Switch from local to MS account

AlecEiffel

Finding conflicting info on this so hopefully someone can confirm.

On W8.1, if you have a local account and decide to switch to your MS account, does the local account you've left sit there dormant, or does it get replaced with the MS account forever?

Ie if you sign out of the MS account do you sign back in on the local account, or do you create a new one?

Jivesinger

As I understand it, if you use the option to convert to a Microsoft Account, the Microsoft account login replaces the local one. I believe you're still using the same account as far as your PC is concerned, just with a different login name and password.

I've not done it myself, but this looks like a good walk-through of the process:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4840-microsoft-account-switch-windows-8-a.html

Of course you can also add a new MS Account and leave the local one untouched - Microsoft accounts and local accounts can coexist on the same machine. For instance I think a good way to work is to have a local account with Admin rights, and a Microsoft Account which is a standard user for day-to-day use.

RumRat

You can switch between both systems of log on and it uses the same account locally. No difference between the two, except that, obviously, one connects directly to MS and makes syncing with your OneDrive, OneNotes, etc etc much simpler.
If you do not require the syncing of the various services, there is no need for logging on with an MS account really.