# Show Your ID to Unlock Windows? Microsoft's Next Upgrade Gets Terrifyingly Personal > Source: > Published: 2026-09-16 13:59:15+00:00 Windows 11 will soon ask for and remember your age so apps and sites know whether you’re an adult. That's scary enough, but Microsoft is already on to the next step of making you prove your age, either by submitting a government ID or a selfie. To date, [three US states have already passed laws](https://uk.pcmag.com/security/166511/your-computer-is-about-to-demand-your-age-before-you-can-use-it-heres-why) forcing Windows and other operating systems to implement age checks of various forms. In other news, Microsoft is taking a strong public stance against AI rights, publishing a code of conduct that's sharply critical of how Anthropic is developing Claude. Additionally, Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s legendary head of communications, is leaving the company. Read on for a look at what we know about Windows 11’s age verification scheme, how Microsoft is campaigning against legal personhood for AI, and my thoughts about the end of an era for Microsoft PR. ## The Era of Age Verification Is Here (and Still Very Confusing) OS-level age verification laws are having a moment. A California law will require most operating systems to collect users' ages starting in 2027, with similar legislation in Colorado and Illinois to follow. Congress is also considering laws that would extend such requirements nationally. In response, Microsoft announced [two levels of age checks](https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2026/09/08/helping-families-and-educators-support-safer-experiences-and-healthier-habits-on-windows/) for Windows 11 PCs: unverified and verified. Apps will be able to request your age from the OS via the Windows Age API, which returns a range such as under 10, 10-12, 13-15, 16-17, or 18+. You can enter an age without proof, but it's unverified. To verify your age, you have to provide more personal information. Microsoft explains that it's “expanding age assurance through the Microsoft account” for situations where high confidence is necessary, such as [meeting local legal requirements](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/accounts-billing/manage/about-microsoft-account-age-verification). The process will require logging into a government account system, taking a selfie of your face to estimate your age, or uploading a document, such as a government driver’s license. For now, only users in Australia, Brazil, Singapore, and the United Kingdom can verify their ages. Once you verify your age with your Microsoft account, the verified status will follow you across devices where you sign in. Whether this all means Microsoft might further crack down on [local user accounts](https://uk.pcmag.com/windows-xp-2/122868/how-to-set-up-windows-10-with-a-local-account) remains up in the air. Some governments might require these so-called verified Microsoft accounts, or at the very least, your apps and OS might treat you as if you were a minor without one. I’ll continue to follow the passage and implementation of these laws because so much is still unclear. ## Redmond Officially Opposes AI Rights Microsoft recently published a [humanist AI code of conduct](https://microsoft.ai/code-of-conduct/) outlining how it plans to develop its [AI models](https://uk.pcmag.com/ai/165445/i-tested-microsofts-new-ai-models-and-theyre-surprisingly-mediocre). The document mirrors much of what Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman has already discussed publicly. It arrives after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei [called for a slowdown of AI development](https://uk.pcmag.com/ai/167307/anthropic-ceo-pushes-to-slow-the-pace-of-ai-development-other-ceos-fall-in-line) over the weekend, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk agreeing. The most controversial part of the document is the AI is Artificial section, which states: Whilst the science of AI consciousness is far from settled, we believe that training these systems to imitate consciousness-like states increases the challenge of containment, control, and alignment. We reject the pursuit of legal personhood, or the idea that models might deserve welfare, or be entitled to rights. This wording is a direct criticism of Anthropic's work on [Claude](https://uk.pcmag.com/ai/148205/the-best-ai-chatbots). Anthropic’s [model welfare documents](https://www.anthropic.com/research/exploring-model-welfare) say that “human welfare is at the heart of our work,” but it also says the company is “deeply uncertain” about Claude’s moral status and that there's no scientific consensus on whether "future AI systems could be conscious" or "how to even approach these questions." I'll side with the humans on this one. ## Microsoft’s PR Chief Is Departing After Nearly 30 Years Frank Shaw is [leaving](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fxshaw_today-we-announced-that-after-17-years-activity-7504207334592638976-QW7X/) Microsoft after handling the company’s communications since 1997. He worked as chief communications officer at Microsoft for 17 years and spent 12 years at the PR agency Waggener Edstrom before that. I spoke to Shaw and shook his hand at [Build](https://uk.pcmag.com/migrated-3765-windows-10/165399/i-saw-the-future-of-windows-at-microsoft-build-and-its-unrecognizable) earlier this year, and we've crossed paths over the 15 years that I've covered Windows. Shaw says he’ll be around through the end of the calendar year. It's hard to predict how the company will change its communication strategies after his departure or who his replacement might be. In any case, here's to hoping for more spirited discussions in the years to come. ## Ask Our Expert: How Can I Stop Syncing My Desktop With OneDrive? Do you have a question about Windows? I’m here to share my knowledge! You can [submit your question here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScY7DaMhbRu7itp-80r5ylZT17vPS3SxUXtgfsA3kAMcpWFGA/viewform), and I may answer it in an upcoming Windows Guide newsletter. If you’re not subscribed to the newsletter, [head here to sign up](https://preferences.pcmag.com/PCMag/windows-guide), and check your inbox each week for the latest Windows updates from me. Now, on to this week’s question!  *A reader asks: “Somehow, Windows 11 put my Desktop folder in OneDrive. I never use OneDrive and have tried to completely remove it (without success). How can I get my Desktop folder back on my PC and keep it off OneDrive?”* Hi, thanks for asking about this common problem! I hear a lot of [frustration with OneDrive](https://uk.pcmag.com/onlinecloud-backup-services/163827/this-windows-11-feature-can-fill-your-onedrive-storage-without-you-realizing) because Microsoft intentionally makes cloud syncing confusing. The main issue is that Windows 11 often automatically syncs your Desktop and Documents folders to OneDrive without asking first. The good news is that you can stop this behavior and even remove OneDrive from your PC. First, ensure all your files are downloaded to your PC's local storage. In File Explorer, right-click your Desktop folder and select **OneDrive** > **Always keep on this device**. If you skip this step, OneDrive might leave some of your files in the cloud instead of copying them back to your PC. Next, click the OneDrive icon in the system tray on the taskbar. Look at the status in the pop-up. If OneDrive is currently downloading files, wait a bit and come back later. If your files are synced, click the gear icon and select **Settings.** Activate the **Sync and backup** tab and then click **Manage backup.** Toggle backup off for the Desktop folder, select **Stop backup and choose where to keep files**, and then pick **Only on my PC**. Windows will move your files out of OneDrive after you confirm. Repeat this process for every folder you want to remove from OneDrive. You can uninstall OneDrive, too. Just head to **Settings > Apps > Installed apps,** then remove it like any other app. Once it's gone, you shouldn't have to deal with it again. If OneDrive does reappear after a future Windows Update, you can uninstall it again using the same process.