How to Remove an Organization From Windows 11 or 10

To remove a work or school connection from Windows 11, open Settings > Accounts > Access work or school, expand the account, and select Disconnect. Read the warnings before confirming. If you use that organization account to sign in to Windows, prepare a working local administrator account first.

This guide covers a personal PC with an old work or school connection and an authorized departure from a Microsoft Entra joined device. Microsoft Entra ID is the organization identity service formerly called Azure Active Directory. A company-owned PC or one joined to an on-premises domain needs its IT team’s offboarding process.

Before You Disconnect

Save your work and back up files you need to keep, including permitted work files that are only available through a company account. Confirm that you can open the backup. Disconnecting is not a factory reset, but Microsoft warns that it can cause data loss.

For an Entra joined PC, Microsoft requires an offline local administrator account before leaving the organization. Know its password and verify that it works before you disconnect. Your organization sign-in will no longer be available after unjoining. See how to create a local Windows 11 account if you need help preparing one.

If the PC uses BitLocker, keep an accessible copy of its recovery key. Microsoft’s device-retirement guidance calls out both recovery keys and local administrator credentials. Ask IT for the approved offboarding procedure when either is controlled by the organization.

Disconnect the Account in Windows 11

1. Open Settings from Start and select Accounts.
2. Open Access work or school. Find the connection for the organization you want to leave.
3. Select the connection or its dropdown arrow to reveal its controls. Verify the account or organization name.
4. Select Disconnect. Read the confirmation message, then select Yes when you are ready.
5. Follow any remaining prompts. When leaving an Entra joined device, supply the prepared local administrator credentials if Windows requests them.
6. Restart if prompted. Microsoft specifically requires a reboot to finish unjoining an Entra joined device. Sign in using the local account afterward.

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The account-selection and confirmation steps follow Microsoft’s Windows account instructions. Back in Access work or school, the connection you removed should be absent. Other organization connections can remain; check the name rather than assuming the entire page must be empty.

What Changes After Removal?

Disconnecting removes that connection from this Windows device; it does not delete your work or school account at the organization. You may still be able to sign in on another permitted device, depending on your account’s status and your organization’s policies.

If Intune managed the PC, unenrollment removes its Company Portal access and the device stops receiving updates through Intune. Windows Update can still operate according to the PC’s configuration. Confirm that your current antivirus protection and updates work after the transition.

Keep app sign-ins separate from Windows registration. An account can be signed in to an individual app without being added to the device. If an old identity remains in Outlook, Teams, or another app, check that app’s account controls rather than repeating device disconnection.

If Disconnect Is Missing or Blocked

• Expand the correct connection. Email & accounts and Access work or school serve different purposes. Look under Access work or school for the device connection.
• Check with IT. An organization can prohibit manual MDM unenrollment. Microsoft says those connections require a removal command from the management server. A missing or blocked control does not justify deleting enrollment keys.
• Check the sign-in situation. If Windows needs local administrator credentials you do not have, stop and prepare them with IT. Do not assume an organization password or Windows Hello PIN will substitute for the local account password.

Use the Info page for a managed connection to look for organization support details if they are provided. Include the connection name and exact error when asking for help; do not send anyone your password or recovery key.

Why “Managed by Your Organization” Can Remain

A management message is a reason to investigate the affected setting, not proof that every restriction comes from the account you just removed. Check the connection list and tell IT which screen still shows the message. Domain or hybrid joined devices require a different process from a personal registered PC. Our guide on joining or leaving a domain in Windows 11 covers the on-premises steps.

Do not set EnableLUA to 0 as an organization-removal fix. Microsoft identifies that value as disabling User Account Control and its related Admin Approval Mode protections. It does not perform the supported account-disconnection procedure. Avoid deleting policy keys or certificates simply because their names include “organization.”

If a Used PC Asks for the Previous Organization During Setup

Contact the seller or previous organization and ask for the device to be properly released. Microsoft’s Windows Autopilot guidance requires deregistration when a device permanently leaves an organization. Local account disconnection, cloud records, and Autopilot registration are separate parts of offboarding. Repeated resets are not a substitute for the previous owner completing that process.

Windows 10: Remove the Same Connection

Microsoft documents this account-disconnection route for Windows 10 too. Its Settings layout differs, so use these separate steps:

1. Open Start > Settings > Accounts.
2. Select Access work or school in the Accounts navigation.
3. Select the organization connection and choose Disconnect.
4. Read the message and select Yes to confirm. Complete any remaining prompts.

The same backup and local-administrator preparation applies when unjoining an Entra joined Windows 10 PC. Reboot to finish that unjoin and check that you can sign in afterward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reconnect later?

If the account is still active and your organization allows the device, return to Access work or school and select Connect. Follow the organization’s enrollment instructions. Reconnecting does not guarantee access when the account or device has been blocked.

How do I prevent an app sign-in from adding the account to my personal PC?

On the Microsoft Entra registration prompt, choose No, this app only if that suits your organization’s access requirements. Microsoft explains that this signs in only to that app without adding the account to Windows or registering the device. A company may still require managed-device access for its resources.

Is switching to a local account the same thing?

A switch from a personal Microsoft account to a local account changes personal Windows sign-in. Leaving an organization connection is a different task. Choose the route that matches what appears under your Accounts settings.