Why use Microsoft account login as an adult in the family?

0

We have a family computer running Windows 10. My kids use their Microsoft accounts to log in, so that I can use parental controls. I have a Microsoft account too, but is there any reason for me to log in with my Microsoft account instead of using a local account? I can use all the parental controls through a browser regardless of how I'm logged into Windows.

Or to put it another way, will the parental controls work the same if I log in using a local account, as long as the kids log in with their Microsoft accounts?

T Scherer

Posted 2016-04-19T18:43:38.777

Reputation: 43

Question was closed 2016-05-07T22:07:09.437

4

You would have to contact Microsoft to discover the answer to this question. Regardless of the reason, at this time its a requirement although there is a way to force it, so might as well accept it.

– Ramhound – 2016-04-19T18:45:32.073

http://www.digitalcitizen.life/should-you-use-local-or-microsoft-account-windows-10 – Moab – 2016-04-19T18:47:07.327

@Ramhound, as far as I can tell, the only requirements are that the kids log in with Microsoft accounts, and that I have a Microsoft account for managing the parental controls. I don't know of any requirement that I actually use my Microsoft account to log in to the family computer instead of logging in with a local account. – T Scherer – 2016-04-19T18:48:15.333

So what exactly is your question then? – Ramhound – 2016-04-19T18:52:48.170

@Ramhound, I edited the question, hopefully it is clearer now. – T Scherer – 2016-04-19T18:55:20.997

I don't think you can actually login with a local account AND a microsoft account at the same time. I believe that once you setup logging into a microsoft account, the option to login locally vanishes. – LPChip – 2016-04-19T18:55:48.570

@LPChip, with multiple users on one computer, some of them can use Microsoft accounts while others use local accounts. I'm just wondering if that arrangement will cause problems with the parental controls (or anything else for that matter). – T Scherer – 2016-04-19T18:58:08.323

Answers

0

There are a few benefits to using a Microsoft account:

  • Your Windows password is the same on all computers on which you log in with a Microsoft account. If you forget your password, you can reset it via e-mail.
  • Some customizations (e.g. desktop background, accessibility options, a few Explorer settings) can be synchronized to a Microsoft account.
  • It's basically necessary to use a Microsoft account if you want to install apps from the Windows Store.
  • Cortana requires a Microsoft account, though you can sign in to Cortana with your Microsoft account while using a local account on the computer.
  • OneDrive automatically integrates with Windows if you use a Microsoft account.

If the Family Safety settings can indeed be managed with only the web interface, then your having a local account shouldn't affect anybody's enjoyment of the above features but yours. There's nothing stopping you from having both Microsoft accounts and local accounts on the same computer - you can always create local accounts on the command line with net user and make them administrators with net localgroup.

Ben N

Posted 2016-04-19T18:43:38.777

Reputation: 32 973

Asked: 2016-04-19T18:43:38.777

Viewed: 325 times

Active: 2016-04-19T22:00:36.693