Disconnect Microsoft account from my local account
I was happily using local account on my Windows 8/8.1 machine. Was. Today I wanted to install some app from Windows Store. I wanted to assess some UX scenario in it. To do so I had to sign in using my Microsoft account. So I did.
Not only I signed into Windows Store, but Windows also quickly connected my local account with Microsoft's one and somehow changing it for an online one. I've realised that when I restarted my machine and I had to logon using my Microsoft account credentials rather than my previous local ones.
What I tried
I found on the net, that I can disconnect my Microsoft account from my user account. I followed these simple steps:
- Open Charms > Settings > Change PC Settings > Accounts > Your account > Disconnect
- Windows asked me for my current Microsoft account password (for obvious reasons) and I clicked Next
- It then asked me to provide local account credentials that I want to use from now on
My username was already pre-filled with my previous name (I'm not sure whether this has to do with previous local account username as it's the same as Display name on my Windows account). So I entered my local account password twice and my password hint as required and clicked Next.
Error
Windows is already using that name. Please enter a different user name.
I've read on the net that if I did provide a different user name I'd end up with a new local account which is not what I want here as I don't want to loose all my account related data.
How should I revert to my local account without risking my profile data?
Should I try providing a new username and verify whether my old account's data is persisted or is that too much risk and I should take some other steps?
Simple enough process
First go to your account settings:
Next click Disconnect
Enter Your Password to your Microsoft Account:
Create your local account: ( your old local account technically is still there so select a nw username ).
Verify this process
Proof is in the pudding:
Source