How can I change my Windows sign-in email without losing my profile?

Question

How can I change my Windows sign-in email without losing my profile?

Mihir 75

Hello,

I currently have two Microsoft accounts:

Let's call this number 1 (this is the one my Windows profile is currently linked to)
Let's call this number 2 (this is the one I want to use going forward)

Both accounts are administrators on my PC. Instead of setting up a brand-new profile and moving everything over, I’d like to keep my existing Windows profile (apps, settings, and files) but change the account it’s connected to so that I sign in with ******@hotmail.com.

Is this possible? If so, what is the safest way to do it without losing data or messing anything up?

Thank you in advance!

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Answer accepted by question author

David-M 125K Independent Advisor

Apparently, the problem is related to a corrupted Windows profile account. I've seen this happen before, and it's probably what happened to my profile because it showed the same behavior as yours.

While there are ways to try to repair it, they are complex, unreliable, and rarely provide a complete solution. Therefore, the most effective and practical alternative is to start using the new Windows profile account as your primary account and migrate your data from the old one. Then, you can switch it to the Microsoft account you want.

I know it's not what you were looking for, but it's the safest option for your case.

You can transfer all files from the old profile account folder to the new profile account folder. Profile account folders are located in "C:\Users". There's no need to copy the "AppData" folder, as it often contains what caused the issue.

Once you're satisfied, you can remove the old profile account by following the instructions under "Remove a user account" in the article I shared earlier.

No problem if you prefer to keep the old profile until you're sure you've transferred everything.

Feel free to ask back any questions.

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Answer 1

David-M 125K Independent Advisor

Hi. I'm David, and I'm happy to help you.

You must first remove the current Microsoft account by switching to a local account, and then you can sign in with the desired Microsoft account. This procedure will not change the Windows user account.

Remove the current Microsoft account by switching to a local account.

Press "Windows + I" and select "Accounts > Your info".
Under the "Account settings" section, click "Sign in with a local account instead" and follow the onscreen instructions.

After logging into the account that is now local, switch to the desired Microsoft account.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/switch-from-a-local-account-to-a-microsoft-account-395203bf-9f1b-eb24-b042-5b8dae6c1d20#WindowsVersion=Windows_11

If you experience any problems, please let me know.

Feel free to ask back any questions.

Mihir 75 Reputation points

2025-10-02T18:09:23.6033333+00:00

Hi David,

Thanks so much for your help. I followed your instructions, but I’m a bit confused. In Control Panel > User Accounts, it shows that I'm using a local account, but in Settings > Profile Info, it indicates that I'm signed in with a Microsoft Account.
Mihir 75 Reputation points

2025-10-02T18:11:18.66+00:00
David-M 125K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-10-02T18:23:47.7+00:00

In this case, I'm afraid you're using a local account.

I noticed this same behavior on one of my PCs recently. I've always used a local account, and suddenly, my Microsoft account became the administrator.

What I did was click "Stop signing in to all Microsoft apps automatically", and after that, the system started recognizing the account as local in the settings.

From what I saw here, there's now an option to sign in with a Microsoft account if I want to switch to a Microsoft account.

See if the same will happen to you.

Let me know the result.

Feel free to ask back any questions.
Mihir 75 Reputation points

2025-10-02T18:40:21.4233333+00:00

Thank you for the suggestion.

I went ahead and tried the "Stop signing in to all Microsoft apps automatically" option as you mentioned. After completing the steps, the system does indeed recognize the account as a local account again in the settings.

Just to confirm, the account remains a local account in the end, even though I'd like it if it were connected to a Microsoft Account.
David-M 125K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-10-02T18:44:51.8666667+00:00

Do you now have the option to "Sign in with a Microsoft account instead" under "Account settings"?

I await your reply.
Mihir 75 Reputation points

2025-10-02T19:00:15.84+00:00

Yes, I clicked Sign in with a Microsoft account Instead and added in my Microsoft email address and when I checked Control Panel > User Accounts, it was still displaying local account.
David-M 125K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2025-10-02T19:10:48.87+00:00

I've seen this happen before due to profile corruption: Sometimes the user profile can be corrupted, preventing the system from correctly recognizing the switch to a Microsoft account.

Just for testing, try creating a new local account with administrator privileges, logging in, and switching it to a Microsoft account. If it works fine, you can switch it back to local and delete it later.

Instructions for creating a new local account with administrator privileges are in the article below.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/manage-user-accounts-in-windows-104dc19f-6430-4b49-6a2b-e4dbd1dcdf32#WindowsVersion=Windows_11

To add the new user, follow the instructions in "Add a user account". Create the user without a Microsoft account.

To give administrator privileges to the new user, follow the instructions in "Configure a user as an administrator".

Let me know the result.

Feel free to ask back any questions.
Mihir 75 Reputation points

2025-10-02T19:34:05.49+00:00

It works on the new local account that I just created, however for my original one, there seems to be some sort of issue.