Do you use a local account or MS account on your main PC?

[Devastator0]

For the actual user account it's a Local account for me on any/all boxes. I do use a MS account for the Windows Store/Xbox GamePass and O365.

This is exactly how I operate as well.

 

[AMF]

screw the info collecting data spying remote enabled crap! local account or i wont use windows!

I lost my key so MS account it is..

store that damn key on usb and in your bios!

 

[xu^]

MS account, couldn't care less if they collect data on me tbh.

 

[INSTG8R]

I lost my key so MS account it is..

I didn't lose mine but it is my OG Win7 key. Just somewhere along the way I made an MS account. Honestly it's easier I have switched hardware multiple times with it. I am now using the Authenticator as well so I don't have to remember whatever wacky password I set for the Nth time anymore, Windows Store, Gamepass all just easier. I mean it's too late now so I guess I get convenience and they get some data....

MS account of course. Onedrive slaps.

Now THAT is the first thing I disable on a fresh OS I mean I use an MS account but they can stuff their OneDrive. I make my open backups thanks....

 

[PLAfiller]

MS account with a PIN. I don't type a password each time, just four digits. I don't really have "HELLO" compatible hardware to test what's that feature looks like.

 

[R-T-B]

Does Active Directory accounts on my Domain Controller count as local?

No ms account, at any rate.

 

[Frick]

Now THAT is the first thing I disable on a fresh OS I mean I use an MS account but they can stuff their OneDrive. I make my open backups thanks....

I don't use it for backups as such, I use it as a way to have access to stuff.

 

[Yukikaze]

Local account. OneDrive is the first item to get deleted when a new OS install happens. The store is the second. I don't need the MS account for anything.

 

[INSTG8R]

MS account with a PIN. I don't type a password each time, just four digits. I don't really have "HELLO" compatible hardware to test what's that feature looks like.

Same!

 

[Mussels]

Both

I install local originally, but if its a PC i use a lot i login for all my stuff to sync
A test bench PC dont need an online login, nor a spare parts machine or a laptop that gets used twice a year


I dont store anything critical in onedrive, but if i want a location to store some drivers that are hard to find like wifi drivers for old devices and such? It's perfect to have on hand with a fresh login
Edge with my adblocker and extensions ready to go? win.

 

[chrcoluk]

Local, and I also use office365 and onedrive fine, a microsoft account in windows isnt required for those.

 

[Shou Miko]

As @Mussels clearly says there are benefits if your Windows licens, Office license, onedrive and so on are attached to your microsoft account sure it's easier, faster and more convenient.

But it can also be a hassle if there is a problem with the account or the user doesn't log out, I had several laptops I needed to reinstall because the Microsoft account wasn't available for some reason or the user left the company.

 

[bug]

Local. My install of W10 is upgraded from 7, and that install of 7 was upgraded from XP. Somewhere in here it was copied from a 250GB HDD to a 128GB SSD, too.

My install of windows 10 is on an MBR partitioned drive, which I have learned breaks some tools like Ryzen Master.

Very, very close to my own install's history, including moving from one SSD to another.

If you ever want to move on from MBR, it's dead-simple: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/mbr-to-gpt
Word of advice, that may make your system eligible for Win11 and you may start seeing prompts to upgrade. Fwiw, I've upgraded and the only annoyance is that I can't have a taskbar on the side of the screen anymore.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I will NEVER use anything other than a local account.

 

[kilo]

Local accounts only for me. I have relatives who use MS accounts. Every time I call there's a problem and it's "can you fix this for me?" My first response is always, "Stop using a MS account." It gets even worse with a shared computer. There were problems just switching users, then the obligatory, "all my stuff is missing." Just no. MS has directly harmed family ties, lol.

 

[Mussels]

Online accounts is how i solve idiot family members problems since it automates windows shares, you share the folders to their account and even if they change their passwords etc, they can still access the network shares.

 

[henok.gk]

Will never use MS account as long as I've got the option. Privacy concern aside my main issue is internet availability. Most computers I work with are almost always offline so attaching MS account while setting them up is brewing a concoction of trouble because if there's no internet connectivity at the time and someone attempts passwords multiple times you'll basically lock yourself out.

 

[bug]

Will never use MS account as long as I've got the option. Privacy concern aside my main issue is internet availability. Most computers I work with are almost always offline so attaching MS account while setting them up is brewing a concoction of trouble because if there's no internet connectivity at the time and someone attempts passwords multiple times you'll basically lock yourself out.

If only they allowed alternative logins, such as a PIN, fingerprint or face recognition...

 

[Jacky_BEL]

screw the info collecting data spying remote enabled crap! local account or i wont use windows!


store that damn key on usb and in your bios!

Wait, can you store it in the BIOS? How... ?

 

[henok.gk]

If only they allowed alternative logins, such as a PIN, fingerprint or face recognition...

Pretty sure they're aware of all these other local credential/biometric options to unlock the PC but they're purposely avoiding giving you the options therefore you'll be forced to use the email password to login while they guzzle up on that sweet sweet telemetry in the background.

 

[Mussels]

Pretty sure they're aware of all these other local credential/biometric options to unlock the PC but they're purposely avoiding giving you the options therefore you'll be forced to use the email password to login while they guzzle up on that sweet sweet telemetry in the background.

They all work?
I've been able to use both password and PIN on offline systems plenty of times

Online accounts don't force you to be online at all times or anything - its just that if you change your password, you change it for all systems at once and some people can't handle that, or don't want that

 

[henok.gk]

They all work?
I've been able to use both password and PIN on offline systems plenty of times

Online accounts don't force you to be online at all times or anything - its just that if you change your password, you change it for all systems at once and some people can't handle that, or don't want that

You're right all those options do work; so long as there's no multiple wrong login attempts. In which case it will end up locking you out until you're connected to the internet and use your MS account email password to log in. Even if you type the correct email password while being offline it will flat out tell you it's wrong. The moment you're connected and type the same thing it'll let you in. I've had this happen to me countless times and I still can't wrap my head around it. Local accounts don't have such absurdity.

 

[tpa-pr]

Microsoft Account for me. The telemetry they collect isn't enough to bother me, cloud account sign-in is becoming the standard in the future so I want to dogfood it for work and having pseudo-SSO for my Microsoft apps and services is convenient.

That being said, I have lots of local and non-Microsoft backups of everything should they decide to ban my account or go belly up. As Q from 007 said: "always have an escape plan".

 

[Mussels]

You're right all those options do work; so long as there's no multiple wrong login attempts. In which case it will end up locking you out until you're connected to the internet and use your MS account email password to log in. Even if you type the correct email password while being offline it will flat out tell you it's wrong. The moment you're connected and type the same thing it'll let you in. I've had this happen to me countless times and I still can't wrap my head around it. Local accounts don't have such absurdity.

You make that sound like a bad thing when it's designed to stop someone brute forcing their way into your account...

 

[henok.gk]

You make that sound like a bad thing when it's designed to stop someone brute forcing their way into your account...

Technically speaking it still does not stop anyone from brute forcing it. They'll just have to connect the PC to the internet and keep trying until they succeed. There's no warnings/notifications of any sort sent to your MS account email which makes it pointless. I thought it was bugged but after years of MS doing nothing about it I'm inclined to think it's intentional.