How to make a Microsoft account so you can access Microsoft products, apps, and services

• You can make a Microsoft account for free through Microsoft's website.
• You can use a pre-existing email address for your Microsoft account or create a new one.

If you're interested in using Outlook as your email client or want to set up your Xbox Series X more quickly, you'll need to create a Microsoft account.

Fortunately, the process is fast, free, and easy to do from Microsoft's website.

Here's how to make a Microsoft account in eight simple steps.

How to make a Microsoft account

1. Open a web browser and go to www.Microsoft.com.

2. Click on the "Account" icon, a small circle with a humanoid design inside it, located in the upper right corner of the screen.

3. Click "Create one!" to begin creating your Microsoft account.

4. Type in a pre-existing email address or click "Get a new email address" for a personal Microsoft email address. Once you've typed in the email address you want to use, click "Next."

5. Type in a secure password to use with your Microsoft account. Click "Next" once you've done so.

6. Type your first and last name into the corresponding fields and click "Next."

7. Using the dropdown menus, select your location and enter your birth date. Once you've finished, click "Next."

8. On the next screen, you will be asked to solve a simple puzzle for security purposes. Click "Next" to proceed to the puzzle and follow the on-screen instructions.

If you successfully complete the security puzzle, you now have a Microsoft account.

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