How do I change a Windows account to a different name?

Question

Hello. I work for a small charity in the UK. When the Chair of the charity started with a new laptop she used a personal gmail account to log into Windows. This isn't something we want to continue and need something along the lines of chairmcsf@??????? or whatever so that when she leaves it can be handed over as is.

I don't understand how to do this and keep all of her data etc. Do we need to pay for a new Windows account or something? Also her Office/Microsoft 365 account is again in a personal name and we need to change this to a generic 'chair' login. At the moment we are paying annually but we are going to talk to Microsoft Elevate about options for one off payments. Before I talk to them I need to understand about the difference between logging in for Windows and how to change that and logging into Microsoft 365. Can anyone help by explaining it really simply for me? Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

If you already have another Microsoft account with another general email address, you can do this to swap it out for Windows log in:

Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info

Click on Sign in with local user instead. follow the steps and finish the rest.

(If you don't see the "sign in with a local account instead option, click on "Stop signing into Microsoft apps automatically" first, then relaunch this page. )

Restart the computer (Do Not skip)

Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info

Click on Sign in with Microsoft account instead. follow the steps and finish the rest. Use the new account here.

Restart the computer (Do Not skip)

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As for subscription already paid for using her account, you need to cancel it:

Please go to https://account.live.com

Sign into her Microsoft account. Then go to Subscriptions. Click on Manage for the subscription plan you want to cancel.

Since it is paid for annually, it will run through for the rest til it expires. You can still use the apps in her log in.

If you want to switch to a perpetual license, keep in mind about these difference -

1. It will not have OneDrive, Teams premium features.
2. It is for one computer only instead of 5.
3. It doesn't have classic Outlook unless you use the HOme and Business https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/p/office-home-business-2024/cfq7ttc0pbm7

Answer 2

To change a Windows account to a different name while keeping all data intact, you can follow these steps:

1. Switch to a Local Account: If the current account is a Microsoft account (like a Gmail account), you can switch to a local account. Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info and select Sign in with a local account instead. Follow the prompts to create a local account.
2. Create a New User Account: You can create a new user account with the desired name (e.g., chairmcsf). Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users and select Add someone else to this PC. Follow the prompts to create a new account.
3. Transfer Data: Log into the new account and transfer the necessary data from the old account. You can do this by accessing the old account's user folder (usually located in C:\Users\OldUsername) and copying the files you need to the new account's user folder.
4. Change Microsoft 365 Account: For the Microsoft 365 account, you will need to change the email associated with the account. This can be done by logging into the Microsoft 365 admin center if you have admin rights. You can change the username and email address to something generic like "******@yourdomain.com". If you do not have admin rights, you may need to contact your administrator.
5. Consider Payment Options: If you're looking for a one-off payment option for Microsoft 365, you can discuss this with Microsoft Elevate or check their pricing plans to see if they offer a suitable option for your charity.

By following these steps, you can effectively change the Windows account name and the Microsoft 365 account while retaining all necessary data.