Step 6: Finish creating the account

Complete the on-screen setup.

The new local user should then appear in the Windows account list.

Step 7: Sign into the new account

You can test the account immediately:

Open the Start menu.
Select your current account icon.
Select Sign out or choose Switch user.
Select the new local account.
Enter its password.

The first sign-in can take longer because Windows needs to create the new user's profile and folders.

Files are not automatically shared between Windows user accounts. Each user normally has separate Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures and other profile folders.

How to Change Your Existing Microsoft Account to a Local Account

You do not have to create a completely separate Windows user if your aim is simply to stop using your Microsoft account as the Windows login.

Microsoft provides a supported way to switch the existing Windows profile to a local account.

Open Settings.
Select Accounts.
Select Your info.
Select Sign in with a local account instead.
Confirm your identity if Windows asks you to.
Enter the username, password and password hint for the local account.
Select Next.
Select Sign out and finish.
Sign back into Windows using the new local-account details.

Microsoft still documents this process for Windows 10 and Windows 11. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

This changes the way you sign into the existing Windows profile. It is different from creating a completely separate user account with its own Desktop and Documents folders.

Can You Change Back to a Microsoft Account Later?

Yes.

If you later decide that you want your Windows login connected to a Microsoft account again:

Open Settings → Accounts → Your info.
Select Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.
Enter your Microsoft account details.
Follow Microsoft's prompts.

You do not need to reinstall Windows to switch between a local login and a Microsoft-account login. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Should the Local Account Be Standard or Administrator?

A newly created Windows user should normally be a Standard user unless that person genuinely needs administrator privileges.

Standard user

Appropriate for normal browsing, Office, gaming and everyday applications.

The user cannot make certain system-wide changes without administrator approval.

Administrator

Can install software, change security settings, manage other users and make system-wide changes.

Administrator access should be limited to people who actually need it.

Do not make every user an administrator for convenience. Standard accounts reduce the ability of accidental changes or unwanted software to alter important Windows settings.

How to change the account type

If you need to change a user's permissions:

Open Settings → Accounts → Family & other users.
Select the account.
Select Change account type.
Choose Standard User or Administrator.
Select OK.

Do Local Windows Accounts Need a Password?

You should normally protect a local Windows account with a password.

Without one, anybody with physical access to the computer may be able to open that Windows profile.

Choose a password you can remember

A local-account password is particularly important because Microsoft cannot reset it online in the same way as a Microsoft-account password.

Windows can provide security questions for local accounts, and Microsoft also supports creating a password reset disk.

Create a password reset disk

Microsoft recommends this as a precaution for local accounts.

You will need a USB flash drive.

Sign into the local account.
Connect a USB flash drive.
Open Control Panel.
Search for create password reset.
Select Create a password reset disk.
Follow the Password Reset Wizard.
Remove the USB drive and keep it somewhere safe.

You do not need to recreate the reset disk every time you change the account password. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Keep the password-reset USB secure. It is specifically intended to help regain access to the local Windows account.

If you forget the local-account password

Windows may allow you to reset it from the sign-in screen by answering the security questions created with the account.

Microsoft's current Windows guidance says to select Reset password and answer those security questions when that recovery option is available. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

Local Account vs Microsoft Account: Which Is Better?

Neither option is automatically right for everybody.

Feature	Local account	Microsoft account
Internet required to sign into Windows	No	Not normally after initial setup, although it is an online account
Account belongs only to this PC	Yes	No
Microsoft cloud integration	Not automatic	Yes
Settings synchronisation	Limited to the device	Available for supported settings
Online password recovery	No Microsoft-account recovery	Yes
Can use OneDrive and Microsoft Store	Yes, by signing into those services separately	Yes, more directly integrated
Useful as a separate secondary PC account	Yes	Yes

Choose a local account when:

You specifically want the Windows login kept separate from Microsoft's online account system.
You need a simple secondary Windows profile.
The computer is regularly used without internet access.
You are creating a troubleshooting account.

Choose a Microsoft account when:

You regularly use OneDrive and other Microsoft services.
You want supported settings synchronisation between Windows devices.
You value Microsoft's online account-recovery tools.
You want Windows and your Microsoft services more closely integrated.

Microsoft itself recommends a Microsoft account for the extra integration, security and synchronisation features, but a local account remains a supported Windows account type. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

Can a Local Account Use Windows Hello?

Windows sign-in can also use supported Windows Hello methods such as:

A PIN.
Fingerprint recognition on supported hardware.
Facial recognition on supported hardware.

The exact options depend on the computer and its hardware.

Open:

Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options

to see which sign-in methods are available.

Can You Use Microsoft Office with a Local Windows Account?

Yes.

Your Windows login and your Office licence are separate things.

Using a local Windows account does not automatically prevent you from installing or using:

Microsoft Office.
Microsoft 365.
OneDrive.
Outlook.
Microsoft Store applications.

Those applications or services can ask for their own Microsoft sign-in where required.

You do not need to change the Windows login to a Microsoft account simply because an Office application asks you to sign in. Check what the particular application or licence actually requires.

How to Remove a Local Account From Windows 10

If the account is no longer required:

Sign into a different administrator account.
Open Settings.
Select Accounts.
Open Family & other users or Other users.
Select the account you want to remove.
Select Remove.
Confirm the removal.

Removing a Windows user can delete that user's local data from the PC. Back up anything required from the user's Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures and other profile folders before deleting the account.

Microsoft's current account-management guidance confirms that removing a user removes that account's sign-in information and data from the device, while not deleting the person's separate Microsoft account if one exists. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}

Common Local Account Problems

I cannot see “Add a user without a Microsoft account”

First choose:

I don't have this person's sign-in information

The local-account option should then appear on the following Microsoft screen.

I cannot change the account type

You need administrator permission to change another user's account type.

Sign into a Windows administrator account and try again.

I forgot the local-account password

At the Windows sign-in screen, check whether Reset password is available and answer the security questions associated with the account.

If you previously created a password-reset disk, you can also use that. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}

The new account does not contain my files

This is normal.

Each Windows user has a separate profile.

For example:

C:\Users\OldUser

and:

C:\Users\NewUser

contain separate Desktop, Documents and other folders.

Can a new account fix a damaged Windows profile?

Sometimes.

Microsoft itself recommends creating a new user profile as one troubleshooting route when an existing Windows profile is corrupted, then moving required personal files into the new profile. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}

Do not simply delete the old profile after creating a new one. Confirm that all required documents, desktop files, browser data, email data and application settings have been recovered first.

Using a Local Account Does Not Change Windows 10 Support

Whether you use a local account or Microsoft account has no effect on the Windows 10 lifecycle.

Normal Windows 10 support ended on:

14 October 2025

Windows 10 continues to function, but Microsoft's normal free:

Security updates.
Feature updates.
Technical support.

have ended.

Windows 10 Consumer ESU

Eligible Windows 10 version 22H2 personal PCs can enrol in Microsoft's Consumer Extended Security Updates programme.

Microsoft currently states that Consumer ESU provides critical and important security updates through:

12 October 2027

ESU does not provide new Windows features or normal technical support. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}

If your PC fully supports Windows 11 and has no Windows 10-specific compatibility requirement, Windows 11 is normally the better long-term operating system.

If you are unsure whether your computer can run Windows 11, see our Windows 11 compatibility guide.

Windows 10 Local Account Checklist

Open Accounts
Settings → Accounts → Family & other users.

Add another user
Select the option to add someone else to the PC.

Skip Microsoft-account creation
Select “I don't have this person's sign-in information”.

Create a local user
Select “Add a user without a Microsoft account”.

Choose a secure password
Complete the recovery questions when requested.

Keep it Standard unless necessary
Only give administrator access when the user genuinely needs it.

Test the new account
Sign out and confirm the new profile works correctly.

Protect password recovery
Consider creating a local-account password reset disk.

Related Windows Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still create a local account on Windows 10?

Yes. Windows 10 supports local user accounts. When adding another user, choose I don't have this person's sign-in information and then Add a user without a Microsoft account.

Do I need internet access to sign into a local Windows account?

No. Microsoft describes a local account as an account specific to the device that does not require internet connectivity to sign into Windows.

Do I need a Microsoft account to use Windows 10?

No. Windows 10 supports local accounts. A Microsoft account provides additional cloud integration, synchronisation and recovery functionality, but it is not the only Windows 10 account type.

Can I change my Microsoft Windows login to a local account?

Yes. Open Settings → Accounts → Your info and select Sign in with a local account instead. Follow the Microsoft prompts and sign back into Windows afterwards.

Can I switch a local account back to a Microsoft account later?

Yes. Open Settings → Accounts → Your info and select Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.

Can I use Microsoft Office from a local Windows account?

Yes. Your Windows user account and your Office licence are separate. Office or Microsoft 365 can request its own Microsoft account sign-in where required.

Should a local account be an administrator?

Not normally. A Standard user account is sufficient for everyday use. Administrator access should be reserved for users who need to install software, manage Windows or make system-wide changes.

What happens if I forget my local-account password?

Windows may let you reset it by answering the security questions configured for the local account. You can also create a password reset disk in advance and keep it somewhere secure.

Does removing a local account delete its files?

Removing a Windows user can remove data stored in that user's local Windows profile. Back up anything required before deleting an account.

Is Windows 10 still supported in 2026?

Normal Windows 10 support ended on 14 October 2025. Eligible Windows 10 version 22H2 personal devices can enrol in Microsoft's Consumer ESU programme for critical and important security updates through 12 October 2027.

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