Creating a user account

 Creating a user account

With user accounts, several people can easily share a single PC. Each person can have a separate account with their own settings and preferences, like a desktop background or screen saver. User accounts also help control which files and applications each person can use and what changes they can make to the PC.

When you create a user account, there are two types of account to choose from: a local account for that PC or a Microsoft account, which works on all the Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 PCs you use. We recommend a Microsoft account.

Note

If your PC is on a domain, you can create user accounts that let people sign in to your PC, but not to the domain. Only system admins can create domain user accounts.

To create a Microsoft account

 

A Microsoft account is an email address and password that you use to sign in to Windows. You can use any email address, but it's best if you choose the one you already use to communicate with friends and sign in to your favourite websites. When you sign in to your PC with a Microsoft account, you’ll connect your PC to the people, files and devices you care about. (If you need an email address, we can give you one for free.)

When you sign in with a Microsoft account, your PC is connected to online cloud storage and:

• Your personal settings are synchronised to any Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 PCs you use, including your themes, language preferences, browser favourites and most apps.

• You can get apps in the Windows Store and use them on other Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 PCs. (Some apps require specific hardware or hardware settings.)

• Your friends’ contact info and statuses automatically stay up to date from places like Outlook.com, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

• You can get to and share your photos, documents and other files from places like Facebook and Flickr.

Follow these steps to create a Microsoft account:

1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, then tap Change PC settings.
   (If you're using a mouse, point to the bottom-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, then click Change PC settings.)

2. Tap or click Accounts, then tap or click Other accounts.

3. Tap or click Add an account.

4. Enter the account info for this person to sign in to Windows. There are four ways of doing this:

   • If the person you're adding already has a Microsoft account, enter it now.

   • If the person you're adding doesn't have a Microsoft account, create a new one. Enter the email address that that person uses most frequently.

   • If the person you're adding doesn't have an email address, tap or click Sign up for a new email address. (It's free.)

   • If the person you're adding is a child, tap or click Add a child's account.

5. Follow the instructions to finish setting up the account. 

   To create a local account

   A local account is an account that lets you sign in to one PC only. If you create a local account, you’ll need a separate account for each PC you use. None of your settings will be synchronised between the Windows 8.1 PCs you use, and you won’t get the benefits of connecting your PC to your files, settings, apps and services online in the cloud that are accessible from anywhere. You also won't be able to download apps from the Windows Store without a Microsoft account.

   Follow these steps to create a local account:

   1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, then tap Change PC settings.
      (If you're using a mouse, point to the bottom-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, then click Change PC settings.)

   2. Tap or click Accounts, then tap or click Other accounts.

   3. Tap or click Add an account, and then tap or click Sign in without a Microsoft account (not recommended).

   4. Tap or click Local account.

   5. Enter a username for the new account.

   6. If you want this person to sign in with a password, enter and verify the password, add a password hint, then tap or click Next.

      You can skip this step and tap or click Next, if you prefer. People can create their own passwords later.

   7. Tap or click Finish.