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, ...

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 ...

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 ...

The Mrs. is getting a new laptop soon with Win 11 Home. We have not yet used a Win 11 device nor set one up. My internet reading tells me that many of the Windows forums report that "oobe\bypassnro" ...

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 ...

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 ...

The latest Insider Preview build of Windows 11 includes a rather ominous update. Ominous, that is, for anyone who prefers to install Windows without being hooked up to the internet and signing up for ...