Separate User Accounts

Question

If there is a shared microsoft user account accessed from 2 computers, will the other computer know if I create a new microsoft user account on my computer?

Answer 1

I want to create a new Microsoft account with new email address Yes, both computers sign into the same Microsoft account.

Yes, separate files, OneDrive, settings, and browser data

Thanks!

Yes, in that case I would create a completely new Microsoft account with a new email address, then use it for a new Windows user profile on your computer.

The other computer should not receive a notification that you created the new account.

On your PC:

• Go to "Settings" > "Accounts" > "Other users".
• Select "Add account".
• Sign in with the new Microsoft account you create.
• Then sign out of the current Windows account and sign in to the new one.

This will give you a separate Windows profile, OneDrive, settings, and Edge/browser profile.

Keep in mind that files in your current Windows profile will not automatically move to the new one. You can copy over only the files you want afterward.

Before doing this, is there anything in the current OneDrive or Windows profile that you need to keep on your computer?

Answer 2

Hi, @Brenna Grace

No, the other computer would not normally be notified just because you create a new user account on your Windows 11 PC.

However, there are two different things here:

• Creating a new Windows user profile on your computer.
• Creating a completely new Microsoft account with a different email address.

If your goal is to stop sharing the same Microsoft account between the two computers, a separate account may be the better option.

Just to clarify:

1. Are both computers currently signing in to Windows with the exact same Microsoft account?
2. Do you want your files, OneDrive, settings, and browser data to be completely separate from the other computer?

Thanks!

Answer 3

No. Creating a new Microsoft user account on one Windows PC does not automatically notify or expose that change to the other PC.

What matters is which account is signed in on each device:

• If both computers are using the same Windows account, they can share synced settings and access to that account’s Microsoft services.
• If a new separate Windows user account is created on one computer, that account exists on that device for sign-in and does not by itself appear on the other computer.
• Using separate Windows user accounts is the recommended way to keep files, settings, and desktop environments separate on a shared or multi-device setup.

If the goal is separation, the practical approach is:

1. Open Settings > Accounts > Other user.
2. Under Add other user, select Add account.
3. Create the new account with a Microsoft account, or choose Add a user without a Microsoft account for a local account.
4. Sign in to that new account when using that PC.

If both PCs stay signed in with the same Microsoft account, some Microsoft services and settings can still be shared or synced across those devices. If each PC uses a different Windows account, the accounts stay separate.

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