How to login to Windows 11 with a local account?

Question

I am setting up a new laptop for an employee. We always create two accounts on computers. One for I.T. Admin and for the employee. Once we configure the OS and install apps we send it to the employee and he/she logs in and gets to work.

We have done this with a Windows 11 Pro installation but cannot get the login form to accept and validate the employee's account. It only allows the admin account to login.

• We are using Windows 11 Pro v. 21H2, OS build: 22000.348
• We created the I.T. Admin account using a Microsoft account
• We created the employee's account as a local account through the Settings>Accounts>Other Users menu
• We set the new local user as an admin

When we get to the login screen we only see the IT Admin user and the Other user as options for login

We click on the Other user option in the lower left

Then attempt to login, which fails with a message that says the email address cannot be found; which would be correct, because the new local account just uses a username, no email address.

Next we click on the "Sign-in Options" link under the password box, then click on the key icon and try to enter the login credentials

We enter the username and password for the local account and it fails

We have tried every other way to login with the local account credentials and it always fails.

How do we allow a user to login to Windows 11 with a local account?

Answer 1

Type in .\ then the local user name.

You've always had to do this to login locally to a domain controlled computer.

It would appear that Win11 is defaulting to an online account, so I suspect its a similar process.

When you type in .\ check what it says in the "sign in to" prompt. It should show the local computer name.

Answer 2

type in ~\USERNAME (doesn't have to be all in caps)

It works for me with no issues

Answer 3

Few options you can try:

Use the SYSTEM NAME\Username format for the username.
Switch the local user account to Microsoft or any email account.
Remove the machine from domain and let user working with only company email address.

Hope something helps!

Answer 4

Hi @CheddarMonkey

I have exact the same issue. Did you find a solution yet. Happy to here, because it is really frustrating that it isn't possible to add a different user.

Kind regards,
Hugo

Answer 5

Hi @CheddarMonkey

I suggest you to check with your domain that if you have created any GPO for not letting local accounts to login to your Domain. You can just log in to the IT account and remove the PC from the Work or school account and then try logging in from the Local account.

Try starting in safe mode and see if you can log in to your local account, you can also try creating another local account and see if you can log in from that.

Here is a link as well to help you out https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-error-message-we-can-t-sign-in-to-your-account-18d55f00-a6e7-9106-29ee-54fa223c0ca8

Hope this resolves your Query!!

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