Troubleshoot How do I get rid of Windows PIN & Microsoft Account?

[oldschool]

Briefly explain your current issue(s)

Can't disable PIN and create password for Administrator account.

Steps taken to resolve, but have been unsuccessful

Tried removing PIN but Windows asks for password, which I do not have because I was forced to create a PIN.

Tried banging my head against the wall a few times and only have headache as a result!

I am setting up my new laptop and M$ forced me to create an M$ account and a PIN and said I could switch later, delete M$ account, etc. I cannot for the life of me remove PIN and setup a password for Admin account because it asks for current password which I don't have (because M$ forced me to set up a PIN.)

I'm currently on Windows 10 Home 1809 after a bunch of updates, and I have features not present on my previous machines, e.g. Core Isolation, Secure Boot, etc. I see no option to disable these and my boot time is slower than previous machines. I don't get what's going on here. Any help would be appreciated. :emoji_pray::emoji_pray::barefoot::barefoot::barefoot:

 

[show-Zi]

“Secure Boot” is set in UEFI.
There is a setting to switch to the local user in the account settings.

 

[Thales]

If you have outlook/email then your admin password is the same.
I have PIN and MS ask my psw only if I type the wrong PIN a few times which is unlikely. MS account is cool and I would not switch back to local anymore however I understand it can be frustrating for some people.

 

[Venustus]

Maybe here:??

Can't get rid of login/pin screen

Info for my PC is at the bottom for anyone that might help me with my startup/login issue. I read that Windows 10 Fall Creator has a "bug" that causes 2 logins when restarted or Shutdown, then fire up again. When I do turn it on again, or restart, I get the 2 options of users (which are both...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[Ink]

You can create an Admin account type without a password, or linked to a Microsoft account.
Note: These steps were created on Windows 10 Pro v1903

Step 1: Windows Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Under Other users > [Add someone else to this PC].

Step 2: I don't have this person's sign-in information



Step 3: Add a user without a Microsoft account



Step 4: Pick a Username
Step 5: Leave password field empty



Local account now listed here.

Step 6: Change type from Standard to Admin.

Easy to delete.

 

[ForgottenSeer 72227]

Just to clarify and summarize.

When booting the laptop for the first time, MS asked you to make a MS account and pin and you want to disable the PIN?

When making the MS account, I am assuming that it asked you to create a password of some sort for the account? If so, the admin password is the MS account password. Try entering that and it should work.

With W10, MS is linking everything to a MS account. So when you setup a computer for the first time and it asks you to enter your MS account info, it will use that email address as it's "user name" and that account password as the admin password.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

It's still possible at first setup to install Windows 10 without a Microsoft account (doen it recently for my mother in law), but not easy:

How Microsoft made it harder to create Windows 10 local accounts

If you’re thinking about resetting your Windows PC with a local account, consider upgrading to the Windows 10 May 2019 Update first.

www.pcworld.com

In 1903 there is the option Offline account (no MS account):

 

[oldschool]

When booting the laptop for the first time, MS asked you to make a MS account and pin and you want to disable the PIN?

Yes, I know how to switch from PIN but then I'd be using my M$ password for login instead of a Windows password, which I definitely don't want to do. I'm OK with the PIN for AA but it's not my first choice. I just don't know the exact procedure for changing --> regular AA with Windows password so I can close M$ account and not be locked out. I probably was not clear in my OP.

@Gandalf_The_Grey -
Yes. But when I first started new laptop and updated it was to 1809 and either that option was not present or else I missed it. Now I'm on 1903 but would like to do as described above to @Raiden in this reply. I'm just trying to minimize the number of online accounts I open.

 

[Local Host]

It's still possible at first setup to install Windows 10 without a Microsoft account (doen it recently for my mother in law), but not easy:

How Microsoft made it harder to create Windows 10 local accounts

If you’re thinking about resetting your Windows PC with a local account, consider upgrading to the Windows 10 May 2019 Update first.

www.pcworld.com

In 1903 there is the option Offline account (no MS account):

I must ask why you think it's not easy, I never had any problem with it.

This is only a problem for people that rush through setups, the same way Windows 10 always had advanced setup options for privacy settings (which the majorly of users always missed, until Microsoft brought it forward, and some casual users actually believed Microsoft added those options when they were always there).

Is not wise to rush through any setup, is how people get infected with adware (not that would happen with Windows 10, but people miss features like OFFLINE Account).

 

[Pkjfkknm]

I am setting up my new laptop and M$ forced me to create an M$ account and a PIN and said I could switch later, delete M$ account, etc. I cannot for the life of me remove PIN and setup a password for Admin account because it asks for current password which I don't have (because M$ forced me to set up a PIN.)

I'm currently on Windows 10 Home 1809 after a bunch of updates, and I have features not present on my previous machines, e.g. Core Isolation, Secure Boot, etc. I see no option to disable these and my boot time is slower than previous machines. I don't get what's going on here. Any help would be appreciated. :emoji_pray::emoji_pray::barefoot::barefoot::barefoot:

settings > email & accounts > select ms account > delete

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

I must ask why you think it's not easy, I never had any problem with it.

This is only a problem for people that rush through setups, the same way Windows 10 always had advanced setup options for privacy settings (which the majorly of users always missed, until Microsoft brought it forward, and some casual users actually believed Microsoft added those options when they were always there).

Is not wise to rush through any setup, is how people get infected with adware (not that would happen with Windows 10, but people miss features like OFFLINE Account).

Okay, you're wright it was easy enough, but because it is different on 1903 than before I had to look careful at all the options.

 

[Pkjfkknm]

settings > accounts > your info > sign in with local account instead

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Yes, I know how to switch from PIN but then I'd be using my M$ password for login instead of a Windows password, which I definitely don't want to do. I'm OK with the PIN for AA but it's not my first choice. I just don't know the exact procedure for changing --> regular AA with Windows password so I can close M$ account and not be locked out. I probably was not clear in my OP.

@Gandalf_The_Grey -
Yes. But when I first started new laptop and updated it was to 1809 and either that option was not present or else I missed it. Now I'm on 1903 but would like to do as described above to @Raiden in this reply. I'm just trying to minimize the number of online accounts I open.

Can't you do that from Settings ==> Accounts ?
There is an option to use a local account.
Or is that not what you want?

 

[oldschool]

Can't you do that from Settings ==> Accounts ?
There is an option to use a local account.
Or is that not what you want?

Can Local account = AA? Curretnly, if I sign in as Administrator to change from PIN --> password it will use M$ password. If I create a new local account am I able to designate it as Administrator? I suppose it all boils down to this question. I never had this confusion when I had no M$ account.

@Local Host @.\urbeat.ps1 maybe I'm just confused???

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

Can Local account = AA? Curretnly, if I sign in as Administrator to change from PIN --> password it will use M$ password. If I create a new local account am I able to designate it as Administrator? I suppose it all boils down to this question. I never had this confusion when I had no M$ account.

Yes you can.
Hope the following page is still up to date (with 1903):

How to switch to a local account from a Microsoft account on Windows 10

Don't want to use a Microsoft account on Windows 11 (or 10)? Here's how you can switch to a traditional local account.

www.windowscentral.com

 

[oldschool]

Thanks to all above posters for your help but the final piece of the puzzle was found here: How to Completely Delete Your Microsoft Account which provided crystal-like clarity. One issue is that M$ is confusing/sneaky because when you create a new Local account there is no option to designate as administrator. I needed to click on that new account once again in settings (as admin) to change it from SUA to AA. Now that I'm signed into this laptop with new AA I can delete that M$ user account on PC and then delete my Microsoft account. They do not make it clear or easy, and I suppose some would insist it's sneaky.

I appreciate all of your help and once again confirm my belief that How-To Geek is one of the best resources for the ins and outs of Windows world.

PROBLEM SOLVED! :barefoot::barefoot::barefoot::barefoot:

 

[oldschool]

This is actually the definitive guide to removing and deleting M$ account from current Windows 10 1903.

How to Delete Your Microsoft Account & Create a Local Windows 10 Login

Have privacy concerns about using a Microsoft Account in the cloud? Here's how to create a local Windows 10 login account instead.

www.makeuseof.com

Hallelujiah! My last post in this thread.

 

[TheMalwareMaster]

This is actually the definitive guide to removing and deleting M$ account from current Windows 10 1903.

Are MS accounts all admin? Or you can make them SUA?

 

[oldschool]

Are MS accounts all admin? Or you can make them SUA?

I don't know. All I know is it's off my machine and good riddance! Sayonara baby. Account closed. Copy & paste is my sync!