Remove a Replicated Windows 8 Mail Application Mail Account

Q: I removed a Windows 8 Mail application mail account that was replicated from my other machines, but the account reappeared again--why?

A: Windows 8 features the ability to sync various types of settings between machines for a user account associated with a Microsoft ID (formerly known as Live ID). Among these settings are application settings such as the mail accounts.

It seems there is a "feature" right now that enables the following to happen: Even after you remove an account from Mail (and therefore calendar and contacts as well) just for the current machine, it will actually replicate back to the machine again and reappear.

The only way to stop the account coming back is to do one of the following:

1. Remove the Mail application (if you don't need it on that machine).
2. Disable the synchronization of application settings for that machine (because Mail accounts are part of the application settings replication) by setting App settings to Off in the Sync your settings area of PC settings (which is available via Settings charm--Win key+C--on the Start screen and selecting the Change PC Settings link).
   
   PC Settings Sync Your Settings Option
   

The downside to doing this is that it means other application settings won't replicate between your machines.

You might also be interested in my FAQ "Q: How can I force an update of my Windows 8 or Windows RT environment?"

See more FAQs at John Savill's page.