Q: If I sign up for a Microsoft account in Windows 8 or 8.1, do I have to change my email address instead of staying with my current e-mail address?

Will I have to pay a monthly fee, and will I have to notify everyone of my new email address?

A: In a word, no. Signing up for a Microsoft account is much more difficult than it should be, probably because Microsoft offers so many ways to create one.

You can create a Microsoft account by creating an entirely new e-mail address, for example, perhaps one from Outlook.com.

However, you can also convert any e-mail address into a Microsoft account, and that’s the best method for people who have used the same e-mail address for years.

So, lets tackle your questions one by one.

> If I sign up for a Microsoft account, do I have to change my email address instead of my current address?

No. You can keep your existing e-mail address.

> Will I have to pay a monthly fee?

No. You’re not limited to Outlook.com, and Microsoft’s e-mail accounts are free.

> will I have to notify everyone of my new email address?

No. You can keep your existing e-mail address.

It works like this. When you head to Windows’ online form to create a Microsoft account, enter your existing e-mail address, be it from Verizon, Comcast, Cox, or any other e-mail service.

When you’re through, you’ll only have a new password, and that’s where things seem strange: Your existing e-mail address will now have two passwords.

You’ll still use your existing e-mail address and its current password to check your e-mail.

But when signing into Windows 8 or 8.1, you’ll enter your e-mail address and the new, different Microsoft Account password.