Taking over my late husband's computer.

John Huband 0 Reputation points
2026-08-20T15:38:33.5466667+00:00

I need to use this computer which belonged to my late husband, but Microsoft won't let me change the user.

Surface | Surface Book | Install and update
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  1. Emma1-N 11,865 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-21T02:14:32.8866667+00:00

    Hello John Huband,

    I'm sorry for your loss, and I understand how important it is to regain access to your late husband's computer.

    Before we proceed, I need to clarify a couple of details because the steps depend on how the PC is currently configured:

    • Can you still sign in to Windows using your husband's account, or are you locked out completely?
    • Is the account shown on the sign-in screen a Microsoft account (an email address is displayed) or a local account (just a username)?
    • Are you trying to keep the existing files and data on the computer?

    If you can already sign in to the computer, please try the following:

    • Open Settings > Accounts > Family & other users
    • Select Add account
    • Choose I don't have this person's sign-in information if you want to create your own account.
    • Create your account, then sign in with it and verify that it works.

    Once I know whether you can access the existing account and whether it is a Microsoft account or a local account, I can provide the next steps to safely transfer ownership while preserving any important files.

    Looking for your update.

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