Local vs. Microsoft account- why or why not

[malberttoo]

Any Windows 8 device I've used, I've always bypassed the Microsoft account, and chose instead to set up a local account. With my SP3 arriving, I just wondered what most of you all did. What are the benefits or advantages of signing in on your device with a Microsoft account?

 

[jnjroach]

I like using the Microsoft Account just because of the ability to back up all of my settings and preferences making it very easy to get back if something goes wrong. I also like the convenience as I'm hearing vested in the Microsoft Ecosystem.

 

[ctitanic]

When you use a Microsoft account all your settings plus the list of installed Apps are saved in your online account. That means that whenever you get a new PC and you log into that account all your Apps will be there ready to be downloaded. Mail will be ready to be used, IE will have all your favorites.

It took me less than 10 minutes to start using my Pro3 after I turned it on for the first time. Like magic everything was configured for me in the same way I had it in my ex-Surface 2.

 

[Feoen]

When you use a Microsoft account all your settings plus the list of installed Apps are saved in your online account. That means that whenever you get a new PC and you log into that account all your Apps will be there ready to be downloaded. Mail will be ready to be used, IE will have all your favorites.

It took me less than 10 minutes to start using my Pro3 after I turned it on for the first time. Like magic everything was configured for me in the same way I had it in my ex-Surface 2.

Pretty much this; it was incredible how much Microsoft got right with syncing. If only syncing was this easy on Apple products LOL

 

[Seneleron]

Plus all your desktop settings, your desktop PICTURES, onedrive. . . . it's all just there

 

[Ms.Dos]

Also, it remembers your wireless router connections.

 

[malberttoo]

WOW, had no idea it could do all that!

 

[fonzman78]

I like using the Microsoft Account just because of the ability to back up all of my settings and preferences making it very easy to get back if something goes wrong. I also like the convenience as I'm hearing vested in the Microsoft Ecosystem.

The MS Ecosystem is awesome. When you use it on all your Windows devices, it keeps everything in sync. Any notes that I take in OneNote are synced to my desktop OneNote and my Windows Phone OneNote. When Surface RT first came out, I took a picture showing how all my Windows devices were automatically synced up and posted on another Forum. The cool thing was that as I updated the OneNote doc on my RT, it was showing up in my desktop OneNote almost real time. Way cool!!! It was almost like running a chat session in OneNote.

 

[sharpuser]

I am a sync freak.
I sync, or have synced, extensively with them all. Evernote, DropBox, SugarSync, LogMeIn, SyncUp, KitchenSync, and home-brew scripting/server polling schemes I have created myself.

I applaud Apple for the iCloud scheme. Not bad.
But Microsoft does it best. My stuff is just plain there at home, at work, on vacation, and when hardware fails me.

 

[malberttoo]

Thanks a lot guys for all the great info! I wasn't very far into setting up my SP3 (just arrived today) so I just switched my account over to my Microsoft account.

 

[unruledboy]

actuall, nobody ever mentioned that local account can't use microsoft app store.....

 

[malberttoo]

I didn't have any problem with using the app store, while I was still in a local account.