I changed my Microsoft 365 account, but I cannot update the sign‑in account at Windows startup.

Question

I changed my Microsoft 365 account, but I cannot update the sign‑in account at Windows startup.

Answer 1

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

Are you referring to your personal Microsoft account or a work or school account?

To change the Administrator account (Email address) on your device,

Go to Start > Settings > Accounts > Your info.

Select the 'Switch to local account instead' option and follow the prompts to complete the switch.

Once done, sign out and sign in to the new local account user profile created.

From there, go to Start > Settings > Accounts > Your info.

Select the 'Sign in with a Microsoft account instead' option and enter the email address you want to sign in on the device as Administrator.

Once added, sign out and sign in to the new Windows user profile account.

Note - Switching to another account will make all of your files disappear if you have stored them on OneDrive. So, please be careful when switching to another account on the device.

Let me know if you still need more help.

Answer 2

If you have changed your Microsoft 365 account but are unable to update the sign-in account at Windows startup, you can try the following steps:

1. Disconnect Work or School Credentials:
   • Go to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school.
   • If the account you used to sign in to office.com is listed but is not the account you use to sign in to Windows, select it and then choose Disconnect.
   • Restart your device and try to sign in again.
2. Sign Out and Sign Back In:
   • Open a Microsoft 365 app (like Word).
   • Click on your name or profile picture at the top and select Sign out.
   • Then, select Sign in and ensure you are using your new Work or School account.
3. Create a New Windows User Account:
   • Perform a clean boot of Windows.
   • Create a new user account and make it an administrator.
   • Sign in with the new account, download and install Office, and try to activate Microsoft 365 again.

These steps should help you update your sign-in account for Microsoft 365 at Windows startup.