When installing a new system, like Windows 10, you may be inclined to bring in your favourite files, apps and get right to the fun stuff. But it’s a good idea to set up privacy settings now rather than deal with potential problems later. The user is guided to set up a Microsoft account to help make their experience more personalized – their gift to you. However, in doing so, a lot of personal data is gathered and sent back to Microsoft allowing them to direct ads based on that information.
With Windows 10, one way to avoid this is to sign in with a local account.
Click on the Start Menu and type in “Account”, then click on “Manage your account.” Now select “sign in with a local account instead”. Create a new username and password. Logout, then login again using the new info. Now go into the Settings app and if the Microsoft account is still listed as “Other accounts you use” you may discard it here.
Though it’s a great way to keep your data safe from being shared, the drawback is that the user may lose some features like 1) Cortana, the Windows 10 virtual assistant, 2) the Windows Store and 3) OneDrive cloud storage. These require the user to be connected by Microsoft account.