Should I create a new user account?

Question

I bought a new notebook computer, and had the seller install Windows 11 Pro. They apparently created a Local user account called "Lenovo" first, and when I received it, I converted that to a Microsoft account using my email address. However that new account still has some of the features of a local account:

1. Data Encryption wasn't enabled, and in Settings>Security>Data Encryption it asks me to sign into my Microsoft account, but I can't get passed the verification, even though I'm signed into my online Microsoft account when I try to do so. There were some earlier issues when I first tried to sign into my MS account, such as my password was always rejected, even though it was accepted on other devices. Later I was able to sign in using my Authenticator app.
2. In Control Panel>User Accounts>User account it shows my photo and "Administrator" but also "Local Account".

Would creating a new user account solve these issues?

Answer 1

Open the Settings App.

Go to Accounts - Your Info.

Please provide a screenshot of that window, and if your Email appears in the screenshot, please hide it.

Answer 2

Creating a new user account is not required just because Control Panel shows “Local account,” and it is unlikely by itself to fix the sign‑in/verification issue for Data Encryption.

Key points from the scenario and context:

1. Local vs Microsoft account status
   • A local account is created on the device and is specific to that device. It does not require internet connectivity and is not connected to the cloud.
   • A Microsoft account is associated with an email address and password and connects the device to Microsoft cloud services, enabling sync and additional features.
   • Windows allows switching between these using Settings → Accounts → Your info:
     • If currently using a local account, the option shown is “Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.”
     • If currently using a Microsoft account, the option shown is “Sign in with a local account instead.”
   To confirm the current type of account, check Settings → Accounts → Your info. If the link visible is “Sign in with a Microsoft account instead,” then the account is still local. If the link is “Sign in with a local account instead,” then the account is already a Microsoft account, regardless of what legacy wording appears in Control Panel.
2. What to do about the account type
   • If the account is still local and the goal is to use Microsoft account features (including encryption options that depend on Microsoft account sign‑in), use:
     1. Settings → Accounts → Your info.
     2. Select “Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.”
     3. Follow the prompts and sign in with the Microsoft account email and password.
     4. Select Next, then Sign out and finish, and sign back in.
   • If already signed in with a Microsoft account (the link shows “Sign in with a local account instead”), creating a new Windows user is not necessary for the account to be recognized as a Microsoft account.
3. Why Control Panel shows “Local account”
   Control Panel is older UI and may still show wording that does not fully reflect the modern Microsoft account vs local account distinction. The authoritative place to check and change account type is Settings → Accounts → Your info, not the classic Control Panel page.
4. Data Encryption sign‑in/verification
   The Data Encryption page asking to sign in to a Microsoft account is tied to Microsoft account verification and security information, not to whether the Windows user was originally created as “Lenovo.”
   If sign‑in or verification fails there, the next steps are:
   • Ensure the Windows account is actually a Microsoft account via Settings → Accounts → Your info as above.
   • Make sure the Microsoft account security information (alternate email/phone) is up‑to‑date so verification codes can be received and entered correctly. Microsoft accounts require strong passwords and secondary proof of identity for certain operations.
5. When a new user account might be useful
   A new Windows user account is useful to separate personal vs work/school use or to give different people their own profiles and settings. It is not required just to “convert” from local to Microsoft account; that conversion is done on the existing account through Settings.

Summary:
Use Settings → Accounts → Your info to verify and, if needed, switch the existing “Lenovo” profile to a Microsoft account. That is the supported way to ensure the account is treated as a Microsoft account and to enable features that depend on it. Creating a brand‑new Windows user account is optional and primarily for separation of users or roles, not a prerequisite for Data Encryption or Microsoft account features.

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References:

• Change From a Local Account to a Microsoft Account in Windows
• User Account Access in Windows
• Manage User Accounts in Windows
• Microsoft accounts
• How to remove Microsoft Sign In - Microsoft Q&A