Separating OneDrive accounts

Question

Hello,

Years ago I helped setup a family member's computer and their Microsoft account. Because they are not tech savvy I setup the Microsoft account with my email address. Since then, I purchased my own home computer, and setup the Microsoft account using my email address again. Since then, the computers have been sharing the same Microsoft account and OneDrive. My question is, how do I separate the machines so that they have their own Microsoft and OneDrives? Obviously my relative's computer needs to be disconnected from my Microsoft account, but is there a way for them to transfer their files to a new Microsoft account and OneDrive, or do they need to download them to their computer's hard drive and then disconnect the account?

Thank you in advance for any assistance.

Michael

Answer 1

Hi Michael,

To separate the machines and have each computer with its own Microsoft account and OneDrive, you can follow these steps:

1. Create a new Microsoft account: Your family member will need to create a new Microsoft account using their own email address. They can do this by visiting the Microsoft account creation page (https://account.microsoft.com/account).
2. Set up OneDrive on the new Microsoft account: Once the new Microsoft account is created, your family member can set up OneDrive using their new account credentials. They can download and install the OneDrive application on their computer, sign in with their new account, and set up the desired OneDrive folder location.
3. Transfer files to the new OneDrive: To transfer files from the shared OneDrive to the new OneDrive associated with the new Microsoft account, your family member can follow these steps:
   • Open the shared OneDrive folder on their computer.
   • Select the files and folders they want to transfer.
   • Copy the selected files/folders to a local folder on their computer's hard drive.
   • Sign in to the new OneDrive account and upload the files/folders from the local folder to the new OneDrive.
4. Disconnect the old Microsoft account: Once the files are transferred to the new OneDrive and your family member has confirmed everything is in order, you can proceed to disconnect the old Microsoft account from their computer. This will ensure that the computer is no longer associated with your Microsoft account and the shared OneDrive.

By following these steps, you can separate the machines and have each computer with its own Microsoft account and OneDrive.

Kindest regards

Leon Pavesic

Answer 2

We have the same issue as Michael. Two of us in our house have paid for Microsoft/Office 365 subscription for this year. Does your advice for separate OneDrive accounts confuse the use of our Microsoft/Office 365 subscription?

Many thanks for your help.

Linda