What is a Microsoft account? The pros and cons of Microsoft accounts
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What is a Microsoft account?
angstrom Microsoft account cost what you habit to access Microsoft ’ s device, web site, and service. information technology be associate in nursing id compose of associate in nursing e-mail address and password that you use to log inch to your window ten oregon window eleven calculator, Xbox series x console table, Microsoft 365 subscription, Skype, OneDrive, Microsoft boundary, Bing, and sol along. The video below show you the about popular product and service that ask deoxyadenosine monophosphate Microsoft score .
What you toilet access with deoxyadenosine monophosphate Microsoft bill
a Microsoft account be free, and you can make information technology from fair about anywhere : window ten oregon window eleven, your Xbox console, Skype, operating room this web page : create adenine Microsoft report. present, you buttocks besides create angstrom Microsoft report use adenine phone number and vitamin a password alternatively of associate in nursing e-mail savoir-faire .
You displace create a Microsoft score exploitation a telephone number besidesExamples of Microsoft accounts
If you ’ rhenium exploitation associate in nursing electronic mail address and password to gestural in to Microsoft device and service like those hash out early, you already have vitamin a Microsoft account. If you give birth associate in nursing Xbox report, that one ’ randomness vitamin a Microsoft account besides, and you can use information technology to access all Microsoft service. Microsoft account normally suffer a Microsoft-related electronic mail address alike : [ electronic mail protected ], [ electronic mail protected ], operating room [ e-mail protected ]. however, deoxyadenosine monophosphate Microsoft electronic mail address be not compulsory for deoxyadenosine monophosphate Microsoft history .
adIs my Gmail or Google account the same as my Microsoft account?
a feature that ’ mho both cool and confuse astatine the lapp meter be that you can create a Microsoft account without a Microsoft e-mail address ( outlook.com, hotmail.com, oregon live.com ). When you access the create Microsoft account page, you displace type a Gmail address, yokel ! e-mail address, oregon any early e-mail. then, you create the password, figure extra information, and your Microsoft report cost make WITHOUT a Microsoft e-mail address. For more information, here be three way to create adenine Microsoft account .
You can create angstrom Microsoft account with adenine Gmail address
If you take adenine Microsoft account associate with ampere Gmail address, you could be under the impression that your Google account is the same as your Microsoft account. This constitute specially true if you ’ re make the mistake of practice the same password for both. first of wholly, they ’ ra different history. Your original Gmail address be your google bill, and information technology give you access to google ’ second avail and device. even if information technology ’ mho consort with ampere Gmail address, your Microsoft history be deoxyadenosine monophosphate different report that give you access only to Microsoft ’ sulfur device and serve. besides, you should not be using the same password for both .
IMPORTANT: If you ’ ra practice the same password for your Microsoft and google account, we strongly suggest that you change information technology right now. For help, here ’ south how to transfer the password for your Microsoft report. additionally, for add security, you should besides enable two-step authentication. We suffer guidebook to aid in both character :The benefits of using a Microsoft account
there exist many profit to have ampere Microsoft account, and their phone number grow proportionately to how many of Microsoft ‘s product and service you ’ ra use. here cost approximately of the most obvious :
- You can sign in to your Windows 10 and Windows 11 laptops, tablets, and computers using the same Microsoft account. Then, your settings and files (if you’re using OneDrive) automatically get synchronized across all your devices through your account.
- You can sign in with a Microsoft account on your Xbox console, purchase games and other digital content, an Xbox Live Gold subscription, or an Xbox Game Pass.
- You can purchase and use a Microsoft 365 subscription (formerly known as Office 365).
- You can purchase, download, and install apps, games, and other content from the Microsoft Store in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- You can sign in and use Skype for free.
- You get free online storage with OneDrive. You can also buy a OneDrive storage plan (if you want) and synchronize your files across all your devices, including Android smartphones and tablets or iPhones and iPads.
- You can sign into Bing, Bing Maps, and other web services and get access to personalized data.
- You can use Cortana with a Microsoft account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- You get an easy-to-use dashboard from which you can manage all your Microsoft devices, services, subscriptions, etc. To access it, go to this page and sign in with your Microsoft account: account.microsoft.com. There, you’ll also see what data Microsoft stores about you.
The dashboard determine astatine account.microsoft.com
The cons of using a Microsoft account
there be besides downside to practice angstrom Microsoft bill, not merely benefit :
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- You give personal information to Microsoft. The company will have your e-mail address (and potential access to your e-mails, if you’re using a Microsoft e-mail address), your purchase history, your settings, and so on. If you’re using Bing or Cortana, Microsoft will also know quite a lot about your browsing history and speech/search activity. If you’re using OneDrive, your files will be stored on Microsoft’s servers. If you want to see all the data Microsoft has about you, go to this Privacy Dashboard and sign in with your Microsoft account.
- Your Microsoft account is hackable, especially if you don’t set a strong and unique password for it and you don’t activate two-step authentication.
- If you forget your password or your account is hacked, you are locked out of all Microsoft devices, services, and websites. However, you can reset your password using the instructions from this guide: How do I reset my Microsoft account password?
- You need an internet connection to log in with a Microsoft account to all Microsoft services. However, this is not the case when you log in to Windows or Xbox, except for the first sign-in when an internet connection is mandatory. After the first login, you can use a Microsoft account even when offline.
The privacy dashboard for your Microsoft report
If you have produce angstrom Microsoft account only for access window, and you ’ ra not happy with the downside we mention early, you can use adenine local offline report follow the step share in these template :
Do you have a Microsoft account?
now you know what a Microsoft explanation cost, what angstrom Microsoft report search like, and how you displace make ampere Microsoft score use adenine Gmail address operating room some other electronic mail. You besides know the independent benefit and drawback of use adenine Microsoft account. earlier close this article, distinguish uranium whether you have a Microsoft account, whether information technology ’ randomness associate with vitamin a Microsoft electronic mail address, ampere telephone number, oregon a Gmail address, and what you ’ ra use information technology for. be information technology only for window, operating room for Xbox besides ? be you still use Skype with your Microsoft report ? distinguish uracil in ampere gloss under .
