Microsoft moves to remove local Windows accounts and force Microsoft accounts

Microsoft is moving to a world where a Windows user will be required to have a Microsoft account, and now the company has taken another step in that direction.

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Backed up version of the Microsoft support page

A new report from Tom's Hardware has pointed out that Microsoft has quietly removed the guide for transferring from a local account to a Microsoft account from its support page. Using the Internet Archive, we can see Microsoft previously had a set of instructions, albeit buried in a convoluted manner in its support pages, that informed users how to "Change from a local account to a Microsoft account".

These instructions were simply four steps and a notably helpful link that took users directly to the correct submenu. Prior to the removal of these instructions, Microsoft stated on the same support page it still "recommends" users create a Microsoft account. The prompt was similar to the alert users get when attempting to transition to a local account.

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Are local Windows accounts dead? At the moment, no. But it certainly feels like Microsoft is moving in that direction, especially after the guide to move to a local account no longer exists. However, users are still able to transition to a local account by going to Accounts - Your info and clicking "sign in with a local account instead". This will open up a bunch of prompts that will need to be followed.

Why does Microsoft want to push users toward a Microsoft account? Using a Microsoft account embeds you into Microsoft's ecosystem of products that it can then sell you as subscription packages. Cloud services such as OneDrive, Microsoft365, Game Pass, and now, its new AI tool Copilot. It's simply a money thing.