Microsoft recently caused confusion with an announcement about changes to its sign-in process, only to retract the information shortly after. The initial report, covered by The Verge, suggested users would remain automatically signed in unless using private browsing or manually signing out. This change was slated for February.
According to Alex Simons, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of identity & network access program management, the reports were based on “incomplete information” mistakenly published by a product team. Simons confirmed to The Verge that “there will be no changes to Microsoft users’ commercial (Microsoft Entra) or consumer (Microsoft account) sign in experiences in February.” The erroneous notifications have since been removed.
The now-retracted information detailed a modified sign-in process where browsers would remember user credentials after initial login. While convenient on personal devices, this posed potential security risks on shared computers, highlighting the importance of private browsing in such scenarios.
The original announcement, now removed, was communicated through a document and an Outlook notification stating, “Your sign-in experience is changing. You’ll stay signed in unless you use private browsing or explicitly sign out.”
Microsoft has not clarified whether these changes are simply delayed or canceled altogether. The reversal raises questions about the potential backlash the initial announcement may have received. Leaving users automatically signed in presents significant security vulnerabilities. Pending further clarification from Microsoft, users are encouraged to review and strengthen their Windows security settings.
