Allow Microsoft accounts to be optional
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\App runtime Description
This policy setting lets you control whether Microsoft accounts are optional for packaged Microsoft Store apps that require an account to sign in. This policy only affects packaged Microsoft Store apps that support it. If you enable this policy setting, packaged Microsoft Store apps that typically require a Microsoft account to sign in will allow users to sign in with an enterprise account instead. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, users will need to sign in with a Microsoft account.
Registry
HKLM
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System Value name: MSAOptional
Enabled: MSAOptional = 1
Disabled: MSAOptional = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/AppRuntime/AllowMicrosoftAccountsToBeOptional Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Allow Microsoft accounts to be optional
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]
"MSAOptional"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow Microsoft accounts to be optional
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MSAOptional' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/AppRuntime/AllowMicrosoftAccountsToBeOptional
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow Microsoft accounts to be optional
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'MSAOptional' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow Microsoft accounts to be optional
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MSAOptional' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow Microsoft accounts to be optional
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow Microsoft accounts to be optional
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -Name 'MSAOptional' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Allow Microsoft accounts to be optional
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'MSAOptional' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.