hands on Redmond really – and I mean really – wants you to log into Windows 11 with a Microsoft account.… If you're setting up your own computer, rather than using a centrally managed one, Windows 11 ...

Microsoft has fired its latest salvo in the battle against Windows 11 customers who would rather sign in with a local account than a Microsoft account. Announcing a new Windows 11 Insider build, the ...

A newly discovered trick allows Windows 11 users to bypass Microsoft’s online account requirement during setup, raising questions around user control and privacy. The workaround, shared by X user ...

If you prefer installing Windows 11 without linking an online profile, your options are shrinking fast. Historically, Windows relied on local accounts—user profiles ...

When run during Windows 11 setup, it creates a Registry value that removes the requirement to connect to the Internet during setup, which allows you to set up the operating system with a local account ...

TL;DR: Microsoft recently blocked a common workaround for installing Windows 11 with a local account instead of linking it to a Microsoft account. However, two new methods have since been highlighted, ...

Upgrading to Windows 11 is still possible even after Windows 10 reached the end of support on October 14, 2025. Although many devices continue to run the retired operating system, switching to Windows ...

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).

One of the downgrades that Windows 10 users experience when moving to Windows 11, especially when clean-installing the newer operating system, is the inability to create a local account and set up ...

If you can’t sign in to a Microsoft account in Windows 11, execute the solutions given below. Use the ‘Forgot password’ link Run the Windows Network and Internet troubleshooter Fix credentials and ...

Try the following methods to access your account when you can’t sign in with your existing PIN. Reset PIN Sign in as a Global Administrator or another Admin account Uninstall recent Windows updates ...

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 ...