Windows user accounts are used by your computer to separate your files from anyone else’s files that may be using the computer. There are two types of user accounts, a Microsoft account and a Local account. These two types of accounts can be either Administrator or Standard users.
What Are Windows User Accounts?
Your Windows computer is designed to be used by more than one person. It allows you to share a computer with multiple people. But that raises an issue, how to keep each individual’s files separated. And that’s where Windows User Accounts come in.
By having separate accounts, each member of your family can set up the computer in a way that suits themselves.
To demonstrate how it works consider these two fictional characters, Dave and Jane. They each share the same computer but have their own accounts on it.
Although the two desktops above look completely different, it is in fact the exact same computer. What’s different is that we’re logging in using two different accounts.
On your own account, you can change the Desktop background, have different shortcuts, and different files and folders. All without affecting the other users of the computer.
Having Separate User Accounts
Having separate accounts also means that your files and folders are kept separate. Continuing with our example above, any files (documents, pictures, music, videos etc) that Jane saves on her account, won’t appear on Dave’s account and vice versa. This in turn means that neither will “accidentally” move or delete something the other wanted to keep.
And the same is true when using the Internet. Any bookmarks or favourites that they create will only show up when they’re logged into their respective user accounts.
Even though they may be using the same web browser (such as Chrome or Edge), they will each only see their own bookmarks/favourites and saved logins etc.
Programs And Apps.
Programs and apps though are usually different. As a general rule, a program or app installed on one account is available across all accounts on the computer.
It’s common sense really, it saves having to buy and/or install the same program several times for different people’s accounts
Single User Account.
Even if you’re the only user of a computer, sometimes creating separate accounts can be a help. For example, with many of us working from home these days, you might use the same computer for both work and personal use. You can easily separate the two by creating different accounts for each.
Having different accounts for different users or different uses isn’t going to suit everyone, but the option is there if you’d like to try it out.
Windows User Accounts-Microsoft And Local.
There are two types of Windows User account that you could be using to log into your computer. You could be using a Microsoft account or a Local account.
The main difference between the two is that with a Microsoft account, as you sign in to your computer, you’re also signing into your MS account over the Internet (assuming you have an Internet connection). With a local account, you’re only signing in to your computer. You aren’t connecting to Microsoft at all.
These days it’s quite difficult to not have an MS account because both Windows 10 & Windows 11 pretty much force you into it when setting up your user accounts on your PC (at least the Home versions do, with the Pro versions of Windows 10 & 11 you still get a choice, for now).
How To Tell If You Have A Microsoft Account Or Local Account
You can easily check to find out which type of account you’re currently using to sign in to your computer.
In both Windows 10 and Windows 11, left-click the Start button and then type
accounts
Left-click ADD, EDIT OR REMOVE OTHER USERS (system settings)
For Windows 10 Users
If you’re using Windows 10, the user account settings page often opens up on the Family & And Other Users page. If yours does, then click YOUR INFO in the left-hand panel.
When the Your Info page opens, you’ll be able to see whether you have a Microsoft account or a Local account.
For Windows 11 Users.
The User accounts settings page will still open at the Family And Other Users page, but you’ll be able to see immediately which type of account you have in the top left-hand corner of the window. If it says Local account, then you have a local account, but if it simply displays your email address, then you have a Microsoft account.
Windows User Accounts – Administrator And Standard User.
Whichever type of account you’re using (Microsoft or Local), you can change what you’re actually allowed to do on the computer by setting the account to either an Administrator Account or a Standard User Account.
With a Standard account, you can use the computer as you’d normally expect to be able to use it. You can use the Internet, email, open programs and apps, save and edit files etc. In fact, most of the time, you’d be hard-pressed to know that you were using a Standard account rather than an Administrator account.
However, a Standard User Account is not allowed to make changes to the system.
For example, if someone with a Standard User account tries to install or uninstall a program/app, they’ll be prevented from doing so by Windows User Account Control (UAC).
Whatever it is they’re trying to do, they won’t be allowed to continue until the Administrator signs in with their password or PIN.
Standard User Accounts.
Standard User accounts are often considered to be safer to use because, as stated above, you’re not allowed to make system-wide changes to the computer. In theory, that makes it far more difficult for computer viruses to infect a machine when the user is a Standard User.
I’m going to sit on the fence with that one. I’m not entirely sure. But if you’re interested there is a wealth of information on Google about how using a Standard, rather than an Administrator account can help to protect you.
When To Use A Standard User Account.
Standard User accounts are often used for children’s accounts and or guest accounts. As mentioned earlier, a Standard user isn’t allowed to make significant changes to the computer and there is one other major limitation of this type of account.
Standard users cannot view the files and/or folders of any other account on the computer. They are strictly limited to whatever is on their own account. Whereas an Administrator can view the files/folders of any account on the machine (including other Administrators).
How To Set Up A New Windows User Account.
When you want to add someone new to your computer, a new user, you’ll create a new Windows user account. Windows user accounts can be either a Microsoft account or a Local account. Although Microsoft will push you towards creating a Microsoft account, I always suggest setting up new accounts as Local accounts first because there’s less to go wrong. Once the account is set up, it’s very easy to switch to an MS account if that’s what you want to do.
Adding A New Windows User Account – Local Account
To add a new Local account to your computer in both Windows 10 and Windows 11, left-click the Start button and then type
accounts
Left-click ADD, EDIT OR REMOVE OTHER USERS (system settings)
In Windows 10, under the Other Users section, click the button beside “Add someone else to this PC”.
In Windows 11, in the Other Users section, click the ADD ACCOUNT button.
On the “How will this person sign in?” pop up, click “I don’t have this person’s sign in information”
On the next pop up, click “Add a user without a Microsoft account”.
Fill in the Username and password for the account.
You can use any name you want and you can also make the password easy or difficult. It’s up to you.
But please remember what the password is and exactly how you’ve typed it.
Make a note of it before proceeding.
Once you’ve typed in your password you’ll need to fill in the security questions.
These are there in case you ever forget your password.
Click in the box SECURITY QUESTION 1. Choose a question and then type your answer in the box below.
Do the same for questions 2 and question 3.
When you’re ready, click the NEXT button.
A Quick Note About The Security Questions.
I notice that sometimes people can get stuck with these security questions. They don’t seem to have an option that applies, or maybe can’t recall what the answers should be.
Bear this in mind when you get to this stage, no one is going to check your answers. You’re not being tested in any way. As such, you can give any answer that you like. It doesn’t even have to make sense.
For instance, you could answer with London, New York, Paris. It doesn’t really matter what you put so long as you can remember it. And besides, you’re never going to be asked any of these questions because you’re not going to forget your password.
Your new Windows user account will be created.
By default, all new accounts are created as Standard users.
As explained earlier, Standard users have limited control over the computer.
If you want to give your new user full control you’ll need to change the account to an Administrator account.
How To Change Windows User Account Type.
To change a user account to be an Administrator account, click on the user name, then click the CHANGE ACCOUNT TYPE button.
The Change Account Type window will open.
Click in the ACCOUNT TYPE box, then click Administrator.
Click the NEXT button to finish
Restart Your Computer.
Your new account has now been created, the next step is to allow Windows to set it up for you. To that either switch accounts (detailed below) or simply restart your computer.
When you arrive at the Windows login screen, click the new user account that you just created. In my example it’s simply called “New User” but yours will probably be called something else.
After clicking the account name and entering the password, Windows will set up the account for you. It can take a while, particularly on slower machines, but it’s a one time process so bear with it.
Switching Between Windows User Accounts.
You can easily switch between user accounts without going through the process of re-starting your computer. Click the Start button and then click on your name. A menu will open. On the menu, click the name of the account you’d like to switch to.
