I cant remove a device from my email to add it to another email, shows error code every time i try it

Miriam Moran 0 Reputation points
2026-08-12T00:36:23.9166667+00:00

My mother recently gifted me her new laptop, she told me to unlink her email from this laptop and add it to mine, but as I try to do that, all I get is an error message saying something went wrong and to try again later but every time I try it later, the same error code pops up

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Accounts, profiles, and login
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  1. Manoel Barros 22,055 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-12T02:25:20.7766667+00:00

    Hi!

    How exactly are you trying to remove the account?

    Are you trying to sign in using a Local Account to remove her account, or are you using another method?

    Generally, this is the correct way to sign out of the account:

    1. Open Windows Settings > Accounts > Your info > Under Microsoft account, click Sign in as a local account.
    2. Click Next > Enter your email or Windows login password.
    3. Enter your user information > Next > Sign out and finish.
    4. After unlinking your email account from Windows, restart your PC > When it starts, relink your email account.

    If the problem persists and you haven't saved any files, you can create an administrator account for yourself, log in to that account, enter your email, verify that everything is working correctly, and then remove the account that uses your mother's email.

    1. Go to System Settings (CTRL + I) > Select ''Accounts'' > 'Family and other users'' > ''Add another person to this PC'.
    2. On the Accounts screen, choose the option ''I don’t have that person’s login information' > Then select ''Add a user without a Microsoft account''.
    3. Click on the newly created user > Click "Change account type" > Under Account Type, change the option "Default User" to "Administrator" > Click "OK".
    4. Enter the username, and password (optional, leave blank if you do not want to put password) > Click ''Next'.
    5. Press the shortcut CTRL + ALT + DEL (DELETE) > Select ''Exit'' option > On the Login screen, choose the new user created.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-08-12T00:36:36.0533333+00:00

    If the device is still listed in the Microsoft account, remove it from the Devices page first:

    1. Go to Sign in and sign in with the account that currently owns the laptop.
    2. Find the laptop and select Remove device.
    3. If needed, expand the device details.
    4. Select More actions > Remove.
    5. Review the details, select I'm ready to remove this device, and then select Remove.

    If the removal keeps failing with a generic error, the supported guidance is to try again later. A similar accepted resolution notes this can happen when device management status has not finished syncing yet.

    After the device is removed, sign in on the laptop with the Microsoft account that should use it going forward so it can appear under that account.


    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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