Two computers, one Microsoft account, uncontrolled desktop personalization changes between them?

[jztemple2]

This is weird. Last year when I upgraded my computer from Win7 to Win10 it asked for me to log on via my Microsoft account, fine and dandy. Nothing else came of it. Just background info.

Recently I had bought my wife a new desktop computer. This past weekend I set it up for her. I had to use a Microsoft account to activate Windows and so I used my account again. Again, nothing interesting about it.

This morning my wife mentioned how she changed the background image and color of her new desktop because she didn't like what I picked out for her . A couple of hours later I woke my computer up from sleep mode and it seems that my desktop image and color had changed to hers . I changed my desktop settings back to what I had before and went and woke up her computer, everything was as she left it.

So is this going to happen again, that one desktop setting gets forced to change to the other? If so, how do I tell it to stop doing that? Sheesh.

[Daehawk]

Stop using the same account? hehe I really dont know.

[Anonymous Bosch]

This is weird. Last year when I upgraded my computer from Win7 to Win10 it asked for me to log on via my Microsoft account, fine and dandy. Nothing else came of it. Just background info.

Recently I had bought my wife a new desktop computer. This past weekend I set it up for her. I had to use a Microsoft account to activate Windows and so I used my account again. Again, nothing interesting about it.

This morning my wife mentioned how she changed the background image and color of her new desktop because she didn't like what I picked out for her . A couple of hours later I woke my computer up from sleep mode and it seems that my desktop image and color had changed to hers . I changed my desktop settings back to what I had before and went and woke up her computer, everything was as she left it.

So is this going to happen again, that one desktop setting gets forced to change to the other? If so, how do I tell it to stop doing that? Sheesh.

Technically, you do not have to log in to Windows with a Microsoft account. So the easiest fix would be to switch one (or both) systems to use a local user account instead.

Here's a step-by-step walkthrough on How to Switch to a Local User Account on Windows 10 courtesy of HowToGeek.com.

[jztemple2]

Technically, you do not have to log in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account. So the easiest fix would be to switch one (or both) systems to use a local user account instead.

Here's a step-by-step walkthrough on How to Switch to a Local User Account on Windows 10 courtesy of HowToGeek.com.

Awesome, that info is exactly what I needed!

I had seen the option for local account but I was concerned that it would conflict with what I'd already set up. Thanks!!!

[jztemple2]

Well things have gotten worse

I followed the steps to create a local account. That's fine. However, when I power down and then power up, it defaults to my old account and it wants a password. So I figured forget about that, I'll just use a Microsoft account that I created for my wife for purposes of sharing Office 365. So I went to account management, added the new MS account, and deleted my old MS account info.

Now if I put the computer to sleep and then wake it, it goes right to desktop. However, if I restart or power down then power up, it goes to a sign-in screen that says the password is wrong. When I click OK it then defaults to presenting my old, should be deleted account as the account needing the password. Below it on the left side is my wife's MS account sign-in. If I click that I still have to use a PIN which I didn't need before since I had run NETPLWIZ and removed the requirement.

So, how do I get it to quit going to my old MS account and instead default to my wife's account? I've removed my account from the Settings boxes, but it keeps showing up when restart or power up. Help!

[Biyobi]

Go into "Sync your Settings" and disable it. There are options to disable specific areas ("Theme" is what's controlling your desktops). Make sure to disable it on your wife's laptop as well.

[jztemple2]

Never mind, I found another place I hadn't deleted the old account from but that apparently didn't help, so I once again switched to a local account and maybe because I had deleted that one place I found my old account, now it powers up and restarts and drops direct to the desktop. So all is right with the world.

By the way, there's a place under "Accounts/Sync your settings" that allows you to disabled syncing across devices. That would have been the easier way to do it, but now I've learned about local accounts, creating new MS accounts and a whole bunch of other stuff

[jztemple2]

Go into "Sync your Settings" and disable it. There are options to disable specific areas ("Theme" is what's controlling your desktops). Make sure to disable it on your wife's laptop as well.

Yeah, as I just mentioned above when I cross posted, I found that out too late. But thanks for taking the time to post the info anyway, it is appreciated.

[JCC]

This is a (mild) annoyance with me as well. Windows for better or worse (mostly worse) is my prefered OS but man does it get on my nerves!

[Daehawk]

Why cant MS make a OS that works the way the customer wants and not the way MS wants?

[Anonymous Bosch]

Why cant MS make a OS that works the way the customer wants and not the way MS wants?

Because that's what Linux is for. And exploiting users for data mining tends to be more profitable than simply selling software.

[gbasden]

Why cant MS make a OS that works the way the customer wants and not the way MS wants?

Because that's what Linux is for. And exploiting users for data mining tends to be more profitable than simply selling software.

Oh please. There are many people, myself included, that use multiple computers and want their settings synchronized between them. Microsoft makes their money from selling software to businesses and government, not selling your data. Look at the quarterly financials.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Why cant MS make a OS that works the way the customer wants and not the way MS wants?

Because that's what Linux is for. And exploiting users for data mining tends to be more profitable than simply selling software.

Oh please. There are many people, myself included, that use multiple computers and want their settings synchronized between them. Microsoft makes their money from selling software to businesses and government, not selling your data. Look at the quarterly financials.

Of course, and I didn't suggest otherwise. And there are certainly worse offenders in terms of exploiting user privacy. But Microsoft's privacy statement unambiguously spells out that it does occur, so let's not pretend Microsoft hasn't blatantly disregarded user choice and privacy.

[LordMortis]

When I first dabbled with Windows 10 I remember that MS account weirdness happening and then Windows trying to tie it all together with the MS Store. I was like, enough! I have never allowed 10 to associate to an MS account since. I don't remember it being difficult to change to a local user. I just went to User settings and change the default admin and user and then deleted the user from those settings. Things may have changed though. 10 does two major revisions to the way it works every year so what I was doing with version 1607 may be wholly different now.

[gbasden]

Why cant MS make a OS that works the way the customer wants and not the way MS wants?

Because that's what Linux is for. And exploiting users for data mining tends to be more profitable than simply selling software.

Oh please. There are many people, myself included, that use multiple computers and want their settings synchronized between them. Microsoft makes their money from selling software to businesses and government, not selling your data. Look at the quarterly financials.

Of course, and I didn't suggest otherwise. And there are certainly worse offenders in terms of exploiting user privacy. But Microsoft's privacy statement unambiguously spells out that it does occur, so let's not pretend Microsoft hasn't blatantly disregarded user choice and privacy.

Oh, I fully agree the upgrade stuff to Win 10 was stupid and an invasion of privacy. But that's not where Microsoft makes their money.

[LordMortis]

Appropriately enough, I am setting up a workstation this morning and the new version of Edge after running updates is trying to tie the local account into a MS account, even after I explicitly told it not to just one reboot before.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Why cant MS make a OS that works the way the customer wants and not the way MS wants?

Because that's what Linux is for. And exploiting users for data mining tends to be more profitable than simply selling software.

Oh please. There are many people, myself included, that use multiple computers and want their settings synchronized between them. Microsoft makes their money from selling software to businesses and government, not selling your data. Look at the quarterly financials.

Of course, and I didn't suggest otherwise. And there are certainly worse offenders in terms of exploiting user privacy. But Microsoft's privacy statement unambiguously spells out that it does occur, so let's not pretend Microsoft hasn't blatantly disregarded user choice and privacy.

Oh, I fully agree the upgrade stuff to Win 10 was stupid and an invasion of privacy. But that's not where Microsoft makes their money.

Not yet, anyway. But I suspect Microsoft views the revenue rivals like Google generate from the exploitation of user privacy green with envy rather than clutching its pearls with distaste.