Microsoft wants Windows 10 users to use their Microsoft account. They don't have to.
Windows 11 has been out now for about two and a half years, but its predecessor, Windows 10, still dominates the operating system market.
It's pretty clear that when it comes to PCs, Windows 10 is the most popular operating system. That means many of you readers might very well know how annoying Microsoft's prompts are regarding getting you to upgrade to Windows 11. So far, we've been able to pass on that upgrade without too much trouble.
Well, Microsoft is getting ready to annoy its faithful Windows 10 user base with yet another prompt. This time, Microsoft wants Windows 10 users to switch from using a local account to their online Microsoft account.
As first noticed by the outlet Windows Latest, the most recent Windows 10 update Release Preview includes some information about new notifications added to the operating system intended to make users switch from their local account to their Microsoft account.
"New! This update starts the [roll out] of account-related notifications for Microsoft accounts in Settings > Home," reads the update, originally from the official Windows blog, which then lays out its case for using a Microsoft account.
"A Microsoft account connects Windows to your Microsoft apps. The account also backs up all your data and helps you to manage your subscriptions. You can also add extra security steps to keep you from being locked out of your account. This feature displays notifications across the Start menu and Settings."
Some users may enjoy using a Microsoft account due to the positives of connecting with Microsoft's cloud features like backups. Others may prefer the privacy of having local accounts, where all their data stays on their personal devices. The point, though, is that it's your choice, and once you make that choice you shouldn't be hounded to use your Microsoft account anymore.
As Elon Musk recently discovered, Windows 11 does not make it easy to use a local account instead of a Microsoft account.
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However, Windows 10 still does!
Once you make the decision to use a local account over a Microsoft account, there's also a way to turn off those annoying banners and prompts trying to get you to use a Microsoft account:
In the Settings app, simply click on the Privacy option, then go to the General section.
Next, turn off the "Show me notifications in the Settings app. When off, required notifications are still shown," option.
As tech news outlet Neowin points out, there's also a tiny little "X" icon next to the "Sign in now" button on the Microsoft accounts banner as well. Users can click that and remove the notification as well. However, if the previously mentioned Settings option isn't turned off, the notification banner will eventually return.
UPDATE: Apr. 18, 2024, 4:57 p.m. EDT This piece was updated to attribute Windows Latest with first discovering the Windows 10 update information. The Settings option needed to stop the notification has also been updated.
