Microsoft has restored a feature that it removed some time ago from Windows. At least in the Beta version of the operating system, sign-out is once again accessible directly when clicking on the profile icon in the Start menu.
Here is the current process in Windows 11 when you want to sign out using the Start menu:
- Click on the Start button to open the Start menu.
- Click on the profile icon.
- Activation of the menu (three dots).
- Selection of sign out.
Once the change lands, the process is the following one:
- Click on the Start button to open the Start menu.
- Click on the profile icon.
- Select Sign out.
It used to be this way, but Microsoft introduced the account manager to the Start menu. The main purpose of it, if you ask me, is to advertise Microsoft 365 and Microsoft cloud storage.
It shows the M365 subscription status and also the available cloud storage. For that, Microsoft removed the options to sign out or switch users from the main interface and hid it behind a new menu that it added just for that purpose.
If you look at the screenshot of the revised version, you may notice that something is amiss. Where is the option to switch to another user? Microsoft says that it will show a list of signed in users under menu.
The screenshot shows nothing of it though. Maybe it is only displayed when there are other users who are signed in.
Note: a better way of signing out is to right-click on the Start button. It shows that option next to others under shutdown.
Since it is a beta release, it is possible that Microsoft is going to alter the interface further before it hits the stable channel and the majority of users.
How do you sign our or shut down your Windows PCs? Do you have any preference? Feel free to leave a comment down below.
I use “the better way”.
I would guess most windows users aren’t even aware there is a r-click menu for the start button.
Please take this as suggestion and not insult. This is irrelevant. Majority of viewers of your websites already uninstalled all Microsoft services/products or got third party Start menu app and never see these changes. There is no value in Microsoft add-on products, only trouble. Basic, 100% stripped Windows maybe with functioning but optionally uninstallable Defender/Edge in the name of choice is all power or skilled Windows user needs.
PS: For power and skilled users (and disclaimer: myself too) maybe it would be much more interesting to know what Intel is doing to fix its 12 and 13 generation processors problems. They are definitely defective and has been shipped defective for the last 2 1/2 years, but nobody seem to agree how bad, what exactly is wrong and under what conditions processors degrade, which exact processor models are affected and to which degree and if Intel can do something to fix them or even Intel willingness to engage in any of this. Some Motherboard/PC manufacturers reportedly issued BIOS patches in August, but not all of them. Nobody knows how safe are those. General rule of thumb: never apply BIOS patch unless your computer about to die as they create more problems than solutions.
I would say this is the biggest continuous tech story/scandal right this year, and I do not remember Martin covering it.