How you remove a Microsoft account from Windows 11 depends on how it’s used. If it’s an extra account added for apps or email, go to Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts, click the account, and choose Remove. If it’s the account you sign in to Windows with, you can’t simply remove it. First switch to a local account in Settings > Accounts > Your info. If it belongs to another person on the PC, remove that user under Settings > Accounts > Other users.
This guide covers all three situations, what you lose when you remove an account, and how to fix a missing Remove button.
Before you start
- Back up your files. Removing another user deletes that user’s desktop, documents, and other personal files from the PC.
- Save your BitLocker recovery key. If device encryption is on, your key may be stored in the Microsoft account. Check Settings > Privacy & security > Device encryption, and back up the key before you disconnect the account.
- You need an administrator account to remove other users.
- Removing an account from Windows doesn’t delete the Microsoft account itself. Your email, OneDrive files, and purchases stay online.
Which method do you need?
| Situation | Where to go |
|---|---|
| An extra Microsoft account used by apps, Outlook, or the Microsoft Store | Accounts > Email & accounts |
| The Microsoft account you sign in to Windows with | Accounts > Your info > Sign in with a local account instead |
| Another person’s account on the PC | Accounts > Other users (or Family) |
Method 1: Remove a Microsoft account used by apps
- Press Windows + I to open Settings.
- Click Accounts, then Email & accounts.
- Under Accounts used by other apps (or Accounts used by email, calendar, and contacts), click the account to expand it.
- Click Remove, then confirm with Yes.
If you only see Manage and no Remove button, the account is the one you use to sign in to Windows. Use Method 2.
Method 2: Stop signing in with your Microsoft account
You can switch your Windows sign-in to a local account. This removes the Microsoft account from your sign-in but keeps all your files and apps.
- Open Settings > Accounts > Your info.
- Under Account settings, click Sign in with a local account instead.
- Click Next and enter your PIN or current password to confirm.
- Type a user name, a password, and a password hint for the new local account, then click Next.
- Click Sign out and finish. Sign back in with your new local account.
- Optional: go back to Accounts > Email & accounts and remove the Microsoft account if it’s still listed for apps.
After switching, settings no longer sync between PCs, and apps like OneDrive, the Microsoft Store, and Outlook ask you to sign in separately. On work or school PCs, or some newer Windows builds, this option may not appear.
Method 3: Remove another user’s Microsoft account
- Sign in with an administrator account.
- Open Settings > Accounts > Other users. (On older versions of Windows 11, it’s Family & other users.)
- Click the account, then click Remove.
- Click Delete account and data.
For children or family members, look under Accounts > Family. You can block their sign-in on this PC with Can’t sign in, or remove them from your family group in the Microsoft Family Safety website.
Remove a user with Netplwiz
- Press Windows + R, type netplwiz, and press Enter.
- Select the user and click Remove.
- Click Yes to confirm.
You can’t remove the account you’re currently signed in with.
Removing an account from the PC doesn’t take it out of a Microsoft family group. For that, see how to turn off Microsoft Family Safety on Windows 11.
Troubleshooting
- The Remove button is missing: The account is your Windows sign-in account (use Method 2), or you aren’t an administrator.
- A work or school account won’t go away: Go to Accounts > Access work or school, click the account, and choose Disconnect. If the PC is managed by your organization, you may need your IT department.
- The account still shows in the Microsoft Store or Outlook: Sign out inside that app. Each app can keep its own sign-in.
- The old account still appears on the sign-in screen: Restart the PC. If it’s still there, remove the user with Netplwiz.
Related: Remove an email account from Windows 11.
Related: Remove an organization from Windows 11.
Related: Stop Microsoft from asking you to sign in on Windows 11.
Frequently asked questions
Will removing my Microsoft account delete my files?
Switching your own sign-in to a local account keeps your files. Removing another user with Delete account and data permanently deletes that user’s files on the PC.
Can I use Windows 11 without a Microsoft account?
Yes, after setup you can switch to a local account with Method 2. Windows 11 Home and Pro setup usually asks for a Microsoft account and an internet connection, and Microsoft has been removing ways around that during setup.
How do I delete my Microsoft account completely?
That’s done online, not in Windows. Sign in at account.microsoft.com and use the account closure page. Closing it deletes your email, OneDrive files, and purchases, so back them up first.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.