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, ...

Microsoft really doesn’t want you creating a local account on Windows 11. Microsoft really doesn’t want you creating a local account on Windows 11. is a senior editor and author of Notepad, who has ...

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 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 ...

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 is blocking another way to choose a local account in Windows 11. You'd force a local account by disconnecting from the network. The block is currently in place in the latest 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 ...

Windows 11 has a new preview build It cracks down on workarounds to install the OS with a local account This is a continued campaign to force people to use a Microsoft account, and Microsoft argues it ...

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 ...

A previously unknown trick lets you easily bypass using a Microsoft Account in Windows 11, just as Microsoft tries to make it harder to use local accounts. Since the release of Windows 11, Microsoft ...