It is probably safe to say that most Neowin readers and Windows enthusiasts are not fans of the Microsoft Account requirement. In fact, even Windows 11 devsapparently dislike it. However, there can be benefits to it that users can overlook.
Lately, Microsoft has been sharing some useful tips, including thoserelated to performance improvements. One of them could be particularly important for Windows 11 users who have old PCs attached to their account. The company recently reminded users that they can remove or unlink devices from their Microsoft Account, something that is easy to overlook after replacing, selling, or simply abandoning an old Windows PC.
Microsoft highlights how unlinking a device can also be important because Microsoft Store content is limited to 10 devices attached to an account. Thus, removing devices you no longer use can therefore free up space for a new PC or other supported device.
Windows 11 automatically adds devices to the Microsoft Account's device list when users sign in, making it possible to manage those PCs from Microsoft's online account portal. The problem is that this list can easily become cluttered over time. For example, you may have upgraded to a newer Windows 11 PC while the previous machine remains associated with your Microsoft Account. The same can happen if you have reinstalled Windows, replaced a computer, or given an old device to someone else.
Microsoft provides separate options for dealing with these situations. If you simply want to unlink a device, you can sign into your Microsoft Account, open the devices page, find the relevant device and select Unlink. Microsoft says this removes the device from the account's device limit, which is particularly useful if you have reached the Microsoft Store's 10-device limit.
If you no longer own or use the PC, Microsoft instead recommends removing it from the account. From the devices page, you can find the PC, select Remove device, confirm that you are ready to remove it and complete the process.
There is an important distinction between the two options, though, as removing or unlinking a PC from your Microsoft Account does not delete the Microsoft Account itself. Similarly, removing a Windows user account from a PC only removes its sign-in information and data from that device; it does not delete the underlying Microsoft Account.
This makes the feature quite useful when selling or giving away a Windows 11 PC. Microsoft recommends backing up your data and resetting the device before removing it from your Microsoft Account.
It is also worth periodically checking the devices associated with your account. An old PC that you forgot about may still be sitting there, while a device you no longer recognize could deserve closer attention. For Windows 11 users who regularly move between PCs, this is therefore one of those Microsoft Account tools that is easy to miss until it becomes necessary.
Aside from that, Microsoft has also shared another Microsoft Account tip related to device sign-ins. There is an option for users to designate a device as trusted so that they don't have to repeatedly go through additional security verification when signing in.
This can be convenient if you regularly use the same Windows 11 PC, particularly when accessing Microsoft's various services. However, this should only be done on a device that you control and trust, and as always, Microsoft continues to recommend using additional security measures such as two-step verification to protect your account, includingnew methods like passkeys.