Of the many new tricks that are available in the Anniversary Update, one of the more noteworthy improvements is the ability to tie your Windows license to a Microsoft account instead of tying it to your hardware.

That way if you ever decide to upgrade your PC motherboard, for example, you won't have to deal with Microsoft customer support to reactivate your license. This hassle could also happen if you upgrade other PC components.

Of course this requires that you create and use a Microsoft account when logging into Windows 10. Here's how to set that up.

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Launch the Settings app and navigate to Account > Your info. In the right panel, you should see your account information including whether or not you're using a local account or a Microsoft account (indicated by an email address, in which case you're already done).

Click on Sign in with a Microsoft account instead. This will prompt you to either sign in with an existing Microsoft account or create a new one. Valid Microsoft accounts are any that exist on the Outlook.com, Live.com, Hotmail.com, or MSN.com domains.

Once switched, your local files and data will be migrated over.

Note that this does NOT mean your Windows 10 license is now connected to your Microsoft account. That requires using the new Activation Troubleshooter tool that was made available in the Anniversary Update.

Do you use a Microsoft account with Windows 10 or do you use a local account instead? Tell us why in the comments below!