Microsoft account and Win 10 licence association.

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kol12

kol12

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Jan 26, 2015
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This HTG guide runs you through how to associate your Windows licence with your Microsoft account. https://www.howtogeek.com/226510/how-to-use-your-free-windows-10-license-after-changing-your-pc%E2%80%99s-hardware/

You have to be in the admin account to be able to add a Microsoft account. It goes on to say that "from here on out, you'll unlock this device using either the password for Microsoft account or, if you've set one up, your PIN."

From what I understand the admin account has to be a local account, so what would happen if I continued creating the Microsoft account?


 
Solution
USAFRet


Right.
In the links above, it tells you what to do.

For instance..a new motherboard.
It...
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ONLY the admin user can transfer accounts. the first user created during your win10 install is always the admin.

your local account is associated with your microsoft account. this will happen when you choose, "use local account instead". you can easily remove the MS account after that. most people would run with just the local account and removing the micosoft account after the activation is complete. if you dont purchase games/apps from the windows store, you dont need it. and your windows will remain activated.
on the event you want to transfer your windows account again, just do the steps again from instructions from that link. your license and hardware info is stored in their cloud.
 
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What happened to Colif's reply? It's not on this page anymore...

Thanks for the reply's, I am feeling a little unwell today so haven't been able to try and sort this out. I will look at things closer tomorrow.

Edit: My Windows is already activated with a digital licence according to the activation section of settings but it does not say that the licence is linked to my Microsoft account like in the HTG article. So at this stage is the licence only linked to my hardware? In order to link the licence to Microsoft account I have to add a Microsoft account from within the admin account which I have not done yet. My question was after creating a Microsoft account am I forced to log into the admin account with a Microsoft account rather than a local account?
 
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I deleted it as it wasn't much different to the previous one.

you are correct that it is currently linked to your machine as it is the same as mine.

Did you notice you can add a Microsoft account in the activation page? This applies to your local account but as I haven't done it myself, I don't know if you are forced to login... I would guess not. I assume its the same as linking One drive to your Microsoft account, you still login at the top lvl as user but its linked to the email address. I also did this with the Store, I just haven't bothered to link it in Cortana as I don't mind leaving her dumb.

I don't know exact answer, I almost did the process now but lingering doubt stopped me.
 
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Linking your OS 'license' to an MS account:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20530/windows-10-reactivating-after-hardware-change
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3164428/windows-build-1607-activation.html

Yes, you need to do that from an MS account.
However, after that you can go back and use the previous local Admin and/or standard accounts.
This is exactly how my systems are set up.

Local admin acct.
Local standard acct.
MS account used only when absolutely needed.
 
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You can only add a Microsoft account from the activation page in settings from the admin account. I tried it today and my suspicions were somewhat confirmed. It appeared to turn my admin account into a Microsoft account and I was required to log into the admin account with the MS account email address and password rather than the previous local account password.

The activation message changed from "Windows is activated with a digital licence" to "Windows is activated with a digital licence linked to your Microsoft account" as in the HTG article.

I then went to settings/accounts for the admin account and selected "sign in with a local account instead" This returned the admin account to a local account but now the message in the activation paged reads "Windows is activated with a digital licence" again.

Maybe since I went through the process the licence has been linked to my MS account now but I think this needs clarifying...
 
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@USAFret So if you go through the process of creating a MS account from within the activation page and completing the process this is enough to link your licence and you can then restore the account to a local account?
 
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Right.
It will not continue to say "Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft account", because you are not logged into the system with your MS account.
Because you, are not you.

However, the hardware and license is still linked to an MS account that you control.
 
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Ok, but I still had to go through that process to get the licence linked to my MS account right?

So if I put a new motherboard in my machine I would have to reinstall Windows in which it would now activate with the MS account linked licence. I guess at some point I would have to log in with the MS account to make that happen though..
 
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Right.
In the links above, it tells you what to do.

For instance..a new motherboard.
It will fail activation, due to being new hardware.
Then, you go through the Activation Troubleshooter.
Which needs to be from an MS account.
Eventually, you get to the place where it shows you the PC that is linked to your account.
You then tell it "I'm using this PC now". 'This', meaning the new one you just built and installed.
This new hardware and license is now linked to that MS acct.

Yes, I've done this.
 
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Solution


Thanks. I will read through the links to make sure I have everything correct. The important part appears to be at least going through the process of adding that MS account from the activation page to link the licence. Returning the account to a local one doesn't undo that from what I gather.
 
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Right.
In the links above, it tells you what to do.

For instance..a new motherboard.
It will fail activation, due to being new hardware.
Then, you go through the Activation Troubleshooter.
Which needs to be from an MS account.
Eventually, you get to the place where it shows you the PC that is linked to your account.
You then tell it "I'm using this PC now". 'This', meaning the new one you just built and installed.
This new hardware and license is now linked to that MS acct.

Yes, I've done this.
Click to expand...

Ditto Twice ...
 
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Go to Microsoft.com
Top right, sign in with your MS account
Click on your name at top right, select View Account
Right there, it should say Devices.
One of those is the PC you're using with a Win 10 license
 
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Got it. So then if the motherboard get's changed I will need to run the activation troubleshooter...

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12440/windows-10-activation
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/20527/windows-10-activation-troubleshooter


 
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