Can you have the same Microsoft account on two devices?
Yes, you can have the same Microsoft account on two devices, and in fact, you can install Office on all your devices and sign in to Office on five devices at the same time, including any combination of PCs, Macs, tablets, and phones. This flexibility allows you to access your Microsoft services and files from multiple devices, making it convenient to work and stay connected across different platforms.
Understanding Microsoft Account Limits
To manage your devices effectively, it’s essential to understand the limits and capabilities of your Microsoft account. Here are 15 key FAQs that provide valuable insights and answers to common questions:
FAQ 1: Can you have 2 computers with the same Microsoft account?
You cannot use one Microsoft account for multiple computers while having specific permissions for each device, but you can have multiple accounts on your computer, such as other family members or your work account.
FAQ 2: How many devices can be linked to a Microsoft account?
You can use up to 10 devices with Microsoft Store, and to manage your devices, go to account.microsoft.com/devices, select Register device, and follow the instructions.
FAQ 3: Can I have multiple users on my Microsoft account?
You can only be signed in with one Microsoft account at a time, but you can have multiple accounts on your computer, such as other family members or your work account.
FAQ 4: Can I use the same Microsoft Office key on two computers?
ONE license/product key equals ONE install at a time, but OEM Licensed allows you to reinstall it as many times as you want on the same computer, while Retail license can be transferred to another computer but can be installed on only ONE computer at a time.
FAQ 5: How to Manage Devices on your Microsoft account?
To manage your devices, go to account.microsoft.com/devices, select Register device, and follow the instructions to link or unlink devices from your Microsoft account.
FAQ 6: What happens if I use the same Windows key on two computers?
Windows product keys can only be activated on one computer at a time, so you’ll have to deactivate one end to get another to work.
FAQ 7: How do I add Microsoft Office to a second computer?
If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription, you can log in to your Microsoft 365 account by going to https://www.office.com/ on your new computer, click on the Install button, and follow the instructions to download and install.
FAQ 8: Why do I have a personal and work Microsoft account?
Microsoft provides two types of accounts: a personal account for services like hotmail.com, outlook.com, and personal OneDrive, and a work account for services like Office365/Microsoft365 and other business licenses assigned by your company.
FAQ 9: Can you delete a Microsoft account and reuse the email?
No, closing a Microsoft account will close that email account, delete that email address, and you will not be able to recreate that email account.
FAQ 10: What does removing a device from Microsoft account do?
Removing your account from the device will prevent access to your Microsoft services, while unlinking the device from the account will mean that the device does not affect your Microsoft Store device limit and keeps your account tidy.
FAQ 11: Can I share my Microsoft account with family?
You can share your Microsoft 365 Family subscription with up to five people in your family, and everyone gets their own Office apps to install on all their devices, plus 1 TB of OneDrive cloud storage each, and other services.
FAQ 12: Can I use my Outlook account on 2 computers?
If you use Microsoft Outlook on more than one computer, you can install Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook (GWSMO) on each computer.
FAQ 13: How can I unlink two computers that share the same Microsoft account?
To unlink two computers, click the Start menu, then click Settings, go to Accounts, select Sync your settings, and toggle the on and off button to turn off your sync setting.
FAQ 14: Can you use the same Microsoft account on Xbox and PC?
No, but on the console, if you’ve set your machine as the ‘Home Xbox‘, you can use another account which can also share the Xbox Live subscription and the installed games from the main account.
FAQ 15: How do I stop two computers from syncing?
To stop syncing your settings and remove them from the cloud, turn off synced settings on all the devices connected to your Microsoft account, and then remove it from your account.