Trying to ditch a work or school account from Windows 11? Yeah, it can be a bit of a rigmarole sometimes, especially if you’re not too keen on digging through all the menus. Basically, you need to jump into Settings, but these days it’s not always obvious where everything is. Here’s the rundown that worked for me on a couple of machines — though honestly, it can be a bit weird and not always super consistent.
Removing Work or School Account from Windows 11
If that account keeps popping up and you want to get rid of it, here’s how to do it — step by step. Believe it or not, it’s mostly about navigating the right Settings panel. Just a heads-up: if the account’s tied into certain apps or policies, it might not budge easily. On some setups, it’s straightforward, but other times, you might need to sign out or restart a few times.
Step 1: Open Settings
Click the Start button and select the gear icon for Settings, or just type Settings into the search bar. Sometimes, if you’re in a hurry, the menu doesn’t update immediately, which is a pain. Either way, this is where the magic happens, even if it’s a bit slow at times.
Step 2: Go to Accounts
In the Settings window, find and click on Accounts. This is the centre for all user info, including your personal details, linked accounts, and work or school profiles. If it’s not right there, scroll around a bit — it’s usually in the left sidebar. Sometimes it’s tucked away behind updates or UI bugs. Classic Windows.
Step 3: Open Access work or school
Click on Access work or school. This section shows all the organisational accounts linked to your device. Think of it as a directory for your device’s trust relationship with your work or school. If the account isn’t listed here, maybe you’re logged into something else or use a different profile. Worth double-checking.
Step 4: Pick the account you want to remove
Choose the account you want gone. It’ll show the email or organisation’s name. Click on it, and some options should pop up — usually Disconnect or Remove. Sometimes it’s not obvious which button does what, so just make sure you’re removing the right one, especially if you’ve got a few linked profiles.
Step 5: Remove the account
Click Disconnect and confirm when prompted. Windows might throw up a warning about losing access to files or resources — so have a backup handy if you need to grab something quick. This usually only takes a few seconds, but sometimes Windows will bark at you and ask you to restart or sign out first.
Note: If that doesn’t work, here’s what might be happening —
Some accounts stick around because they’re tied into device policies or managed through your IT team. In those cases, removing via Settings might not do the trick. You might need to fire up PowerShell with admin rights or run an account removal script, but that’s a bit more advanced and overkill for most people.
Another trick — head to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school and see if the account’s still listed. Sometimes links are still embedded even after trying to remove it. If you want to be thorough, you can try signing out of all Microsoft accounts or run dsregcmd /leave in an elevated Command Prompt. That’s meant to disconnect your device from Azure AD. It doesn’t always work 100%, but it can help.
Because of course, Windows has to complicate things more than they need to be. On some machines, a simple restart after removal clears things up. On others, it doesn’t. Just gotta keep trying.
Tips and tricks
- Backup any important files or emails before you start — better safe than sorry.
- If you use Office apps, make sure you can still access your documents elsewhere — like OneDrive or on your local drive.
- Double-check you’re removing the right account. Mistakes happen, especially if you manage multiple profiles.
- Sign out of any apps linked to that account to stop it from getting stuck even after removal.
- If it’s still acting up, have a chat with your IT admin or check if a Group Policy is blocking account removal.
FAQs
What if the account doesn’t disappear after I remove it?
Sometimes, Windows keeps hold of these accounts through cache or policies. Try signing out of your Microsoft account, rebooting, or running dsregcmd /leave in PowerShell as an admin. And yes, restarting usually helps — Windows is a bit cheeky like that.
Can I add the account back later?
Absolutely. Just go back into Access work or school and sign in again — quick and easy.
Will removing the work account delete my personal files?
No worries, your personal files stay safe on your local drive. But any shared files or resources linked to that account will become inaccessible.
Do admin rights matter?
Mostly, yeah. You’ll probably need admin privileges to fully disconnect managed accounts, especially in a corporate setting. If you’re stuck, best to check with whoever manages your PC.
How do I know it worked?
If the account no longer shows up in Access work or school, it’s a good sign. Sometimes remnants hang around for a bit — restarting or signing out can help clear those up.
Summary
- Head to Settings > Accounts > Access work or school
- Pick the account you want gone
- Hit Disconnect and confirm
- Restart if it’s still playing up — Windows can be a bit funny like that
- Double-check the account’s gone and no sneaky links lurking
Fingers crossed this helps you out, even if it’s a bit fiddly at times. Removing these accounts isn’t always a walk in the park, but now you know where to look and maybe what tricks can loosen their grip.