A Microsoft account has some advantages, but a local account is fine for Windows 11. Microsoft doesn't make it easy to set up a local account on a new PC. There are workarounds, but they depend on ...

Microsoft's latest Insider Preview, Build 26220.6772, introduces a significant policy change: removal of known workarounds to skip Microsoft Account setup during Windows 11 installation (OOBE).

This is important because: Microsoft is closing the side doors to offline setup. As familiar workarounds disappear, most people are guided toward a Microsoft account on day one, which narrows choice ...

Microsoft is removing known workarounds for local account creation in Windows 11 setup (OOBE), effectively making a Microsoft Account (MSA) mandatory for most users. The company cites proper ...

Of the many minor to medium-size annoyances that come with a modern Windows 11 installation, the requirement that you sign in with a Microsoft account is one of the most irritating. Sure, all ...

Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to ...

After a 7-year corporate stint, Tanveer found his love for writing and tech too much to resist. An MBA in Marketing and the owner of a PC building business, he writes on PC hardware, technology, and ...

Guide When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Microsoft is making it harder to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft Account, but ...

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Microsoft knows we want local accounts, not Microsoft accounts, but I don't think they'll deliver it -- even on the Windows 11 apology tour. After years of pissing me and other Windows 11 users off, ...