You’ll still need a Microsoft account to purchase paid apps, however. The Store app included with Windows 8 required a Microsoft account to download apps, but you can now download free apps like Netflix in Windows 10’s Store app without a Microsoft account. Try to access such features in some apps and you’ll be prompted to add a Microsoft account. However, all the online features that allow you to sync your data and purchases between your devices will require a Microsoft account. In Windows 10, Microsoft has lifted this arbitrary limitation and you can use included apps like Mail, Maps, and Music without a Microsoft account. You couldn’t even use the Mail app with your Gmail account without providing a Microsoft account first. In Windows 8, many of the included “Store apps” (unofficially known as “Metro apps”) required a Microsoft account to function. But you can still choose to sign in with a Windows 7-style local account. You’ll miss out on them if you avoid using a Microsoft account. There’s a good reason for this-some features are only available with a Microsoft account. Windows 8 and 10 both push you towards creating a Microsoft account when you set up your PC. The Windows Features That Need a Microsoft Account For example, you could have a Microsoft account linked to your or email address. While most Microsoft accounts will probably be associated with an or email address, you can create a Microsoft account linked to any email address. If you’ve ever registered for Hotmail,, Windows Live, Xbox Live, Office 365, or any other Microsoft online service, you already have a Microsoft account. A “Microsoft account” is the new name for Microsoft’s online account system, which was previously known as Windows Live ID, Microsoft Passport, and. There’s a good chance you already have a Microsoft account, even if you’ve never used Windows 8 or Windows 10 before.

Microsoft account sign in assistant