How to Add an Alternative Microsoft Account to Windows 10 for Apps

To add an alternative Microsoft account to Windows 10 for app sign-ins, open Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts. Under Accounts used by other apps, choose Add a Microsoft account and complete the sign-in prompts. This connects another account for compatible apps without changing the Microsoft account or local account you use to sign in to Windows.

This procedure is for an app account, not a second Windows user profile. If another person needs their own desktop, files, and sign-in, go to Settings > Accounts > Other users and add a user instead. Microsoft's Windows account guide describes both paths.

Add a second Microsoft account for apps

1. Open Email & accounts

Press Windows key + I to open Settings, select Accounts, then choose Email & accounts in the left pane. Stay on this page; do not choose Your info or a control that changes the account used to sign in to Windows.

2. Add an account under Accounts used by other apps

Scroll to Accounts used by other apps. Choose Add a Microsoft account. Windows 10 also has a separate section for accounts used by email, calendar, and contacts; use the lower app-account section for this workflow. If you are adding an organizational identity, choose Add a work or school account instead, if that option is available.

3. Sign in with the alternative account

Enter the email address, phone number, or Skype name associated with the second personal Microsoft account, select Next, and follow the prompts. You may be asked for a password, a verification code, or another sign-in method based on the account's security settings. If you do not have an account yet, use the create-account option shown in the sign-in flow.

Use the alternative account's own credentials. Do not enter the Windows account password unless it is also the password for that Microsoft account. If the sign-in page closes or reports a problem, check the account address and internet connection, then repeat the steps. A work-managed PC may also restrict which accounts can be connected.

4. Select the account in the app that needs it

After sign-in, Windows should list the account under Accounts used by other apps. Open the Microsoft app you want to use and choose this account when the app asks you to sign in. If it automatically opens a different account, look for an account switcher or sign-out option inside that app, then sign back in with the alternative address.

What this setting does—and what it does not do

Adding an account here makes it available to compatible apps on the PC. It does not replace the account shown under Your info, create a separate Windows profile, or guarantee that every app will automatically use the new identity. Apps can keep their own saved sign-ins, require you to choose an account, or limit which account types they accept. For that reason, finish the selection in the app itself.

Some older Windows 10 instructions mention an account-use dropdown with wording such as “Microsoft apps can sign me in.” The choices and labels can depend on the Windows build and account state, and Microsoft's current instructions focus on adding the account and following the prompts. If that dropdown is not present, the account can still be added; select it from the app's sign-in screen instead.

Check connected-account privacy or remove the account

Windows Search can use accounts that were added for other Microsoft apps. If Cloud content search is enabled for a Microsoft account, search may include results from services such as personal OneDrive and Outlook. Review Settings > Search > Permissions & History if you do not want Windows Search to use cloud content. Microsoft's Windows Search and Privacy guide explains the connected-account setting.

To disconnect the account, return to Settings > Accounts > Email & accounts, select the entry under Accounts used by other apps, and use the removal option if Windows shows one. This removes the sign-in from the device; it does not close or delete the Microsoft account. If an app has its own saved session, sign out or switch accounts there too.

Windows 10 support status

Windows 10 still runs, but Microsoft ended standard support on October 14, 2025. PCs outside an applicable Extended Security Updates program no longer receive standard security fixes or technical support. See Microsoft's Windows 10 end-of-support guidance if you plan to keep using the device.