Windows 8.1 has a nice feature called sync to the cloud so that when you reinstall the operating system, you automatically get the customizations. This saves time and energy. You can use the feature to have the same settings across all your Windows 10or Windows 8.1 computers. That means, same settings will be applied to all other computers or devices, and you will be at ease using them as it is as customized as you customized it for the first time. All your apps are also installed on all Windows 8.1 computers you use.
We have seen how you can synchronize Internet Explorer Settings. This article talks about what all you can sync using Windows 8.1 and how to sync Windows 8.1 settings across computers.
If you have a local account but would like to convert it into Microsoft Account for configuring PC Sync settings this piece of writing will help you.
Read: How to Sync Settings across devices in Windows 10.
What does Windows sync do
Windows 8.1 offers to sync your apps, settings, and other features so that when you reinstall the operating system, you don’t have to customize the computer again. But this is possible if you use a Microsoft Account to login.
If you use a Microsoft account, your preferences and apps’ information is stored on OneDrive. In case you disconnect the Microsoft account and use a local account, you will not be using OneDrive, and hence it won’t be able to sync. It won’t sync your settings even if you use a local account and install OneDrive Desktop Sync software. In short, to have your settings, apps, and other features synced, use a Microsoft account for login instead of making it a local account.
It is also necessary to know that user settings are synced per user. That is, Windows 8.1 will sync features, customizations and app info for each user using a Microsoft account to login to the Windows computer. Again, local accounts will not be synced even if you install the OneDrive software for syncing files and folders.
Here is a list of the settings Windows 8.1 synchronizes:
- Computer Settings
- Start Screen Preferences
- Apps on Start Screen
- Appearance – including colors and account image
- Browser settings
- Passwords for Apps
- Language Preferences
- Ease of Access
- Settings and customizations related to screen, mouse, keyboard, etc
- Backup Settings
To see what all features are synced or to change sync preferences, open Charms bar from Start Screen and go to PC Settings. Then click on OneDrive and then on Sync. You will be allowed to choose what all you wish to sync.
You have to opt sync by moving the slider to ON in the first option that is labeled: “Sync your Settings on this PC“. If the option is turned OFF, Windows will not synchronize your settings, features, etc. to that computer.
Sync Windows 8.1 settings across devices
You will be able to choose what you want to sync via PC Settings, as shown above in the image.
If you are installing Windows 8.1, during the setup up process with your Microsoft account, you will be offered to select to copy one of your synced settings from any Windows 8.1 device.
Since the features, app info, and other items are synced to the OneDrive associated with your login email ID; you just have to set up accounts on other computers with the same email ID. Once that is done, you will see that your settings from the other computer are copied to the current computer user account. You can use the email ID on as many computers as you want. That way, each of the computers with the same email ID will have the same features, apps, and other customizations.
That explains how to sync Windows 8.1 settings across different computers so that each of the computers has the same set of apps and other customizations.
If you wish, you can disable Sync Settings in Windows for Multiple Users and Turn Off and Remove OneDrive Sync Data in Windows.
