Subscribe
Notify of
guest

40 Comments
Oldest
Newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
L3Nix

Quick interesting read. Thanks.

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

Thanks for the appreciation. ๐Ÿ˜€
Glad you found it useful.

vikasyadav

Kajallove

Bonnie Rauwerdink

Very clearly explained. Thanks.

retroguru

nice explanation!
consider also that you can manage your privacy settings for your ms account/live id to limit sharing, emails, subscriptions, promotional materials etc…
thanks

sean

very well explained but the “extras” you miss out on if you dont create an online account are?

Ciprian Adrian Rusen
EH

Still don’t know what it’s all about. Too many unknown items referred to without explaining what they are, for ex MS services/websites/properties or even Windows Live. All I wanted to do was to comment on a question many listeners asked and for which I have a non-stereotypical and practical answer. This “comment” to Qs asked is for example not even mentioned in your explanation but this seems to be a requirement for a person to comment (?)

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

Can you please be more clear in your complaint? I have a hard time understanding what is not clear to you.

Abdullah K

Excuse me please. I have a netbook with windows 7 on it and when I wanted to install Office on my device it asked me for an Msn Number of Live ID. I don’t recall I used a hotmail account when I first opened the device. Could you please suggest what I should do? (I can only recall I used a yahoo email address at any time the device asked for an email.) thank you

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

What do you mean by “Msn Number of Live ID”? What version of Office are you installing?

If you read our article carefully you will learn that you can create a Microsoft account without using a Microsoft e-mail address like @hotmail.com, @live.com or @outlook.com

Jill Dearmer

I really don’t want a Microsoft account but it seems that I can no longer get into msn.com or any Microsoft sites without one. Is that really true? Whenever I try to get into a Microsoft site, I get a screen insisting that I sign in or sign up for an account, there doesn’t seem to be any other option.

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

Browsing websites like msn.com or searching the web with Bing is entirely possible, without a Microsoft account.

Jeanette

I am failing to get help on this anywhere. do you have any thoughts. I signed up for an MS Account. Used two aliases. Trying to share a one note notebook and during the set up for that it asks for log in to my Windows Live. I use both aliases that work everywhere else but nothing happens. Can’t log in via One Note. Any ideas?

Ellen

I have a hotmail account which I can access. I used to get a ding when I got a new email. That doesn’t happen now. I am not signed into Windows Live Messenger. When I try to sign in, it comes up that I have to install a new version. Should I install it and if I do will I get the ding back? The new version seems to be Skype but I already have Skype. I am confused. Thanks for any help.

Rob J

I have a notebook with Windows 8.1 and am now logging-on with my Hotmail address and a PIN. Fine so far, but what happens if my Hotmail account is hacked and I lose control of it? Can I access my computer?

Ciprian Adrian Rusen
alex

Thank you so much for your help โ€“ it was very useful! Is it possible that you can make the same guide for the calendar? Or do you maybe know where I can find it?

Keith Thomson

I have bought a new laptop with Windows 8.1. I want to use it with a Microsoft account. I have a Microsoft account by virtue of having an outlook.com email account. However, I have not been using that email account; I have been using a non-Microsoft email account instead. In that case, does it make more sense for me to create a new Microsoft account using the non-Microsoft email address instead of using the existing Microsoft account? Would the answer be different if I install Office 365 and use Outlook for my emails (still using my non-Microsoft email account)? I presume that I can configure Outlook to operate with any email account regardless of what email address I have used for the Microsoft account that is associated with my new Windows 8.1 laptop.

Wayne

Have four computers all used for home use and using Microsoft Account on each. How do i change personal settings, delete programs or in general control one computer without having it applied to the other computers?

John Patrick

How many Microsoft Accounts do I need and how can I link them together? I have one computer running Windows 8.1. I think I need one Microsoft Account that runs with Administrative privileges. However I need a different Microsoft Account to login to a Regular user account (with no administrator privileges). Is that right?

andy tribe

I had a Samsung Android phone that kept dropping calls. It had whatsapp that worked well. That phone is now in the septic tank. I have a Nokia lumia 610 with windows that I am sure had whatsapp but the phone was parked off because it lost gmail. Now after more than a month I have got gmail back but that requires me to sign in with an extra code from my phone. My main concern is that now I can’t download whatsapp unless I sign in with Windows Live. I don’t need windows Live and I no it uses bullying tactics to get you conned into other services I have no need for. Why all this intrusive garbage?

T Reed

Should I, or do I need to, use the same password as the one used on my regular AOL email account?

Yinka

Hi, I have a challenge here. I want to run my OneDrive on windows 8.1. with an hotmail account i created. The laptop is an official one given to me from the office and its configured with official email and password. But the challenge here is i don’t want to have a cloud account with my official details. Reason being that i will some day leave and will not be able to access my cloud account. So, on the same laptop, i want to be able to run my OneDrive with unofficial hotmail account. Can you help explain how?
Thanks

David Hitchenson

When i log in under my photo i see my name and “live:herbertdavid999” this is an old yahoo email i deleted ages ago how do i update it to my new email, also my recent friends and friends requests sent are missing, i prefer the old skype format.
I deleted my account and rejoined with new email, is it posible i now have 2 skype accounts and if so how can i tell thanks.

Jaysan

Is it free?

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

Yes. It is free.

Madeleine Berube  (Maddie)

I use Microsoft 10 and have Microsoft Office 2013.

I have a question. I signed up for a Microsoft Homegroup. I also signed my husband up for a Microsoft Homegroup. Unfortunately when I signed up my husband’s computer. I got a different Password for him.

When I tried to get into my Homegroup; it would not take my password. I tried on my husband’s Homegroup, I couldn’t get in with either the password I received for my husband’s nor for my own. I would like to delete both homegroups so I can start over again and both computers won’t take either password. My husband’s name is Maurice and he also has Windows 10.

HELP!

Ciprian Adrian Rusen

What do you mean by Microsoft Homegroup?

Kelly

I have a Microsoft acct. and it’s a pain in the butt! I have to log in repeatedly, wait for codes to come to my phone and now Microsoft wants to close it because they say someone hacked it! I do not Skype, do not have an Outlook acct. and I do not play X Box. I have gmail; cruise Facebook, play bubbles and cards and I’m an author. I’ll let them close it I guess… their virtual help is garbage.

Jim Butz

I just bought a new laptop & ported my old files to the new machine. It runs Windows 10. I want to use my old Microsoft Office, not the new stuff and this issue of requiring an account is obstructing that.
I don’t want my files in the cloud and I don’t need to share them with any other devices.
How can I use my old Office software without being badgered about Accounts?

Robert Dumminger

You ask; do I have a Microsoft account, the answer is yes, I suppose a have a couple of them but since I can’t ever get into them because I don’t have a correct password and/or a correct username, I have no way of straightening this mess out. And don’t use the accounts, NEVER, HOW CAN I EVER USE AN ACCOUNT THAT REJECTS ANY NAMES OR PASSWORDS I SUBMIT?

Divaldo

Why I get Microsoft account verification if a don’t have any. thanks for your help

Julie Ann

Sorry but this little presentation of yours does not help a bit !!
Still don’t have an Online Provider, I have a Microsoft Account, but I’m not being helped on where to go to get the little programs that allow you to connect to Online Providers !!
Running around for hours !!!

Jennifer

Hi there – I’m always having to reset passwords for various Microsoft accounts. I WROTE the password DOWN and yet somehow it’s not working, and now I have to reset and then write down the NEW password and store on all my devices. So annoying. And It’s very confusing! I use the same dang computer and devices every single day – then suddenly you need the Microsoft account to, for example SCAN a document over wifi from MY PRINTER. WHY?????

Ken

I have just closed a Microsoft account
Does it effect my email?

Anonymous

If your email was your Microsoft account it, does. The email is also closed.

David Carter

There is not one thing in this list that I have any desire to use:
You can use it to sign in into computers and devices with Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 and have your settings synchronized across devices (including smartphones)
You can use Cortana on your Windows 10 computers and devices (including smartphones)
You can download and install apps and content from the Windows Store, on computers and devices with Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 (including smartphones)
You can use your Microsoft account to sign in into Xbox consoles, purchase games and communicate with others
You can use Office apps and services like Office 365
You can use Skype for text, audio and video chat
You get free online storage on OneDrive
You can get a free email account if you prefer Microsoft’s email services
You can sign into Bing and get access to personalized data
You can get personalized news and content from MSN.com
You can use any consumer oriented product from Microsoft, including but not limited to Bing Maps, Microsoft Groove and more.
I have already turned Cortana off, and i never use any of the other items listed, so there is no reason whatsoever to even think of opening a Microsoft account.

Georger Rini

I am signed into Office 365 on Windows 11 Home.

Using MSEXCEL and accessing help, an error pops up that I have no internet connection (a bug in Windows 11/MS 365)! Upon further research, it seems that a MS Email is required because of the One Drive Syncing and Office/MS 365 sharing licenses I have. It is confusing. I have been using the Office 365 for a home computer and and old 2013 HP for quite some time without a problem. I know have the same desktop and two new HP Laptops and they are not working properly. All this additional configuration and proprietary BS is confusing and not necessary. I don’t want to change email addresses. If I have to, I will but it’s goofy. All my eggs in one basket so to speak!

Jayne

i do apparently have a microsoft account. I have no idea when it was set up or why i was made to do it. I have no reason to use it. Now I am told to set one up in order to use an email address associated with my domain name but its not letting me even open it up because it says the domain is already being used in an account ( mine) I canjnot understand the instructions to remove the domain because the instructions tell me to go somewhere that does not exist (admin) so i have not only wasted my money but also my time