How to change Main account on only one Windows 10 Mobile device?

[Windows Central Question]

Hi, I just bought a Lumia 650. I want to give my Lumia 535 to my sister, but I can't log out from my Microsoft account on the 535. From what I've read, there's 2 ways for me to do this. 1) I hard reset the 535 and lose the apps that I think my sister might find useful. 2) I change my Main account online. No. 2 sounds like I'll be logged out of my 650 also, and I'll still lose the apps on the 535? Is there a way to change the main account on just my 535 without losing any apps?

 

[RumoredNow]

Is there a way to change the main account on just my 535 without losing any apps?

No.

You will have to reset the device and your sister will have to collect the Apps under her own Microsoft Account.

There is no way for you to "share" the Apps you own to another device and if you keep your Microsoft Account on that phone your sister will have access to all sorts of stuff you don't want her to have, email, SMS, etc...


If you need additional help or have more questions or details to share, please join the site so you can reply in this thread. See this link for instructions on how to join Windows Central.

 

[John Loo]

Hi, I'm the one who asked the question. So, does that mean if I do a hard reset, my 535 will revert to WP8.1? How do I do a hard reset? Can you guide me please?

Hmm.. I get it Microsoft wants to cloud everything and it is a great experience when it works great, but it's a con that we have to do hard resets to change accounts on a device. I mean, if an app is free, what is the harm in leaving it on a phone and then assigning a new license to the new account? Just remove the paid apps. Is there a way for me to submit this feedback to Microsoft?

 

[John Loo]

Lumia hard reset and how to submit feedback to Microsoft?

Hi, I tried to reply here - http://forums.windowscentral.com/ask-question/432876-how-change-main-account-only-one-windows-10-mobile-device.html?mn_qa=1 after registering an account but the reply didn't appear so I decided to start a new thread.

So, my question is, since I have to do a hard reset, does that mean my 535 will revert to WP8.1? How do I do a hard reset? Can you guide me please?

Hmm.. I get it Microsoft wants to cloud base everything and it's a great experience when it works great, but it's a con that we have to do a hard reset to change accounts on a device. I mean, if it's a free app, what's the harm in leaving it in a device? Microsoft can assign a new license to the new account. Just remove the paid apps. Is there a way for me to submit this feedback to Microsoft?

 

[Timbre70]

Data will be wiped clean. Don't think it will revert to w8.1 as you need to install program on pc to connect in order to "reverse out". If it really does, take it as fresh upgrade, start everything fresh which is better. Since apps is free, just do fresh install which is better. Paid apps, she needs to buy.

 

[RumoredNow]

Hi, I'm the one who asked the question. So, does that mean if I do a hard reset, my 535 will revert to WP8.1? How do I do a hard reset? Can you guide me please?

There are 4 types of Reset...

• Soft Reset
• Hard Reset
• Factory Reset
• WDRT

Soft Reset is holding the Volume Down & Power buttons until the phone vibrates and reboots (about 10 seconds). This reboots the phone with a cleared out RAM and Cache. No data is lost. It is good for when the phone freezes or you experience a glitch of some sort.


Hard Reset really should be a last resort. Use Hard Reset when the phone is completely unresponsive and no other method will work.

• Power off the phone > hold Volume Down > press Power > keep holding Volume Down until you see the exclamation (!) screen, then immediately release the Volume Down
• Now tap Volume Up / Volume Down / Power / Volume Down
• You should see the spinning gears and your phone will reflash the last OS version held in recovery. You do loose data, but get your phone back. Sign into your Microsoft Account and restore your backup during the set up.

Factory Reset is Done through Settings > About > Reset your phone (8 & 8.1) or Settings > System > About > Reset your phone (W10M).

• You should see the spinning gears and your phone will reflash the last OS version held in recovery. You do loose data, but get your phone back. Sign into your Microsoft Account and restore your backup during the set up.

In case of Hard Reset & Factory Reset the phone goes back to the exact version you were running when you performed the reset.


WDRT For right now, Windows Device Recovery Tool is only flashing 8.1 to models that did not launch with 10 so it is the way to revert if you don't care for W10M: Windows Device Recovery Tool FAQ

Hmm.. I get it Microsoft ones to cloud everything and it is a great experience when it works great, but it's a con that we have to do hard resets to change accounts on a device. I mean, if an app is free, what is the harm in leaving it on a phone and then assigning a new license to the new account? Just remove the paid apps. Is there a way for me to submit this feedback to Microsoft?

There is so much tied to your Microsoft Account though. It really is more than just what Apps you have downloaded. To provide Feedback, use the Windows Feedback App that should be on your phone if you are running W10M.

 

[John Loo]

There are 4 types of Reset...

• Soft Reset
• Hard Reset
• Factory Reset
• WDRT

• 
  
  Thank you.
  
  Just to confirm, I need to do a hard reset, right? Not a factory reset, right?
  
  

  Data will be wiped clean. Don't think it will revert to w8.1 as you need to install program on pc to connect in order to "reverse out". If it really does, take it as fresh upgrade, start everything fresh which is better. Since apps is free, just do fresh install which is better. Paid apps, she needs to buy.

  
  The problem is I don't have unlimited broadband. So I have to use my mobile data to re-download W10M and the apps.
  
  Another question, after a hard reset, the apps in my SD card will become useless, right?

 

[Chintan Gohel]

Thank you.

Just to confirm, I need to do a hard reset, right? Not a factory reset, right?



The problem is I don't have unlimited broadband. So I have to use my mobile data to re-download W10M and the apps.

Another question, after a hard reset, the apps in my SD card will become useless, right?

factory reset
Try searching for places with wifi, such as a college or cafe
I would recommend you remove the apps from the card, then remove the card before doing the factory reset

 

[RumoredNow]

What Chintan said, Factory Reset.

Yes, any Apps on the SD card will be "lost" as the registry will not have the locations any longer.

You won't be downloading W10M. You will be using the recovery image on the phone for the OS. Data will be be needed to update Apps and do Microsoft Account setup....

Since you are giving the device to your sister, I would Factory Reset and leave it at the initial screen and let her do the setup. If possible be there with her to answer any questions she might have during setup.

 

[John Loo]

Thanks.

For the Windows Feedback app, which category should I post to regarding leaving free apps on the phone? If Microsoft can implement it, it'll be great.

 

[RumoredNow]

I'd search the term "reset" and if nothing looks relevant, create an entry...

 

[realwarder]

Originally posted by RumoredNow

Originally Posted by Windows Central Question
Is there a way to change the main account on just my 535 without losing any apps?

No.

You will have to reset the device and your sister will have to collect the Apps under her own Microsoft Account.

There is no way for you to "share" the Apps you own to another device and if you keep your Microsoft Account on that phone your sister will have access to all sorts of stuff you don't want her to have, email, SMS, etc...


If you need additional help or have more questions or details to share, please join the site so you can reply in this thread. See this link for instructions on how to join Windows Central.

Actually, in W10 the Store app can sign in to a different MSA than the phone account and so you can load apps on several devices. Up to 10.


So if phone is Windows 10 you can hard reset phone, setup under her own account and then log into the Store as you and restore apps. Backup first and you can always go back. App data will be lost on that phone though.

 

[John Loo]

Actually, in W10 the Store app can sign in to a different MSA than the phone account and so you can load apps on several devices. Up to 10.


So if phone is Windows 10 you can hard reset phone, setup under her own account and then log into the Store as you and restore apps. Backup first and you can always go back. App data will be lost on that phone though.

Urm.. but that's not what I want to do. I just don't want to re-download everything because I only have a metered connection.