- [Instructor] If you're setting up a Windows 11 computer
for the very first time,
you need to know what type of user account you will use.
This account defines the username and password
you will use each time you sign into your computer.
So first, what is this user account all about?
Well, on one hand,
it's the security barrier for your computer.
Nobody can use your computer without your account password.
Another reason for accounts is that you can set up
multiple accounts on the same computer,
so different people can use the computer
while keeping their files, configurations,
and other information separate.
Now, most people only have one user account
on their computer,
but multiple accounts are a very good option to have.
So you do need to have an account,
but the real question is, What type of account will you use?
Now, there are two different types of accounts,
but most first-time Windows 11 users
will be limited to only one of these two options.
Still, it's good to understand how they work.
So first, you could link your computer
to a Microsoft online account,
and for most editions of Windows 11,
this is the only option
when you're setting up a new computer.
For this, you need to use the email address
and password from your Microsoft online account
when you set up the computer for the first time.
And that same password
will be your master password for the computer.
You may already have a Microsoft online account
or you might need to set one up.
This account gives you an identity
on Microsoft's online services.
It also gives you access to an Outlook.com email account,
a free cloud storage tool called OneDrive,
and access to many other online services.
A Microsoft online account is also required
to make purchases in the Microsoft App Store
and to use some of the features of other bundled apps
and services in Windows.
The other option would be to set up
a basic username and password
that is used to sign into your computer
but has no connectivity or identity
with Microsoft's online services.
This is also known as a local account.
If you used a simple local account on a Windows 10 computer
and then upgraded to Windows 11,
you can continue to sign in with that account.
And if you make multiple user accounts
because you share the computer with other people,
you can set up those additional accounts as local accounts.
But in most editions of Windows 11,
this option is not available for the primary user
during the first-time setup.
Now, people use a local account
when they don't want the computer to be tied to the identity
of a specific person.
If you need to work anonymously
or for computers that will be used in a public space,
like a computer lab or a school.
And some people just prefer the local account
because it's simpler
or they don't want to manage an online account with Microsoft.
Just remember, if you are using a local account,
there are lots of services in Windows
that will not work for you
because they require the connection to an online account.
So those are the two types,
but if you're setting up Windows 11 for the first time,
most users will need to use the online account.
If you do not have a Microsoft online account,
you can create a new account
when you go through the first-time set up on your computer.
But you may already have a Microsoft account,
which you set up for some other service.
If so, you don't have to set up another new account.
Existing accounts that you might have
include an Outlook.com email account,
an Xbox Live account, or Microsoft 365.
If you already have any of these accounts,
you can use it during the first-time setup of your computer,
and then use that password
to sign into Windows in the future.
If your computer is already set up,
I hope you have a better understanding now
of what type of account you have,
and what that means to you.
And if you're setting up a computer for the first time,
you should now understand your account options.