Accounting Microsoft entry- a universal account with which you can use a number of services, from Email Outlook to the Xbox Live digital content store. And with the advent of Windows 8, it became possible to use this account to log into operating system. In this article we will tell you how to log into your Microsoft account on different services.
How to log into Microsoft through websites
The procedure for logging into a Microsoft account is the same for all online services - you need to go to the login page, enter your username and password. If you are the only one using the computer, you can also check the “Keep me logged in” checkbox so you don’t have to log in to your account every time. After entering all the required data, click the “Login” button.
Although the Microsoft account is the same for all services, their login pages are different. You can access your account settings through the main Microsoft website. Through the Outlook website - to email. The OneDrive website logs into cloud storage, and the Xbox website logs into an Xbox Live account for gamers.
Login to Skype
You can also use your Microsoft account to log into Skype, both on the website and in applications. To log into Skype with a Microsoft account on a computer, tablet or smartphone, launch the application, select the “Microsoft Account” option in the login window, enter your username and password and click “Login”.
To sign in to Skype through the website, open the sign-in page and click the “Microsoft Account” link on it. Enter your username, password and, if necessary, check the “Keep logged in” checkbox, and then click “Login.”
Logging into Windows 8.x
To sign into Windows 8.x with your Microsoft account, select it on the sign-in screen, enter your password, and click . If you are the only user of the computer, then your account will be selected by default and you will only have to enter your password.
Access recovery
If you've forgotten your Microsoft account password, on any of the login pages listed above, click the "Can't access your account?" link. Select the most appropriate reason why you are unable to log in and click the “Next” button.
Enter your login and verification code from the image, and then click “Next”. On the next page, choose how you want to receive the security code - by mail or SMS - and enter your email address or number accordingly mobile phone, and then click Next. You will be sent a code that you need to enter on the next page and click “Next”. Come up with New Password and enter it twice and then click Next.
There are many benefits to signing into Windows 10 with a Microsoft account. It allows you to synchronize parameters between various devices, purchasing applications, music, movies and games from the store. Allows you to associate a Windows 10 license with the account itself, which will open access to services like onedrive (cloud storage), Outlook (mail), contact synchronization and many convenient and cool tools.
At Windows installation 10, the installer will prompt you to sign in with a Microsoft account. If you don't want to create it, you can use Windows 10 using . You can always switch in the future from the created Microsoft account to a local user profile and vice versa.
How to create a Microsoft account
Step 1. Go to the official microsoft page.
Step 2. Fill out the form provided to you. Enter the first name, last name, email address you want to link to account or click below Get a new email address and you will be prompted to create a new Outlook mail. Create a password and enter your phone number, which will increase the security of your account and you can easily recover it using the number. See below where to enter data on your computer to link your created account.
How to link a Microsoft account on a computer
1 way. To link the created Microsoft account on your computer or laptop, go to settings:
- Click Accounts.
- On the left select E-mail address and on the right click on .
- Enter your details that you registered above and your account will be linked to Windows 10.
- If you do not have a microsoft account, then click and follow the suggested forms. (This is a similar method to what was described at the beginning.)
Method 2. If you created your account and logged in under a local profile, then simply go to " Options" > "Accounts" > "Your data" > "Login instead..."Enter your information in the form provided.
For security purposes, when several people use a computer, or when working in an enterprise, it would be advisable to create a separate account for each user so that everyone has access to their documents, browser settings and desktop. This distinction will be very useful.
Even on one computer, several user accounts form an orderly picture for work, since by selecting the user you need when logging into the OS, you will receive completely delimited and separate privileges, files and other user objects, and when working under your account, you can immediately log out of your account and switch to another account if the user so needs. Today I will talk about how to create a Microsoft account on a PC under Windows control 10, how to change and delete it.
In the Windows 10 operating environment, there are two types of accounts: local and Microsoft. A local account is valid only on the computer on which you created it, and you can log in to it without a password. A Microsoft account has advanced rights and capabilities; you can log in to it from any Windows 10-based computer and gain access to the same applications and programs that you worked with (meaning only Microsoft programs– Skype, OneDrive, Outlook, etc.).
To sign in to your Microsoft account, you typically need to enter your username or phone number. In this article, I will only touch on your Microsoft account, how to work with it, and methods for changing and deleting it. Read how to create a local account.
Create a Microsoft account
Method 1 – using the Windows 10 settings form
Click the Start button and select Settings from the pop-up menu.
A prerequisite for creating a Microsoft account is to first log into your account with a Microsoft account, respectively (such a pun, don’t blame me). If you are logged in from a local account, the system will also treat you as a local user and the tools for creating a new Microsoft account will not be available.
So, let's assume you did just that, logged in with a Microsoft account and went to PC settings in required section. Here you see two sections: “Your Family” and “Other People”. In the first section (namely, Your Family), you can create a Microsoft account for another member of your family. They will sync with Microsoft and you can set parental controls for each of them.
The "Other People" section is for accounts of third-party users who do not belong to your family. They will also be controlled by Microsoft and may be local or online.
First, let's use the first case, when you want to add an account for another member of your family. Click on the “Add family member” button.
Select for whom you want to add an account: for a child or for an adult and enter the Email of the new user. When everything is ready, proceed further by clicking “Next”.
Confirm your choice by clicking the “Confirm” button in the next window that opens.
After confirmation, an invitation will be sent to the added user’s email address, which must also be confirmed. Let's do this by logging into your email and agreeing to accept the invitation.
What options will be available to us after inviting a child as a new PC user?
- firstly, you will be able to transfer some amounts of money to your child so that they can make purchases in Xbox and Windows stores without a credit card;
- secondly, you will be able to see what actions children performed on the device, what applications they bought and what search queries they made in the search engine;
- Another feature that cannot be overestimated is the setting of age restrictions for the content being rated - television shows, films, videos, games and applications;
- a similar function is setting limits on the duration of work on an active device for children;
- finally, the last, but by no means least important feature is the location of the child on the map if they use a smartphone based on the “tens”.
So, after the child’s joining is confirmed, information about his account and the ability to log in to the system will appear in the account settings menu.
Now let's add a user who is not part of your family. Both a local account and a Microsoft account can be created for it. Click on the “Add a user for this PC” button in the “Other people” section.
To add a Microsoft account, you will need to enter the email address of the user under which you would like to log in to the system. If this person does not have an email, you will have to create a mailbox. Otherwise, all we can count on is a local account without the ability to synchronize.
So, let's assume that we have created an email (on the same Outlook.com). Let's enter his name on the next form that opens.
Well, everything is ready! We have created a user, as evidenced by the following active form.
Now you can log in to the system using his account and freely use Win 10 from the same device.
By default, when creating a new account, its powers are limited. To turn a user into an administrator, click on his name on the settings form, and the “Change account type” button will appear. Use it and change the current type to administrator.
You can log in as a new user by selecting an account from the list of active users in the Start menu and clicking on its name.
Another option is to quit and log in using a new user and password in the login window.
Method 2 – using the control userpasswords2 command
Using a key combination
The “User Accounts” form will open, which presents all user accounts available in the system (both local and online, or, in other words, Microsoft). Let's use the "Add" button. 
As a result, a window will appear for entering the new user’s email address. We saw an absolutely similar form, but made in a different design, earlier, using the first method indicated in this article.
If an account has already been created for the new user, enter the name of the corresponding email address in the field provided. If there is none at the time of registration, select the button to create a new email account.
The further procedure is not particularly original - we have already seen all this earlier, in the Windows OS settings, so we will not have the opportunity to encounter anything new here.
How do I delete my Microsoft account?
Let's use the same control userpasswords2 command described in the mechanics of creating a user account. Select the account that we want to remove and click the “Delete” button located under the list of controlled accounts.
How do I reset my Microsoft account password?
After logging in to your account, go to the new system settings menu in the “top ten”, select the “Accounts” section and enter the “Login Options” subcategory there. Click on the “Change account password” button in the middle part of the form and then follow the wizard’s prompts.
A Microsoft account works in all programs and services of the Redmond software giant: from the Xbox Live account used to log into the exclusive service of the Xbox gaming console, to mobile version Windows 10 installed on smartphones and mobile gadgets from Microsoft.
Now you can use all your devices that use the same authentication algorithm, with the same settings and options, by connecting to your Microsoft account from any of your Windows 10-based gadgets or accessories. If you simply don't need these capabilities, use this instead a regular local Microsoft account, without a password and synchronization.
5 minutes to read. Views 632 Published 11/13/2019
Developers of several IT products strive to make life easier for their users. For example, Microsoft has created a single account for authorization in its products. But during use, various situations arise that make it necessary to delete your account. How to do this - read in our material.
What is a Microsoft account
To facilitate and synchronize work for users in their software products Microsoft has created a single sign-on window or account. Now you can sign in to Office, Skype, Xbox, OneDrive, Windows operating systems and other Microsoft products or applications with one password and login. By downloading the You Phone app, you can also access your devices from your desktop. This management system makes it easier to work with your files and data from afar. Your photos, videos, contacts, correspondence, and so on are now always at hand - you just need access to your personal account.
The ability to link your computer to a single login first appeared in Windows 8. Now, when you first start it, the system requests data from a single Microsoft account. But this option is not convenient for everyone. After all, in order to log into the desktop, you have to enter long and complex passwords. There's no way to make it any easier—Microsoft strictly monitors the security of your data. But there is another way out - you can unlink this device from your account and use a more familiar local account to log in.
Removing a Microsoft account in Windows 8.1 and 10
The account status changes in its settings. To get to this menu, click on “Start” and then on your username. A list of possible actions will appear in front of you. We need the option “Change settings...”. In the menu that opens, in the right column, select the option “Sign in with a local account instead.” 
A dialog box for switching status will open. To change it, you first need to enter the password for your current Microsoft account, and then enter a new username and password. If the password fields are left empty, it will not be requested when logging in. You can always set a password in the future. All we have to do is press the “Log out and finish work” button, and the next time we log in, use the new local account. Now, when logging in, you do not need a password for a single account, but access to it will still be possible from your PC.
To completely close your account on your PC, go back to “Change settings...” by clicking on the user name in the Start menu. There in the right block there will be an account management block. Against the desired account click the "Delete" button.
For Windows 8.1 OS, all steps are identical, only the path to management will be through “Settings”. There we find “Change computer settings”. This section contains a tab for managing accounts. Next, we do everything according to the instructions above.
Smartphones Nokia Lumia use the operating room Windows system Phone, and therefore they can also be connected to a single account. But if for some reason you want to remove it from your phone, that is also possible. To do this, open the list of applications and tap on the “Settings” icon. There we need the “Mail and Accounts” option. Press and hold the line with the account to be deleted. A menu will appear on the screen with the option to delete it. 
This option is only suitable if this account was not the main one. Otherwise, you will have to reset all settings to factory settings. To do this, follow this path “Settings” - “Device information” - “Reset settings”. This option will also delete your personal data - take care of backups in advance.
How to remove Xbox LIVE from your Microsoft account
Unfortunately, no way. The fact is that the Xbox profile, and therefore the gamertag, is tied to your Microsoft account. If you want to delete a profile in the console and free the tag, you will have to close your single account. However, you can clear your personal Xbox profile data and your Microsoft account and gamertag will remain. 
What you can remove from your Xbox LIVE profile:
- Friend list;
- Personal profile information;
- Payment method;
- Contact details.
Changing the name for your account may solve your problem. A radical way is to delete your entire Microsoft account.
How to completely delete your Microsoft account
Microsoft treats your personal data with care and therefore the process of completely deleting an account is not entirely simple. First, the company will ask you to confirm that you are the owner of the account being closed. Secondly, you will need to save all data, since after deleting your account, access to other Microsoft services will be closed. Thirdly, the final closure of the account will occur only after 60 days after you marked it for closure.
Think again - is it really necessary to delete the entire Microsoft account, because access to files cloud services and the accounts of other applications will be buried. But sometimes Microsoft itself leaves no choice - after all, you cannot delete one profile for a specific application.
Before closing your account, please check:
- Have all subscriptions been cancelled?
- Have backups of important data been made?
- Have all funds from the account been used?
- Are new accounts installed on the corporation’s devices?
- Are your children's linked profiles ready to be deleted?
If everything is ready to close, then open the Microsoft website in your browser, log in to the account to be deleted and follow the link: https://account.live.com/closeaccount.aspx. Once again, make sure that the same account is selected and click on the “Next” button. You will see a list of important information that you need to familiarize yourself with. The corporation should receive a response that you have been notified of them. Carefully re-read the checklist and check the boxes, indicate the reason for closing in the field at the bottom of the page, and then select “Mark for closing.” After 60 days, your account will be deleted. During this period, your account can be restored without losing your data.
A Microsoft account is not just a user profile where basic information about him is stored. This is a kind of key that allows you to gain access to all existing services Redmond-based companies. With it you can:
Interestingly, Microsoft does not limit the number of accounts created by one person. Therefore, if you wish, you can create any number of accounts and use them freely.
How to create
You can create a Microsoft account in the mobile OS itself Windows Phone, and on the official Microsoft Account website. This section of the guide covers both options.
On the site
- Go to the Microsoft website and click on the “Login” button.
- Click on the “Create it!” link.
- Click on the “Get a new email address” link.
- In the first empty field, enter the nickname for the new email account, and in the second - the password for it. After that, click on the “Next” button.
- Now you need to specify phone as the medium additional protection your account. Select the country code and enter the rest of the number.
- Click on the "Submit Code" button.
- On specified number your phone will receive a confirmation code. You need to enter it in the Enter access code field and click on the “Next” button.
If you do not want to create an Outlook email, but want to use an existing account registered in another service as a login, then do the following:
Create a Microsoft account on Windows Phone 8.1 and 10 Mobile
If you have just purchased a device with mobile “top ten” on board, and have not yet gone through all the stages of the initial system setup, then follow the prompts on the screen until you reach the point of adding an account. Don't forget to connect your device to the Internet via Wi-Fi or mobile network, since without it it will not be possible to create a new user account.
- Click on the “Create” button.
- Enter your last name, first name and nickname in the appropriate fields.
- Tap the field under “Domain” and select one of the available options.
- Create and enter a password for your Microsoft account.
- After adding all the data, click on the “Next” button.
- Enter your country or region of residence, date of birth, gender, and proceed to the next step.
- Enter a phone number or a spare email for additional account protection. You can specify both options if you wish.
If you decide to skip the account creation step during the initial system setup and perform this action later, then you should follow the steps below in order to do this from under the system. Since Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 10 Mobile have different names for the sections responsible for working with accounts, separate mini-guides have been written for each of these systems. Before you begin performing one of them, make sure that the device on which all manipulations will be carried out is connected to the Internet, since without it you will not be able to create an account.
In Windows Phone 8.1 settings
In Windows 10 Mobile settings
How to set up a Microsoft account
Most of the account setup process can be completed using the Microsoft web resource. Here the user is given the opportunity to indicate his personal data or change existing ones, add or change an avatar, attach bank cards to make purchases and subscribe to Microsoft services, unlink your account from devices that no longer belong to you, change your nickname and password. Windows Phone only offers you to set what data to synchronize (mails, contacts, calendars, passwords and topics) and how often you need to check your mail for new messages. The system suggests doing all other actions on the website.
How to change your profile password
How to link a bank card to a Microsoft account
How to unlink Windows Background from your Microsoft account
Before selling Windows Phone or transferring the smartphone into other hands, it is advisable to unlink it from the user account. It is recommended to do this to free up space for other devices. You can link only ten devices with a mobile OS on board, as well as Windows 8, 8.1 and 10, to one account. The entire procedure for unlinking a device from an account is performed on the account management website.
How to change user information
How to make changes
The account, oddly enough, is not permanently linked to a phone with a tiled OS. The user has the opportunity to change it to another, albeit in a somewhat “rough” way - by resetting the settings to the initial state. Windows 10 Mobile, of course, provides a less radical option, but, to be honest, it works a little crookedly - you can only change your account in native applications. This cannot be done in the system parameters. Doing this exclusively in applications is highly discouraged, because after such actions the software begins to behave inappropriately. So in this situation it is best.
How to change email
- Log in to the Microsoft website using your account.
- Select the "Details" section.
- In the next step, click on the link “Set up an email or phone number to log in.”
- Since you are interested in changing your account nickname, you need to click on “Add email address”.
- In the next section, select the most appropriate option from the options provided. You should resort to using the first one if you do not have an email account in mind that could act as a new nickname. The second one is worth choosing if you already have another e-mail. In this case, it is not at all necessary to enter an Outlook or Hotmail mailbox. You can use a Yandex and Google account.
- After entering a new nickname, click on “Add nickname”.
- Click on the “Confirm” inscription located opposite the newly added e-mail.
- Check the email provided. There you should find a letter with a link to confirm that this is the mailbox you want to use as an alias.
- Return to the Microsoft service login management page and opposite the new e-mail, click on the Make primary link.
How to delete an account
There are two options for deleting a user account - from the device and from the Microsoft account database. In the first case, it is carried out, and in the second, an application is submitted on the website to close and delete the account.
How to close your Microsoft account
Microsoft provides for complete account closure. This solution was implemented for those users who do not want the Redmond corporation’s database to include accounts they do not need with their data and files. However, in order to permanently terminate the existence of any profile, Microsoft specialists need to make sure that it was its owner who initiated the closure process and that he will not lose important information, which may be useful to him after some time. For these two reasons, performing the operation by complete removal account takes 60 days.
Before you apply to close your account, please ensure that:
Proceed to the application stage once the profile is ready to be closed:
How to recover your account
For those cases when a user may forget their login or password, lose access to it due to the actions of attackers, or accidentally close it, the bright minds of the software giant have provided ways to recover a Microsoft account. All of them involve the use of tools from the company’s official website.
Before proceeding to the main recovery procedure, you need to make sure of the following:
If all these rules are followed, but you still cannot log into your account, there is a possibility that you are entering the wrong username, password, or your account has been hacked. Below are ways to solve each of these problems.
Password recovery
- On the account management site, click on “Login”.
- Enter your login in the form that appears and click “Next”.
- On the new form, look for the inscription “Forgot your password” and click on it.
- Select one of the appropriate options and proceed to the next step. If you are not sure that you remember the password, then you need to select the first option. If you suspect or are completely sure that your account has been hacked, you should choose the second or third option.
- Re-enter your account login, the symbols from the picture and move on to the section.
- Enter a spare email or one linked to your account mobile number, and then click Submit Code.
- Paste the received code and go to the next step.
- Set a new password and write it down.
Login recovery
In the case of losing an account login, everything is much more complicated than with a password. Without it, it is impossible to initiate the process of restoring access to your account, since it is a key element for this procedure. After all, how else can the system know which record needs to be restored if not using a login? You can try to get it, the chances are extremely low.
Login recovery options:
Getting your Microsoft account back after deletion
If it so happens that you accidentally applied for the closure and deletion of an existing account, you have 60 days to restore it. After the specified period, this feature will no longer be available, and the files and data assigned to the profile will disappear forever.
To restore your account, you must first go to the company’s official resource and log into the account that accidentally fell under the distribution. If the data from it is lost, you can try to recover it using the above-mentioned methods.
When you log into a deactivated account, the resource will offer to restore it. Do this by clicking on the “Activate” button.
Recovering a hacked Microsoft account
Hacking accounts from mailboxes and services is quite common. Every day, attackers gain access to other people's profiles and use them for their own purposes. Most often for sending spam. If your account is unlucky enough to fall victim to the bad guys, you have the opportunity to take it back from them. The process for returning a profile is exactly the same as the procedure for recovering a password. The only difference is that when choosing the reason for the inability to log into your account, you should indicate I think someone else is using my Microsoft account.
Video: how to create a Microsoft account on Windows Phone
We hope this guide helped you get answers to your backlog of questions related to your Microsoft account.